***NON-POLITICAL COVID-19 Discussion Thread***

[JakeF]

A couple of reminders...

Originally Posted by Bwana

Once again, don't come in this thread with some kind of political agenda, or you will be shown the door. If you want to go that route, there is a thread about this in DC.

Originally Posted by Dartgod

People, there is a lot of good information in this thread, let's try to keep the petty bickering to a minimum.

We all have varying opinions about the impact of this, the numbers, etc. We will all never agree with each other. But we can all keep it civil.

Thanks!

Click here for the original OP:

Spoiler!

Apparently the CoronaVirus can survive on a inanimate objects, such as door knobs, for 9 days.

California coronavirus case could be first spread within U.S. community, CDC says
By SOUMYA KARLAMANGLA, JACLYN COSGROVE
FEB. 26, 2020 8:04 PM

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating what could be the first case of novel coronavirus in the United States involving a patient in California who neither recently traveled out of the country nor was in contact with someone who did.

“At this time, the patient’s exposure is unknown. It’s possible this could be an instance of community spread of COVID-19, which would be the first time this has happened in the United States,” the CDC said in a statement. “Community spread means spread of an illness for which the source of infection is unknown. It’s also possible, however, that the patient may have been exposed to a returned traveler who was infected.”

The individual is a resident of Solano County and is receiving medical care in Sacramento County, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The CDC said the “case was detected through the U.S. public health system — picked up by astute clinicians.”

Officials at UC Davis Medical Center expanded on what the federal agency might have meant by that in an email sent Wednesday, as reported by the Davis Enterprise newspaper.

The patient arrived at UC Davis Medical Center from another hospital Feb. 19 and “had already been intubated, was on a ventilator, and given droplet protection orders because of an undiagnosed and suspected viral condition,” according to an email sent by UC Davis officials that was obtained by the Davis Enterprise.

The staff at UC Davis requested COVID-19 testing by the CDC, but because the patient didn’t fit the CDC’s existing criteria for the virus, a test wasn’t immediately administered, according to the email. The CDC then ordered the test Sunday, and results were announced Wednesday. Hospital administrators reportedly said in the email that despite these issues, there has been minimal exposure at the hospital because of safety protocols they have in place.

A UC Davis Health spokesperson declined Wednesday evening to share the email with The Times.

Since Feb. 2, more than 8,400 returning travelers from China have entered California, according to the state health department. They have been advised to self-quarantine for 14 days and limit interactions with others as much as possible, officials said.

“This is a new virus, and while we are still learning about it, there is a lot we already know,” Dr. Sonia Angell, director of the California Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We have been anticipating the potential for such a case in the U.S., and given our close familial, social and business relationships with China, it is not unexpected that the first case in the U.S. would be in California.”

It is not clear how the person became infected, but public health workers could not identify any contacts with people who had traveled to China or other areas where the virus is widespread. That raises concern that the virus is spreading in the United States, creating a challenge for public health officials, experts say.

“It’s the first signal that we could be having silent transmission in the community,” said Lawrence Gostin, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center on National and Global Health Law. “It probably means there are many more cases out there, and it probably means this individual has infected others, and now it’s a race to try to find out who that person has infected.”

On Tuesday, the CDC offered its most serious warning to date that the United States should expect and prepare for the coronavirus to become a more widespread health issue.

“Ultimately, we expect we will see coronavirus spread in this country,” said Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases. “It’s not so much a question of if, but a question of when.”

According to the CDC’s latest count Wednesday morning, 59 U.S. residents have tested positive for the new strain of coronavirus — 42 of whom are repatriated citizens from a Diamond Princess cruise. That number has grown by two since Messonnier’s last count Tuesday, although the CDC was not immediately available to offer details on the additional cases.

More than 82,000 cases of coronavirus have been reported globally, and more than 2,700 people have died, with the majority in mainland China, the epicenter of the outbreak.

But public health leaders have repeatedly reminded residents that the health risk from the novel coronavirus to the general public remains low.

“While COVID-19 has a high transmission rate, it has a low mortality rate,” the state Department of Public Health said in a statement Wednesday. “From the international data we have, of those who have tested positive for COVID-19, approximately 80% do not exhibit symptoms that would require hospitalization. There have been no confirmed deaths related to COVID-19 in the United States to date.”

CDC officials have also warned that although the virus is likely to spread in U.S. communities, the flu still poses a greater risk.

Gostin said the news of potential silent transmission does not eliminate the possibility of containing the virus in the U.S. and preventing an outbreak.

“There are few enough cases that we should at least try,” he said. “Most of us are not optimistic that that will be successful, but we’re still in the position to try.”

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Germany had that one big anti-mask protest, and all the govt is asking is that they wear masks and take reasonable precautions:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53622797

Right but things there are looking like a true second wave is starting. People are increasingly loosening their social distancing, gatherings, masks, etc. Despite increasing numbers schools start next week there. It seems to show that no matter what you do or how well, as soon as things start going towards normal, cases will rise. Just like us and the rest of the world it’s basically just wait until a vaccine/some cure or herd immunity through enough cases. There is no normal until then as people want to suggest.

[petegz28]

Yesterday appears on balance to be better than Wednesday of last week. 10k less cases and about 20 less deaths.

[Marcellus]

Global statistics as of today-

6,106,945
Currently Infected Patients

6,041,530 (99%)
in Mild Condition

65,415 (1%)
Serious or Critical

1% of cases critical or serious, globally.

[displacedinMN]

ER is on pop network.

Season 8 last episode, Season 9 episode 1.

dealing with a small pox breakout and mutation. Worth the watch.

Then find Numbers-season 1 episode 6.


Just like it is today.

[F150]

Drove past two Texas Roadhouse food joints yesterday evening between Airport and Home...places are as packed as ever. Where is the little mayor on this shit? Cant we get a little enforcement/

[tyecopeland]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

Great, you got people yelling when they have their bullhorns out, outside, w/o someone standing right in front of them.

Are you trying to claim that the anti-mask protest indoor and these BLM protests are the same risk level? Because that is the point I was replying to.

Also why haven't we seen outbreaks if these are as risky as you seem to think they are?

The videos I've seen in the DC forum show a lot of people getting right into others people's faces yelling maskless or pulling their masks down to yell at them.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by tyecopeland

The videos I've seen in the DC forum show a lot of people getting right into others people's faces yelling maskless or pulling their masks down to yell at them.

Those aren't real protests or something like that.

[dirk digler]

I haven't seen my daughter in a few months because she works on the COVID unit at one of the major KC hospitals but I told her if she wants to see me she has to get an antibody test . So she did and it came back negative.

I am honestly surprised by that considering she had very little PPE use early on and had patients spray crap over her when putting patients on the vent etc.

She is also O+ like me so don't know if they might play a part or maybe there is some sort of immunity for people. Or she just got lucky so far.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I haven't seen my daughter in a few months because she works on the COVID unit at one of the major KC hospitals but I told her if she wants to see me she has to get an antibody test . So she did and it came back negative.

I am honestly surprised by that considering she had very little PPE use early on and had patients spray crap over her when putting patients on the vent etc.

She is also O+ like me so don't know if they might play a part or maybe there is some sort of immunity for people. Or she just got lucky so far.

Little stuff like this is why I think there's some weird immunity things going on. The immune system is so god damn hard to understand.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Global statistics as of today-

6,106,945
Currently Infected Patients

6,041,530 (99%)
in Mild Condition

65,415 (1%)
Serious or Critical

1% of cases critical or serious, globally.

But muh panic porn!

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by O.city

Little stuff like this is why I think there's some weird immunity things going on. The immune system is so god damn hard to understand.

Yep it seems to be random on who it affects which makes me think there is some immunity, genetics, blood types that offer some protection.

The only other thing I could think of is she wasn't wearing much PPE back in March and maybe got it early and the antibodies are now gone so the tests can't detect it. I don't know much about these antibody tests to say either way though.

[displacedinMN]

One thing is for sure, a mask does not protect you from some guy with too much polo cologne.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

One thing is for sure, a mask does not protect you from some guy with too much polo cologne.

Is there ever too much?

[O.city]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Yep it seems to be random on who it affects which makes me think there is some immunity, genetics, blood types that offer some protection.

The only other thing I could think of is she wasn't wearing much PPE back in March and maybe got it early and the antibodies are now gone so the tests can't detect it. I don't know much about these antibody tests to say either way though.

It's possible.

Hopefully she's got everything in place now, so no worries. I hate that you ahve to be away from her. Understandable though.

[Ebolapox]

Originally Posted by O.city

Little stuff like this is why I think there's some weird immunity things going on. The immune system is so god damn hard to understand.

I'm a geneticist. I tell students on one of the first relevant lessons that we have 20-25000 different genes. I don't even get to isoforms (same protein, different structure b/c of exon splicing differences). there are over 250 different genes that cause old-age blindness (retinitis pignemtosa: overly simplified, most are old age... some young age). over 1500 that control neurological function (likely more than that with snRNAs and other small RNA species that we barely or don't understand now--all are likely dealing with protein control of some sort, or maybe epigentic stuff that's nuts).

we're incredibly complex and have hundreds of thousands of moving parts (I didn't even get to how our environment comes into play, except kinds: epigenetics). it's not a shocker that something unprecedented like this has many facets and is the ultimate moving target.