***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.”

[Spott]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Every single one of us is probably going to end up personally knowing someone who dies from this. Let that sink in for a minute..

Hopefully it’s my old boss. He deserves to catch Ebolaids.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Bill Brasky

Why would municipal water stop flowing?

Evidently Pumps can get the Coronavirus.

[Mr. Plow]

This is going to be a fun thread to reread in a few weeks.

[Kman34]

Originally Posted by Bill Brasky

Why would municipal water stop flowing?

If the guys running the treatment plant come down with it they may run out of qualified people to run it... I’m not saying that will happen but you have to be licensed to treat water for drinking...

[Bill Brasky]

Originally Posted by Bwana

Evidently Pumps can get the Coronavirus.

It's the only logical explanation.

[Donger]

Water and electric & gas utilities are highly automated, but not anywhere near 100%

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Frazod

Yeah, this is the No. 1 problem now as I see it. Especially in urban areas. When people can't get food the rioting and looting will start, and then everything will begin to break down. If this shit isn't reigned in quickly I fear that's exactly where we're headed. And all I see now is things continuing to get crazier.

I'm pretty far from Chicago, but my suburb is a major city in its own right.

I hope not. I really don't want to break open the safe and grab some toys.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Mr. Plow

This is going to be a fun thread to reread in a few weeks.

How so?

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Hyvee today. People walking around like they are in shock.

No to. No ramen. Little rice.

Low on pasta.

Not only were the shelves bare when I was out shopping yesterday, I can't purchase toilet paper online from Costco, nor can I purchase pasta on Amazon, Target or Walmart, as they all state "Out of Stock".

[displacedinMN]

#BREAKING: Gov. Tim Walz recommends all large gatherings of more than 250 people are canceled in Minnesota, but is not recommending that K-12 schools cancel classes. #mnleg pic.twitter.com/ZJlk1fryqK

— Theo Keith (@TheoKeith) March 13, 2020

[ShowtimeSBMVP]

Just closed all PA public schools

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by luv

Universities here are already going to online classes. Classes were cancelled for today, Spring break is next week, and then they're online once they "return."

Area public and private school teachers are already being asked to prepare two weeks worth of lessons in advance and to be prepared to be available via face time or email on students' chrome books.

The university my son goes to in Seattle went online only to finish out the quarter but they are still saying they will have normal classes when students get back from spring break on March 30.

Meanwhile, our governor has shut down all private and public schools for six weeks (!) and banned all public gatherings (including churches) of more than 250 people in the three counties that make up the majority of the Seattle metro area. Either UW is very clueless or overly optimistic but I really don't see how they resume classes as normal in just a couple of weeks.

[Frazod]

Originally Posted by Bwana

I hope not. I really don't want to break open the safe and grab some toys.

Just be glad you have a safe full of toys.

[Rain Man]

Are all of the governors talking to each other, or is the 250 person limit a CDC recommendation? Colorado just did the same thing with the same size limit.

It actually seems a bit large to me. A meeting of 100 people is still a pretty large group of people. So the consistency of the 250 person limit makes me think I missed some announcement at the federal level.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Bwana

I hope not. I really don't want to break open the safe and grab some toys.

Originally Posted by Frazod

Just be glad you have a safe full of toys.

This has crossed my mind a few times in the past 24 hours.

I didn't live here but there were riots in LA that led to 50 dead and more than $1 Billion in damage back in 1992 after the Rodney King verdict.

If essential services are interrupted and there's a lack of supplies available, what happens then?