***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.”

[philfree]

So did the Chinese create this nasty virus in a lab?

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

What is it exactly people think the tests are supposed to do? Is treatment different if you have it versus having a different strand of flu? Doesn’t really seem like it from anything I’ve seen. If you have a cold or something worse and feel the need to go to the doctor and they say you are having flu like symptoms and might have a strand of flu, the treatment is still go home and avoid people and treat the symptoms. It’s not like they say they can’t test you so you can resume activities as normal.

And if anyone with a sniffle could get tested for it then you would have way too many people taking advantage of that anyways and then truly over whelming the healthcare system.

It would help to know if you should seriously self quarantine or just treat it like a normal flu. If your wife with diabetes, or your live-in mother that you care for has a 10% chance of dying if they catch a bug from you, you'd want to know that.

[FD]

Originally Posted by mr. tegu

What is it exactly people think the tests are supposed to do? Is treatment different if you have it versus having a different strand of flu? Doesn’t really seem like it from anything I’ve seen. If you have a cold or something worse and feel the need to go to the doctor and they say you are having flu like symptoms and might have a strand of flu, the treatment is still go home and avoid people and treat the symptoms. It’s not like they say they can’t test you so you can resume activities as normal.

And if anyone with a sniffle could get tested for it then you would have way too many people taking advantage of that anyways and then truly over whelming the healthcare system.

You really wouldn't want to know if there is an outbreak in your community or neighborhood, so that you could take extra precautions? You wouldn't want to distinguish between a cold and a virus that has a 10-20% chance of killing your elderly parent with a health condition?

[FD]

I just landed at JFK after reporting on #coronavirus in Milan and Lombardy —the epicenter of Italy’s outbreak— for @vicenews. I walked right through US customs. They didn’t ask me where in Italy I went or if I came into contact with sick people. They didn’t ask me anything.

— Julia Lindau (@julialindau) March 5, 2020

[suzzer99]

But I thought we shut down the border.

[suzzer99]

Missouri specific:
• ZERO confirmed cases
• Nearly 17 people have been tested
• Testing CAN be done in Missouri
• Prisons, nursing homes & mental health facilities are a concern
• Schools are always a concern, but young people to not appear to be as prone #COVID19

— Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) March 5, 2020

Missouri is on it. Nearly 17 tests!

[FD]

Pretty stark statement from a Kaiser nurse in NorCal who got sick after caring for a coronavirus patient, criticizing CDC for delays in testing. https://t.co/GDlOH7TLzz pic.twitter.com/wleK6CRVeQ

— Matt Pearce 🦅 (@mattdpearce) March 5, 2020

[suzzer99]

Yeah I saw that earlier and I'm not sure what to think. Supposedly any doctor can order the test. But apparently the CDC can still deny?

[FD]

If anyone saw the show about Chernobyl on HBO, that CDC logic for why they shouldn't test the sick nurse is the exact logic used in the show by the Soviets after the reactor blows.

[Setsuna]

How goes the fear mongering? I'm not phased.

[BigRedChief]

I’m glad the government finally quit lying to the public about being able to go to their doctor and get tested for the Coronavirus.

The CDC decides whether you get a kit or not. Right now, as of this afternoon late, there are 1.6 million requests for a test and around 50K test kits are available.

Do the math. Quit lying to the people. Quit wishful thinking. Quit spouting off BS. Just provide the facts. There is no reason for anyone to panic. Just tell them the ****ing truth.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by suzzer99

It would help to know if you should seriously self quarantine or just treat it like a normal flu. If your wife with diabetes, or your live-in mother that you care for has a 10% chance of dying if they catch a bug from you, you'd want to know that.

Do people routinely not care if they give their elderly parent the flu? Seems like a self quarantine regardless which is pretty much my point. Whether or not you are tested is not really a reason to give someone else the flu.

That said, people with obvious serious symptoms and higher risks could benefit from testing but opening it up to anyone with a sniffle would be a bad idea. People already abuse the ER unnecessarily. This would make it way worst.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by FD

You really wouldn't want to know if there is an outbreak in your community or neighborhood, so that you could take extra precautions? You wouldn't want to distinguish between a cold and a virus that has a 10-20% chance of killing your elderly parent with a health condition?

If you are concerned about your health related to the flu as a high risk person then you can and should take precautions regardless because we already know that the virus can be present without anyone showing any symptoms. And no, going to Costco with hoards of people is not taking precautions, in fact it’s exactly what not to do, which is something the hysteria is causing.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

I’m glad the government finally quit lying to the public about being able to go to their doctor and get tested for the Coronavirus.

The CDC decides whether you get a kit or not. Right now, as of this afternoon late, there are 1.6 million requests for a test and around 50K test kits are available.

Do the math. Quit lying to the people. Quit wishful thinking. Quit spouting off BS. Just provide the facts. There is no reason for anyone to panic. Just tell them the ****ing truth.

Requests can also be sent to a lab for confirmation - in many states at least. 4-6 hour turnaround for confirmation.

[mr. tegu]

Originally Posted by FD

I just landed at JFK after reporting on #coronavirus in Milan and Lombardy —the epicenter of Italy’s outbreak— for @vicenews. I walked right through US customs. They didn’t ask me where in Italy I went or if I came into contact with sick people. They didn’t ask me anything.

— Julia Lindau (@julialindau) March 5, 2020

Knowingly travels to a virus outbreak and upon returning proceeds to suggests other people are being irresponsible. Okay then.