***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.”

[Three7s]

Someone literally called this thing "the flu on steroids" yesterday. Yeah, it's spreading fast, but by no means is this that big of a deal as long as you aren't old and with an underlying health condition.

Just do what you should be always doing as far as proper hygiene and you'll be fine. Shoot, even if you do get it, you likely won't get anything more than mild flu-like symptoms.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Someone literally called this thing "the flu on steroids" yesterday. Yeah, it's spreading fast, but by no means is this that big of a deal as long as you aren't old and with an underlying health condition.

Just do what you should be always doing as far as proper hygiene and you'll be fine. Shoot, even if you do get it, you likely won't get anything more than mild flu-like symptoms.

There are a lot of old people and people with underlying health issues in this country. It's up to everyone to take this seriously for them, even if the threat to you personally is low.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by njchiefs

Media driven. They love this crap. Hysteria is ratings money. Two hour special on NBC last night. With intense dramatic music in the background, worthy of an Oscar. Woofer booming, floor shaking, with the little spiked corona ball dancing all over the screen. Just wash your hands folks, call your doc when you feel sick and get on with your lives.

Yeah im sure you would be saying the same thing if you got the Coronavirus or one of your family members did.

[Mennonite]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Someone literally called this thing "the flu on steroids" yesterday. Yeah, it's spreading fast, but by no means is this that big of a deal as long as you aren't old and with an underlying health condition.

Just do what you should be always doing as far as proper hygiene and you'll be fine. Shoot, even if you do get it, you likely won't get anything more than mild flu-like symptoms.

This is very good advice. However, you forgot to mention that you should also remember to cough directly in the face of every old person you meet for maximum effect.

[notorious]

Better keep an eye out for Trashcan Man and the Walking Dude.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by notorious

Better keep an eye out for Trashcan Man and the Walking Dude.

M-O-O-N that spells captain trips

[Eleazar]

Originally Posted by Three7s

Someone literally called this thing "the flu on steroids" yesterday. Yeah, it's spreading fast, but by no means is this that big of a deal as long as you aren't old and with an underlying health condition.

Just do what you should be always doing as far as proper hygiene and you'll be fine. Shoot, even if you do get it, you likely won't get anything more than mild flu-like symptoms.

Screw those old people anyway, amirite

[BigRedChief]

First two deaths in Florida from the virus.

[RINGLEADER]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Yeah im sure you would be saying the same thing if you got the Coronavirus or one of your family members did.

If the asymptomatic spread continues to be up to a couple weeks it unfortunately won’t be surprising if almost everyone ends up knowing someone who dies from this — just depends really on if the summer/warmer weather stops it and if we can have a vaccine at the start of the next flu season. Containing it is pretty much a lost cause at this point.

[Chiefspants]

Originally Posted by RINGLEADER

If the asymptomatic spread continues to be up to a couple weeks it unfortunately won’t be surprising if almost everyone ends up knowing someone who dies from this — just depends really on if the summer/warmer weather stops it and if we can have a vaccine at the start of the next flu season. Containing it is pretty much a lost cause at this point.

Yep. Very concerned for my parents, my in laws, and my grandma, who lives with my parents. I work in a school, all 110 of my students are pretty much walking Petri dishes of sickness so I’m happy how resilient children have been - and with how tested my immune system is I’m ready to take it on.

I like how Seattle’s schools are staying open so parents (healthcare workers and emergency responders) can stay working and children stay in a safe and monitored environment. We can get through this together.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Why in the **** does the President keep saying anyone can get a test? Just go to your Doctor or ER?

We have only tested 1800 people in the USA so far. There are not millions of kits, yet. It just gives everyone a false sense of security. Wastes doctors and the ER’s time telling them no, we don’t have the testing kits.

And must importantly, everyone doesn’t need a damn test.

And they only sent 300 test kits to the cruise ship off the coast of California. Only 300 were tested. There are 3500 people on the ship.

Because it is so... you may want to check how many test each kit can do, as a country, we may also need to reevaluate how much of our Medical supplies are manufactured in China...

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

First two deaths in Florida from the virus.

old people

The Florida Department of Health said Friday evening that the two patients who died were in their 70s and had traveled overseas. One of them was a man with underlying health issues in Santa Rosa County, in Florida’s Panhandle, according to the statement. It said the second death was that of an elderly person in the Fort Myers area.

[suzzer99]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/20...ts?CMP=soc_567

Victorian health authorities are trying to contact about 70 patients of a Melbourne doctor who was diagnosed with coronavirus a week after returning from the US.

The doctor is the state’s 11th case of the novel coronavirus and the state health minister, Jenny Mikakos, said he attended work and treated patients after he was symptomatic.

“I have to say I am flabbergasted that a doctor that has flu-like symptoms has presented to work,” Mikakos said.

“He became unwell with a runny nose on an internal flight from Denver to San Francisco on February 27, US time, then flew to from San Francisco to Melbourne on United Airlines flight UA60, arriving at approximately 9.30am Saturday 29 February.”

The doctor saw approximately 70 patients last week between Monday 2 March and Friday 6 March at the Toorak Clinic on Malvern Road. The clinic has been since closed.

[Hammock Parties]

480,000 deaths?

American Hospital Association "Best Guess Epidemiology" for #codiv19 over next 2 months:

96,000,000 infections
4,800,000 hospitalizations
1,900,000 ICU admissions
480,000 deaths

vs flu in 2019:

35,500,000 infections
490,600 hospitalizations
49,000 ICU admissions
34,200 deaths pic.twitter.com/GDAADwmg4n

— Seth Bannon ��*�� (@sethbannon) March 7, 2020

[suzzer99]

I think most people aren’t aware of the risk of systemic healthcare failure due to #COVID19 because they simply haven’t run the numbers yet. Let’s talk math. 1/n

— Liz Specht (@LizSpecht) March 7, 2020

Here's another thread that supports that scary exponential growth hypothesis. I think we're really just hoping warm weather slows this things down, or obsessive hand-washing, or some other factor they're not considering. Like they said - even if their assumptions are way off - it just slows things down a couple weeks. That's how exponential growth works as anyone who's ever done a petri dish experiment can attest.

Of course it doesn't help slow the spread that a large chunk of the population still thinks this is no big deal.

By the way I started following the people who were predicting exponential growth outside of China over a week ago and if anything they've been slightly under the cases we're seeing. The # of new cases are doubling roughly every 6 days.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world...LBVT6O2RNI42TI

Italy on Saturday reported 1,247 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours, the country’s biggest daily increase in infections since the outbreak began there in late February.

And that 1247 is just among those tested. The real number is several times higher.