***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.”

[Demonpenz]

Can't wait to see Becky the project manager at Yelp learn how to cut some nuts off a bull.

[jdubya]

More interesting things

https://www.sfchronicle.com/health/a...NXyreeyiMSjhtk

[TLO]

If someone smarter than me cares to read this and tell me if it's reputable, I'd appreciate it.

https://www.ejinme.com/article/S0953...110-2/fulltext

[TLO]

"You are about twice as likely to have severe COVID disease if you are a current or past smoker compared to someone who has never smoked," said Matthew Peters, head of respiratory medicine at Sydney's Concord Hospital.

He has based this conclusion on preliminary data from China and some as-yet-unpublished data from Italy he has seen.

I probably shouldn't be trying to justify smoking right now. I should just quit.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by TLO

I wonder if quitting smoking now would have any impact - or if it's too late.

every single day you don’t smoke cigarettes the better chance you have to avoid long term damage to your lungs.

[Tnerped]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

There's a lot of newer info that I'm not as up to date on regarding vaping and lung injury. When new smoking cessation guidelines came out in early 2019, they were pretty agnostic about vaping, saying that it's better than smoking, but you're far better off actually trying to quit and using some combination of medication and counseling. They wouldn't make a recommendation about it at all. Late last year a lot of info came in, but I really don't know how solid the evidence is yet. One of the big culprits seemed to be vitamin E acetate, but I don't know how in depth those population studies are.

From a common sense perspective, you generally don't want a lot of aerosolized foreign particles in your lungs. Some are more harmful than others, obviously, but less is going to be better.

That vitamin E was all from vaping THC, since it was being used as a cheap thinner. I only vape 3% nicotine, that's mixed with various flavors and "grade A" propylene glycol and vegetable glycerine. I mean this isn't the stage to go about this and that regarding vaping electronic cigarettes, but I don't see correlation between that and Covid-19 severity, except maybe it causing inflammation in the lungs(?), but my lungs have never been inflamed from this.. soo.. It just seems perhaps someone that just quit smoking and went to vaping but be more vulnerable, sure, but I've had maybe 10 cigarettes in 10 years.

[Chief Roundup]

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by TLO

If someone smarter than me cares to read this and tell me if it's reputable, I'd appreciate it.

https://www.ejinme.com/article/S0953...110-2/fulltext

Despite a trend towards higher risk was appreciable, no significant association could neither be found between active smoking and severity of COVID-19 when data of individual studies were pooled

Guess there's no reason to quit!

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

I quit 5 years ago after smoking for over a decade. I don't miss hacking and being sick and spending around $150 a month on the stupid habit.

5 months to this day I had my last cigarette. I've quit many times before and I'm certain it's going to stick this time. It just feels different.

[kcxiv]

Originally Posted by TLO

I wonder if quitting smoking now would have any impact - or if it's too late.

My dad smoked all his life. His health was really really bad for a while. He was to the point where i was telling my sister he doesnt have much left in him. he looks horrible! She agreed. He one day stopped smoking about a month ro 2 later his health completely changed. This was 7 years ago now. He actually has ****ing life in him again, its pretty amazing. So, anytime you quit is a big win.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by Dartgod

5 months to this day I had my last cigarette. I've quit many times before and I'm certain it's going to stick this time. It just feels different.

I got sick around Halloween (maybe I had the coronas before it was cool?) and all I could think about was how much shittier it would have been if I still smoked.

Do not miss it one bit.

[TLO]

Welp. I'll try and go cold turkey tomorrow and fail. Wish me luck!

[BryanBusby]

Just find ways to occupy your time. Doing this during a lockdown is hard mode quitting.

Find something to study or maybe pay a hooker to choke you out in the shower with all your new found savings?

[TLO]

Speaking truthfully, I have cut back over the past month. I used to be a pack a day smoker, now a pack lasts me 2 or 3 days. Tomorrow I will try for a realistic goal of 3 cigarettes.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Just find ways to occupy your time. Doing this during a lockdown is hard mode quitting.

Find something to study or maybe pay a hooker to choke you out in the shower with all your new found savings?

Oh I'm still working full time, which is also incredibly stressful. I know quitting is never easy, but this is definitely hard mode right here.