***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.”

[Indian Chief]

Originally Posted by DaFace

70% is disappointing compared to the others, but the cost and logistics will likely push it to be the most widely-distributed vaccine in the end. If we can get vaccination rates high, it'll still make a huge difference.

I wouldn't come to any conclusions on the AZ trial. Let them do a reboot and test the efficacy of their half dose implementation. It was a sss the first time but did show near 90% effectiveness. It could be that it ends up around 70% after all is said and done, but I'd recommend withholding judgment.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Indian Chief

I wouldn't come to any conclusions on the AZ trial. Let them do a reboot and test the efficacy of their half dose implementation. It was a sss the first time but did show near 90% effectiveness. It could be that it ends up around 70% after all is said and done, but I'd recommend withholding judgment.

I'll be curious to see how they roll it out. I THINK they'll have to stick with the two-full-dose approach for now while they re-test the half plus full approach, but I'm not entirely sure how that all works.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by TLO

There's a lot to digest: 53 pages for the FDA-supplied document and 90+ pages for the Pfizer-supplied document.

I'm not even going to pretend I understand all of it. I haven't read it super thoroughly. Mostly skimming.

Has anyone seen anything in there that sticks out as a major issue? I didn't see anything too alarming.

The penis shrinkage referenced on page 18 was a bit concerning.

[loochy]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

The penis shrinkage referenced on page 18 was a bit concerning.

Meh. I have several inches to spare.

[Great8]

Originally Posted by loochy

Meh. I have several inches to spare.

Not this caucasian

[Rain Man]

They're vaxxing up in the UK now. Pfizer is the flavor of the day.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/08/europ...ntl/index.html - Warning - annoying voice advertising in the link.

Margaret Keenan, age 90, is the Alpha Vaxxer, and nurse May Parsons has an early lead in the "most vaccinations given" scorecard.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by Great8

Not this caucasian

He's one of those there Martians waiting to be reveal himself.....

[petegz28]

Supposedly Kansas will get their first shipment of the vaccine next Wednesday.

[BigCatDaddy]

Hopefully next month we can start treating this as more of a shitty flu season as numbers should start to fall rapidly in regards to deaths and hospitalizations. Open shit up, no mask, hold all events.

[louie aguiar]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Hopefully next month we can start treating this as more of a shitty flu season as numbers should start to fall rapidly in regards to deaths and hospitalizations. Open shit up, no mask, hold all events.

I thought I read that vaccinations for the general population without risk factors wouldn't start until 5/1. I think we will be back to more of a normal by this summer but probably not next month, unfortunately. The production and distribution will determine how fast we can get back to normal.

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by louie aguiar

I thought I read that vaccinations for the general population without risk factors wouldn't start until 5/1. I think we will be back to more of a normal by this summer but probably not next month, unfortunately. The production and distribution will determine how fast we can get back to normal.

I believe a lot of the severe cases are from people in nursing homes (deaths/hospitalizations). Once those people are vaccinated then we can start talking about getting carried away with "cases" IMO. Especially combined with the fact that probably 1/3 to 1/2 the population will have likely had the virus by Feb.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

Hopefully next month we can start treating this as more of a shitty flu season as numbers should start to fall rapidly in regards to deaths and hospitalizations. Open shit up, no mask, hold all events.

Dream on, that would be a great thing but I live in reality.

The scientists best case scenario is May/June to a return of anything that was "normal".
The worst of this whole shitshow is still to come, which the scientists are telling us will be 2 weeks after Christmas unless we change our behavior.

[O.city]

Yeah, I would guess by March, we start seeing the impacts of the vaccines and natural immunity. Maybe February?

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Dream on, that would be a great thing but I live in reality.

The scientists best case scenario is May/June to a return of anything that was "normal".
The worst of this whole shitshow is still to come, which the scientists are telling us will be 2 weeks after Christmas unless we change our behavior.

It's going to just depend on where you live. I think locally by Feb shit will be in the process of returning to normal.

Worldwide. who the hell knows.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by BigCatDaddy

It's going to just depend on where you live. I think locally by Feb shit will be in the process of returning to normal.

Worldwide. who the hell knows.

I do think that, if we can get nursing homes and healthcare workers taken care of, we'll see death rates plummet. Add independently-living seniors, and things will start to look pretty good.

I still think you'll see SOME restrictions for a while, but they can definitely start loosening up in a couple months.