***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.”

[007]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

We still don't have widespread testing. NY isn't even testing people with coronavirus like symptoms due to testing shortages.

Part of that is celebrities and athletes getting tested that don't need to be.

[SAUTO]

Yep the ham was full to the brim so I bought 3

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

and a very old population

Italians have older population, and higher life expectancy because they have good healthcare system , but that is now hitting them in the ass. Ironic

[SupDock]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

I'd be concerned starting on anyone on that combo w/ a QT interval greater than 475. Over 500 would be an absolute CI d/t Torsades risk.

I don't know if we should be dispensing outpatient Rx for it at all. If most carriers are asymptomatic, I think you're only encouraging resistance with limited clinical benefit while also depriving people w/ RA and Lupus of a necessary medication.

I'm a bit curious about the use of azithromycin at all given increasing Strep pneumo resistance (maybe try Doxy instead). The trial said it was used to prevent bacterial superinfection, but the real benefit might be from its anti-inflammatory properties.

The azithromycin data was less clear than the initial data on plaquenil.

Who is going to perform screening EKG on these Covid patients in the outpatient setting?

I share your concerns.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Italians have older population, and higher life expectancy because they have good healthcare system , but that is now hitting them in the ass. Ironic

Oh really?

[wazu]

Originally Posted by 007

Part of that is celebrities and athletes getting tested that don't need to be.

Apparently they do since they all seem to have it.

[007]

Originally Posted by wazu

Apparently they do since they all seem to have it.

So you are ok with the ones that don't have symptoms yet getting access to tests when people with symptoms can't get it?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by wazu

Apparently they do since they all seem to have it.

Weird isn't it? LA Marathon was 2 weeks ago today, 25,000+ runners from over 60 countries and no telling how many spectators.

Not been a peep about exposures or spreads because of it so far. I guess non famous athletes have better immune systems.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by stumppy

Same thing around here. They're running low on about every other kind of meat but there's plenty of ham.

Yeah I mean I'll admit, I took a pass on the ham myself. I do ham about once a year. I bought a big one in February because there was a hell of a sale going one and it was dirt cheap.

If I get in a real jam, I know a bunch of ranchers around here and I can always cut a good deal on a tasty angus. All I need is a big roll of freezer paper and I can turn my garage into a meat processing facility in about an hour. I have processed a bunch of deer and elk in the past, so no big deal.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by 007

So you are ok with the ones that don't have symptoms yet getting access to tests when people with symptoms can't get it?

No.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by 007

So you are ok with the ones that don't have symptoms yet getting access to tests when people with symptoms can't get it?

I think he is questioning the oddity of the high % of celebrities/ athletes testing positive.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by 007

So you are ok with the ones that don't have symptoms yet getting access to tests when people with symptoms can't get it?

Unfortunately, money and power can overrule fairness in a crisis.

[007]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

I think he is questioning the oddity of the high % of celebrities/ athletes testing positive.

I'm was never referring to the ones that already had symptoms.

[007]

Originally Posted by BigRedChief

Unfortunately, money and power can overrule fairness in a crisis.

So just accept it. Nah

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

This is kind of jacked up as food manufacturing and distribution is considered critical task and should not be stopped.

I have no idea who his supplier is, but the butcher said he had no idea when, or if his supplier was going to reopen and that if it were to reopen, it could be a long time.