***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.”

[loochy]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYI... here's what they do for the swab test. Tickle your brain...

WTF? That's thoroughly unnecessary.

[wazu]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYI... here's what they do for the swab test. Tickle your brain...

Holy shit hell no! After seeing this I think I'll just opt to stay home and die.

[petegz28]

Well the good news is there is definitely a downtrend forming in new cases with the peak being on April 4th. Granted the trajectory if the trend line is not as steep as we would like we do have a down trend in new cases in the making.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It would be a fascinating exercise to put 600 random people in a room and tell them that they have to vote to make a choice:

1. All of you will be unemployed for a year
2. One of you dies

Run the same exercise with 600 people that have all lost their jobs.

[mlyonsd]

Originally Posted by Fish

FYI... here's what they do for the swab test. Tickle your brain...

You bastard.

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

The people who want to keep the stringent social distancing in place until there is a vaccine are delusional because there may never be an effective/scalable vaccine in place.

The FDA has never approved a vaccine for humans that is effective against any member of the coronavirus family... that includes SARS, MERS and the common cold. And the human coronavirus was discovered in the 1960's... 60 years and no vaccine.

The idea that there will be no sporting events, movie theaters, hair cuts, etc. until a vaccine is developed is completely unrealistic.

I don't think anyone wants or has said that. There is a middle ground. The President's plan for reopening the country seems more than reasonable.

[Mecca]

That hurts my brain just looking at it.

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by mlyonsd

Run the same exercise with 600 people that have all lost their jobs.

Either way it's not even an argument. 599 people are not going to live without a job so 600 people can live without a job when the alternative is 599 get\have a job and 1 doesn't live.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by DaFace

It would be a fascinating exercise to put 600 random people in a room and tell them that they have to vote to make a choice:

1. All of you will be unemployed for a year
2. One of you dies

If people were being honest, they would select option #2.

[Loneiguana]

Originally Posted by The PMII Hypothesis

Great point. The vast majority would let a single one die.

Insert Fallout vault 11 reference here.

[FloridaMan88]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

I don't think anyone wants or has said that

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California:

Link: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-w...-gatherings-as

The prospect of mass gatherings is negligible at best until we get to herd immunity and we get to a vaccine,"

Bill Gates:

Link: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...a_vaccine.html

"It is fair to say things won’t go back to truly normal until we have a vaccine that we’ve gotten out to basically the entire world"

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by KCChiefsFan88

Gavin Newsom, the Governor of California:

Link: https://thehill.com/homenews/state-w...-gatherings-as


Bill Gates:

Link: https://www.realclearpolitics.com/vi...a_vaccine.html

Yes but mass gatherings and going back to USA preCoronaVirus is different than easing but not completely eliminating social distancing. Easing social distancing without a vaccine is fine but going back to how we were before probably won't work because the virus would start spreading again.

[ChiliConCarnage]

Originally Posted by wazu

Holy shit hell no! After seeing this I think I'll just opt to stay home and die.

Yeah, I’ll wait for a new test. I'm a hard pass on anything like that video

[OrtonsPiercedTaint]

I am no help. Food, utilities, rent. The rest in a tin can.
I'll pass on your widgets

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by petegz28

Either way it's not even an argument. 599 people are not going to live without a job so 600 people can live without a job when the alternative is 599 get\have a job and 1 doesn't live.

Not knowing what the future holds with the economy it would be hard choice to make , getting a job offer two days after you decided on some ones demise would be a tough thing to deal with.