***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.”

[PAChiefsGuy]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Looks like Minnesota will be out of school/distance learning the rest of the year.

Most colleges are going online too right? I mean across the USA

[notorious]

Originally Posted by displacedinMN

Looks like Minnesota will be out of school/distance learning the rest of the year.

Goodness sakes, I'm shocked it took that long.

[O.city]

NEW: The first phase of results from a statewide antibody study are in.

We collected approximately 3,000 antibody samples from 40 locations in 19 counties.

Preliminary estimates show a 13.9% infection rate.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 23, 2020

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by O.city

NEW: The first phase of results from a statewide antibody study are in.

We collected approximately 3,000 antibody samples from 40 locations in 19 counties.

Preliminary estimates show a 13.9% infection rate.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 23, 2020

Hamas time, do do do do.

[kgrund]

Originally Posted by Monticore

Most people like having their answers in black or white , the medical world doesn't work like that unfortunately .

Agree. The problem I have is the press treats this as something new that only happens with COVID-19. What they should do is report this, but also note that this is not uncommon if you had a bad case of the flu as well.

[O.city]

So basically 1 in 5 people in NYC have had and are now immune to this virus.

EDIT: Looks like NYC was actually 21%. So that would put the infections in the city at what 1.8 million people?

[displacedinMN]

Originally Posted by PAChiefsGuy

Most colleges are going online too right? I mean across the USA

Colleges-yes.

This is public schools.

Notorious

Goodness sakes, I'm shocked it took that long.

I think Walz is giving people small doses of reality. He is doing a good job.

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by kgrund

Agree. The problem I have is the press treats this as something new that only happens with COVID-19. What they should do is report this, but also note that this is not uncommon if you had a bad case of the flu as well.

Because the flu has been around so long and somewhat minimized you can kind of understand why they don't during a pandemic but they probably should, COVID could potentially have a higher risk than the Flu in regards to these rare complications as well so you don't want to underplay it either.

[Titty Meat]

North Kansas City walking back stay at home til May 3

[displacedinMN]

Article in DSM paper about the Dorr's. They still creep me out.

Spoiler!

A pro-gun Iowa family is helping to spur protests in Wisconsin, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and New York over state-imposed restrictions designed to slow the coronavirus pandemic.

Using their state-specific Facebook group pages with a total of over 200,000 followers, Iowa’s Dorr family has helped organize the protests against coronavirus restrictions and business closures in those states.

Their protests have usually drawn hundreds of demonstrators, but the movement has drawn worldwide news coverage and support from key Republican groups.

Now, the group may be expanding protests to other states over state-imposed restrictions designed to slow the spread of COVID-19, the potentially fatal disease caused by the new coronavirus. Public health officials have urged people to stay at home to prevent further spread of the virus — a measure that has also had dire economic impacts on Americans.

Aaron Dorr, executive director of Iowa Gun Owners, and several of his brothers created Facebook groups to organize the protests in those states and elsewhere. The Dorr brothers — Chris, Ben, Aaron and Matthew — have made themselves known among conservatives for their profitable anti-establishment Facebook groups that are pro-gun and anti-abortion. Their anti-quarantine pages were developed with the same private registrar, according to an NBC analysis, and the brothers are reportedly listed as administrators on those state-specific anti-quarantine pages.

The Dorrs' Facebook groups have functioned as a digital hub that has elevated misinformation, such as alleging that health officials are intentionally inflating COVID-19 death tallies and comparing the new virus to the flu, ABC and the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported.

However, their pages have gained an immediate following.

One of their pages, The Wisconsinites Against Excessive Quarantine, was created a week ago and now has 105,000 followers. That Facebook group description reads: “It's time to OPEN OUR STATE and STOP Gov Evers' Excessive Quarantine! Politicians are on a power trip, controlling our lives, destroying our businesses, passing laws behind the cover of darkness and forcing us to hand over our freedoms and our livelihood!”

Ben Dorr and members of his Facebook page plan to hold a protest at the Wisconsin State Capitol on Friday in Madison, he told WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee.

There have been more than 820,000 coronavirus cases in the United States, with about 45,000 deaths, as of Wednesday morning.

Aaron Dorr told the USA TODAY Network there have not been any protests in Iowa so far, but "we'll see what comes of this."

"A growing number of state lawmakers are reaching out, telling us how antsy the Republican caucuses are to end this excessive quarantine," he said.

A website reopeniowa.com redirects to a page on the Iowa Gun Owners website urging people, following similar language on the other state pages, to "email Governor Reynolds and demand she REOPEN IOWA for business now!"

"This virus has claimed the lives of (0.002%) of the state’s population, while sending over 160,000 Iowans into horrific financial devastation. Our members asked for a vehicle with which to make their voices heard, and we are happy to give them that voice," Dorr said in a text message, responding to a question about why he believes protesting coronavirus-related restrictions is important.

Some Iowa Republicans have been critical of Dorr for years, arguing that his aggressive tactics alienate even those whose views align with his. Current House Majority Leader Matt Windschitl, R-Missouri Valley, called Dorr "a charlatan" in 2015 during a fight over a gun rights bill, saying Dorr "does things in a fashion to create calamity and to help him to raise money."

His brothers, Ben and Chris, run the groups Minnesota Gun Rights and Ohio Gun Owners.

"It’s always a pleasure to be accused of fundraising from politicians who have their hand out seeking donations 24/7," Aaron Dorr wrote in the text to the USA TODAY Network on Tuesday. "We love fighting for our members, and they love supporting organizations that fight for them. We don’t apologize for anything!"

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

So basically 1 in 5 people in NYC have had and are now immune to this virus.

EDIT: Looks like NYC was actually 21%. So that would put the infections in the city at what 1.8 million people?

Wow.

[O.city]

#COVID19 Preliminary results from N=3000 sero-survey in New York State found 13.9% tested positive for antibodies against the #coronavirus

21.2% in NYC tested positive, which would imply 1.78 million people!

Waiting for more details on the assay/methodhttps://t.co/cvkgazXB0Z pic.twitter.com/RiwLgWIOr8

— Andy Biotech (@AndyBiotech) April 23, 2020

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Titty Meat

North Kansas City waking back stay at home til May 3

[Monticore]

Originally Posted by O.city

#COVID19 Preliminary results from N=3000 sero-survey in New York State found 13.9% tested positive for antibodies against the #coronavirus

21.2% in NYC tested positive, which would imply 1.78 million people!

Waiting for more details on the assay/methodhttps://t.co/cvkgazXB0Z pic.twitter.com/RiwLgWIOr8

— Andy Biotech (@AndyBiotech) April 23, 2020

Any false positive rate, like picking up other corona virus antibodies? or can you have some antibodies and still not be immune?

[Monticore]

also what is the percentage need for herd immunity again 80%?