***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.”

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Right but my point was that I'm not seeing many people even pretending to care when we're facing a potential crisis. I've read more about the .00001% possibility for long term respiratory damage in kids due to Covid than the mental health impacts on millions.

Because the former serves an agenda and the latter doesn't.

It's not rocket surgery.

[suzzer99]

Originally Posted by O.city

Ok, so we're readily admitting this wasn't about "science" but about politics?

Apparently.

I'm just saying for the people who say we screwed up and should have just isolated the elderly and at risk - apparently that was not an option that was ever going to fly in the US. It doesn't seem like any other country has tried to do that either.

[suzzer99]

Immunity to viruses is not binary. It’s not 0% or 100%.

We have immune memory and like regular memory, immune memory must learn.

Just as repetition is beneficial to learning or to building muscle memory, repetition helps build immune memory...

2/

— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) August 25, 2020

So while repeat infections may sound scary, they are a natural and expected part of building immune memory against many viruses like coronaviruses.

The big question is whether people are likely to transmit upon second or third infections...

7/

— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) August 25, 2020

So while some transmission could theoretically occur, and I am surmising, it is likely that transmission will be greatly curtailed during second or third reinfections and instead these will serve primarily as immune boosting events rather than forces of onward transmission.

9/9

— Michael Mina (@michaelmina_lab) August 25, 2020

Good thread.

[TLO]

One of the highest days of cases in our county since our meat packing plant outbreak. 11 confirmed and 13 probables.

Not sure why we're still dealing in probables at this point, but whatever.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Right but my point was that I'm not seeing many people even pretending to care when we're facing a potential crisis. I've read more about the .00001% possibility for long term respiratory damage in kids due to Covid than the mental health impacts on millions.

I don't think that was Lew's point.

Mental health has always been a point made by people that want to avoid lockdowns and remote learning.

Lew's point was that those same people also side with those that want to cut social programs that deal with mental health.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by TLO

One of the highest days of cases in our county since our meat packing plant outbreak. 11 confirmed and 13 probables.

Not sure why we're still dealing in probables at this point, but whatever.

Hospital numbers in Springfield dropped a good bit over the weekend. Down to 82 from 105 hospitalized and down 10 to 20 in ICU.

Cases spiking a bit, but the colleges are all back in so thats where they're saying they're getting those #'s from.

[eDave]

AZ is now approving gyms, bars, and theater to re-open.

[O.city]

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....23.20179796v1

Memory B cells last once antibodies wane. Huh, almost like we don't need to rewrite the text books.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

Hospital numbers in Springfield dropped a good bit over the weekend. Down to 82 from 105 hospitalized and down 10 to 20 in ICU.

Cases spiking a bit, but the colleges are all back in so thats where they're saying they're getting those #'s from.

We've been steady at 17 hospitalizations and a handful in ICU.

We also have college back in session so I wouldn't be surprised if that's where we're getting some of our numbers as well.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by O.city

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1....23.20179796v1

Memory B cells last once antibodies wane. Huh, almost like we don't need to rewrite the text books.

Did I read that correctly that IgG antibodies also wane fairly quickly?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by sedated

I don't think that was Lew's point.

Mental health has always been a point made by people that want to avoid lockdowns and remote learning.

Lew's point was that those same people also side with those that want to cut social programs that deal with mental health.

That's a pretty broad brush there. I'm sure there's plenty but it's not all.

[Donger]

1,150 deaths today so far. Hopefully just getting caught up from the weekend.

[KCUnited]

Originally Posted by sedated

I don't think that was Lew's point.

Mental health has always been a point made by people that want to avoid lockdowns and remote learning.

Lew's point was that those same people also side with those that want to cut social programs that deal with mental health.

Right, I’m saying I’ve not seen these mass mental health people using it as a weapon to avoid lockdowns or remote learning. I’ve not seen much of a mental health voice at all during an unprecedented time when no one has ever been asked to self isolate for this duration and as a result we’re reaching a crisis.

That’s anecdotal on my part so please link me to the regular national mental health pressers happening or these groups using it to combat our Covid response.

[TLO]

Originally Posted by Donger

1,150 deaths today so far. Hopefully just getting caught up from the weekend.

1394 a week ago today. Safe bet we'll come in under that number today.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Right but my point was that I'm not seeing many people even pretending to care when we're facing a potential crisis. I've read more about the .00001% possibility for long term respiratory damage in kids due to Covid than the mental health impacts on millions.

Its not a binary option between everything being opened up or everything being closed. As a society, we could make choices.

Personally, I think we should keep gyms, bars, dine in restaurants and fans at live sporting events closed and focus on opening up schools.