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.”
Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED:
If they’re fairly healthy then they’ll probably be in the large percentage of people who survive this. Not every old person is dying. In fact there was the Italian guy that survived this and the Spanish flu. The fact is we can try to avoid death as much as we want, but we’re ultimately not in control of that. For you to project that your relatives could live to 85 is a bonus considering the average lifespan is still below 72. For the average age of death in both San Diego and Italy to be well over that number is pretty astounding. Makes you realize why more places aren’t breaking down the numbers like that. It definitely makes the virus seem a lot less apocalyptic
One thing that is hard to predict when it comes to viruses like this is reduction in life expectancy for people who get infected and also the non life threatening long term effects , are some of those rare sure, are some mild sure , but they are still something they are taking into consideration when they make these decisions.
We still can't say that it doesn't kill or affect young people , it does. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
One thing that is hard to predict when it comes to viruses like this is reduction in life expectancy for people who get infected and also the non life threatening long term effects , are some of those rare sure, are some mild sure , but they are still something they are taking into consideration when they make these decisions.
We still can't say that it doesn't kill or affect young people , it does.
Will they take all of this into account when trying to rush a vaccine then? No ones saying that it doesn’t kill young people. We’re just saying the flu is twice as likely to kill young people (0-24) because that’s obviously what the CDC data has shown us. Should we be closing schools for every flu season in the future? [Reply]
Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED:
Will they take all of this into account when trying to rush a vaccine then? No ones saying that it doesn’t kill young people. We’re just saying the flu is twice as likely to kill young people (0-24) because that’s obviously what the CDC data has shown us. Should we be closing schools for every flu season in the future?
No but people should be taking their flu shot , 45% of Americans over 18 get it last time I checked , less people would die if more people take it , but most don’t for different reasons most of them are unfounded.
So people have the opportunity to help others every year including kids and chose not to.
The same people will do the same with a proven safe corona vaccine if we get one. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
No but people should be taking their flu shot , 45% of Americans over 18 get it last time I checked , less people would die if more people take it , but most don’t for different reasons most of them are unfounded.
So people have the opportunity to help others every year including kids and chose not to.
The same people will do the same with a proven safe corona vaccine if we get one.
Originally Posted by Monticore:
No but people should be taking their flu shot , 45% of Americans over 18 get it last time I checked , less people would die if more people take it , but most don’t for different reasons most of them are unfounded.
So people have the opportunity to help others every year including kids and chose not to.
Meh. It’s still less than a couple hundred pediatric deaths a year. I agree more people should get it, but let’s not act like people not getting it is causing some major death count as a result. The numbers definitely don’t support making it mandatory especially since every years vaccine will have different results. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
No but people should be taking their flu shot , 45% of Americans over 18 get it last time I checked , less people would die if more people take it , but most don’t for different reasons most of them are unfounded.
So people have the opportunity to help others every year including kids and chose not to.
The same people will do the same with a proven safe corona vaccine if we get one.
Yeah and the flu vaccine ranges between 30-70% effectiveness. It's time to move on, we can just take precautions.
But being locked down is doing nothing but prolonging this. [Reply]
Originally Posted by BleedingRed:
Yeah and the flu vaccine ranges between 30-70% effectiveness. It's time to move on, we can just take precautions.
But being locked down is doing nothing but prolonging this.
I think most places are opening up, most experts don't think it is feasible staying locked down till we have a cure or vaccine available but they all express the same concerns on opening up too quickly without some preventative measures in place.
Nobody wants to have to go back to the way it was 2 months ago , so I think everyone is hoping for the best possible outcome moving forward. [Reply]
Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED:
Meh. It’s still less than a couple hundred pediatric deaths a year. I agree more people should get it, but let’s not act like people not getting it is causing some major death count as a result. The numbers definitely don’t support making it mandatory especially since every years vaccine will have different results.
A lot more people die from Influenza than the flu shot by a wide margin( pretty much zero), so there is no real reason not to take it . [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
A lot more people die from Influenza than the flu shot by a wide margin( pretty much zero), so there is no real reason not to take it .
You’re right, but there are also no real reasons to make it mandatory like a lot of people are thinking we can do with this coronavirus vaccine and have wanted to do with the flu vaccines. That’s all I’m worried about is people wanting to make this coronavirus vaccine mandatory for anyone who wants to travel. There have been talks of that and as someone who still has to travel for work I’m definitely not going to be okay taking a vaccine in the next 3-5 years. Luckily I don’t think it’s possible in America to make it mandatory like some people are hoping. [Reply]
Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED:
You’re right, but there are also no real reasons to make it mandatory like a lot of people are thinking we can do with this coronavirus vaccine and have wanted to do with the flu vaccines. That’s all I’m worried about is people wanting to make this coronavirus vaccine mandatory for anyone who wants to travel. There have been talks of that and as someone who still has to travel for work I’m definitely not going to be okay taking a vaccine in the next 3-5 years. Luckily I don’t think it’s possible in America to make it mandatory like some people are hoping.
Originally Posted by POND_OF_RED:
You’re right, but there are also no real reasons to make it mandatory like a lot of people are thinking we can do with this coronavirus vaccine and have wanted to do with the flu vaccines. That’s all I’m worried about is people wanting to make this coronavirus vaccine mandatory for anyone who wants to travel. There have been talks of that and as someone who still has to travel for work I’m definitely not going to be okay taking a vaccine in the next 3-5 years. Luckily I don’t think it’s possible in America to make it mandatory like some people are hoping.
I don't think they can make it mandatory, but you would think the threat of yearly lockdowns would be enough motivation at this point. [Reply]
