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 petegz28:
Also some key things that are not being said that you really need to be doing as you stay cooped up inside....
1. At least once a day regardless of weather, open a window for a minimum of 20 minutes to swap out bad air with good
2. If you have recently been sick, change your air filter
3. Get outside, especially if it is sunny, for at least 20 minutes to get some vitamin D. 20 minutes in the sun will generate roughly 3 days of vitamin d in your system
Originally Posted by petegz28:
Also some key things that are not being said that you really need to be doing as you stay cooped up inside....
1. At least once a day regardless of weather, open a window for a minimum of 20 minutes to swap out bad air with good
2. If you have recently been sick, change your air filter
3. Get outside, especially if it is sunny, for at least 20 minutes to get some vitamin D. 20 minutes in the sun will generate roughly 3 days of vitamin d in your system
Fresh air has been shown to mitigate the effects of the flu, I would think it would also impact C-19. Maybe part of the reason flus don't prosper when people get outside more in warmer weather. FWIW [Reply]
Originally Posted by petegz28:
This shit is getting out of hand. People need to calm the fuck down a bit. The world isn't ending. This isn't The Walking Dead. It would help if the media wasn't on 24/7 freak out mode.
I’ve watched a lot of zombie movies, but now I realize they all had it completely wrong. Not once did I see a mention of toilet paper as a way to ward off zombies in the apocalypse. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Frazod:
Went to the store early again this morning. Still no chicken, but I got the last remaining package of ground pork, some ground beef (limit one) and a couple of packs of hot dogs. Feel like I hit the ****ing lotto. Woohoo.
I didn't have any trouble finding meat yesterday, but some of the cuts were a bit sparse. The number of people shopping was actually at a normal level and rather than waiting 45 minutes at checkout, it was a 5 minute transaction.
People in the store shopping even seemed a lot more relaxed and cordial than when I was in there last Friday. Even the cashier was in a good mood and we were throwing smartass one liners back and forth, she was a hoot.
Anything cleaning supplies, TP, soups, etc. was still wiped out and nothing but a barren wasteland. Other than that, it was like going in there a year ago on the same date. I think people went in with guns a blazing about a week ago and stocked up like it was do or die and are now hunkered down.
I had to pick my folks up at the airport last night and it was very quiet up there. I also noticed traffic on the roads coming and going to the airport was very light, almost nonexistent. 10am traffic, looked like 3am traffic. With the bars and restaurants all on mandatory shutdown, (takeout still available on food) it cuts any traffic down to almost zero at night. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Mecca:
The 24/7 news cycle mixed with social media has made people think everything is so much worse than it actually is in general that an event like this brings out the worst.
Agreed. The news and mainly social media is the big problem here. All doom and gloom all the time. Every time someone mentions toilet paper being in stock people are scooping it up. I’ve removed probably 15-20 people from my social media due to them not calming down.
Both grocery stores yesterday were pretty bare. Picked up the last two breast packages of chicken. I did get chicken thighs, wings, legs, and a couple whole chickens so we’re going to be eating pretty good. There was no ground beef or turkey. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla:
Unfortunately, there are a lot of anti-science folks out there who seem to have no concept of what science provides us on a daily basis.
I believe the bigger conflict is anyone who disagrees with what is claimed to be settled science, that isn't, is automatically called anti science.
Or that anyone who is religious is anti science, which isn't true.
In reality there is almost NOBODY in existance who doesn't believe in science, the idea is absurd.
Questioning scientific theory used to be how science was proven or disproven now you are just told to shut up and stop being anti science. Thats how shit ends up being wrong like the idea that modern man is only 13,000 years old or whatever so they stop digging below a certain level looking for artifacts when 100 ft below that is another entire civilization. [Reply]