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 DaneMcCloud:
The issue is that doctors aren't just randomly giving patients chloroquinine and/or azithromycin because there are too many things that can go wrong, especially people currently on medication or with underlying health issues.
Hopefully, the clinical studies will reveal that this cocktail helps a large percentage of people with COVID-19 but at this point in time, there's no proof.
I don’t have a clue about the malaria drug, but have had zpacs probably close to ten times and they were always an absolute godsend
Anyway, how’s it looking in Hollywood... are most taking it super serious? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
Some people can develop bacterial infections secondary to getting a virus causing URTI, maybe they are doing well with this treatment since sounds like HCQ does better with the Z-pac, or there could be a thousand other reasons , if that combo of drugs had zero side effects it might be different.
Azithromycin was the standard of care for community acquired pneumonia for years before increasing strep pneumo resistance required a reevaluation in the most recent treatment guidelines.
It would help prevent a bacterial superinfection, which is where I'd bet the clinical benefits arrive from. I'd also bet you'd get similar results using doxycycline without the QT prolongation. [Reply]
Some doctors are writing prescriptions for a drug that may help treat coronavirus for their family and friends, one pharmacist said, calling their actions "unethical and selfish." Hydroxychloroquine has not been clinically proven to be safe or successful in treating coronavirus, and yet the increased demand for it is making it harder for people who need it to control their chronic diseases to get it.
Hydroxychloroquine is a less toxic derivative of chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug. It often treats autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, and is sold under the brand name, Plaquenil.
Recent data show chloroquine orders spiked 3,000% in March and hydroxychloroquine orders rose 260%. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved these drugs for treatment of the coronavirus, but doctors are allowed to prescribe them. [Reply]
Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins:
Azithromycin was the standard of care for community acquired pneumonia for years before increasing strep pneumo resistance required a reevaluation in the most recent treatment guidelines.
It would help prevent a bacterial superinfection, which is where I'd bet the clinical benefits arrive from. I'd also bet you'd get similar results using doxycycline without the QT prolongation.
While talking to the ER Dr yesterday sounds like some patients with COVID are presenting with unilateral pneumonia which is atypical of viral ones making hard to diagnose which one they are dealing with. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Easy 6:
I don’t have a clue about the malaria drug, but have had zpacs probably close to ten times and they were always an absolute godsend
Originally Posted by Easy 6:
Anyway, how’s it looking in Hollywood... are most taking it super serious?
Costco, Ralphs, Target and all other grocery stores/markets have long lines and short supplies. I can't order toilet paper or food from Costco.com, Amazon.com, Target.com, Walmart.com nor are any of the locals delivering food. I've been out to 9 stores in the past week and it's been difficult to get everything we need. Fortunately, I had 72 rolls of TP from Costco in my garage, as I like to keep some inventory in case I can't get out for whatever reason, so we're okay for a bit (FYI, I do all of the shopping and always have. It's kind of my thing).
Once the Stay At Home order was issued last week, people ignored it and hit all of the parks, beaches and trails en masse. As of Monday, the mayor closed down all of the above so I'm not seeing anyone on my street because Lake Hollywood is closed, which is a massive bummer for me because I walk and run up there 5 days a week on average.
Our city is on Lockdown for at least more 60 days and the mayor said to expect it be "much longer". The governor has already negotiated with the banks and lenders to allow people to miss their next three loan and mortgage payments without any reporting to credit agencies.
My wife and I have been splitting time with our 2nd grader, who is still doing all of her homework assignments and some Zoom time with her teacher, while my 6th grader has been attending class online from 8am-3pm each day. We even had our Parent-Teacher conferences this morning over Zoom and my youngest is using FaceTime each day at 12:30 and 7:00 pm to chat with her squad of six girls.
All in all, we're fine but I'd by lying if I didn't state that while 30 days is "okay", 60-90 more days makes me a bit squeamish, mainly because of my children. [Reply]
