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 Chief Pagan:
Having a higher per capita death rate than your neighbors while still having businesses go under is actually worse. Unless you don't care about the death rate.
Depends how you calculate it. Sweden has a very aggressive labeling where anyone that dies with a positive Covid test gets counted as a Covid death. Their excess mortality is one of the best in Europe.
Also, their economy is looking to be down almost 3 percent. UK looks worse than 11 percent. So no, you can't expect no contraction in a connected world (Sweden is heavily connected to lockdown countries) as well as some people who just don't won't go out but I would MUCH rather have spent the last year in Stockholm than London.
Stockholm, Sweden. No masks, no lockdown, still selling blue bags, meatballs and sofas. pic.twitter.com/uk9HAtqI9B
Originally Posted by MahomesMagic:
Well, that would be news to the politicians here where I live. Our hospital numbers are surging and all they can say is Mask Harder. BTW, we have been wearing masks for 7 months and shut down business again.
Do you think minimizing the effectiveness of masks had hindered compliance or their use outside of mandatory locations, wearing a mask to go inside a restaurant then spending the next hour eating/drinking without it on could also be reducing their effectiveness. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Monticore:
Do you think minimizing the effectiveness of masks had hindered compliance or their use outside of mandatory locations, wearing a mask to go inside a restaurant then spending the next hour eating/drinking without it on could also be reducing their effectiveness.
I personally don't think they work but I wear mine where required as I prefer to shop without hassles. I do remember when the mandates started that people suddenly stopped social distancing and would walk up to within inches of others at places like the grocery store.
I don't wear a mask while driving though I see a lot of people doing that or when waking outside. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TLO:
Some of these larger hospitals are going to have a leg up when it comes to the Pfizer vaccine. You have to order a minimum of 975 doses, and prove you're going to be able to use them.
The Moderna vaccine actually seems a lot more practical. You only have to order 100 doses and the requirements for storage are much less stringent.
I'd rather take the Pfizer vaccine simply because it's only 21 days between doses instead of 28. [Reply]
Though there are still hurdles for vaccine candidates to jump, Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser of Operation Warp Speed, said he hopes to see a "quite significant" drop in coronavirus illness and death among the elderly population quickly.
Noting that 40% to 50% of US deaths are coming from elderly Americans residing in long-term care facilities, Slaoui told CNN, "We should be able to have immunized that full population, and the health care workers that take care of them by the end of the month of December or by the middle of the month of January."
By the middle of March, he said, the United States should have vaccinated its highly susceptible population, which is about 100 million people, while the rest of the country "will not all have the vaccine in our arms before May or June." [Reply]
Originally Posted by Donger:
Though there are still hurdles for vaccine candidates to jump, Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser of Operation Warp Speed, said he hopes to see a "quite significant" drop in coronavirus illness and death among the elderly population quickly.
Noting that 40% to 50% of US deaths are coming from elderly Americans residing in long-term care facilities, Slaoui told CNN, "We should be able to have immunized that full population, and the health care workers that take care of them by the end of the month of December or by the middle of the month of January."
By the middle of March, he said, the United States should have vaccinated its highly susceptible population, which is about 100 million people, while the rest of the country "will not all have the vaccine in our arms before May or June."
Trump officials passed on additional Pfizer vaccine doses in summer:
Rockford WIFR-LD logoTrump officials passed on additional Pfizer vaccine doses in summer
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Trump administration officials passed when Pfizer offered in late summer to sell the U.S. government additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, according to people familiar with the matter, per the New York Times............ [Reply]
Trump officials passed on additional Pfizer vaccine doses in summer:
Rockford WIFR-LD logoTrump officials passed on additional Pfizer vaccine doses in summer
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) - Trump administration officials passed when Pfizer offered in late summer to sell the U.S. government additional doses of its COVID-19 vaccine, according to people familiar with the matter, per the New York Times............
I didn't read the article, but I'm guessing this has nothing to do with how many initial doses will be avaliable. Beyond the initial doses, it really won't matter that much. [Reply]
Originally Posted by petegz28:
Why do you need the Dept. of Health? Why are the people in charge there not making them quarantine and\or get tested?
You got me you have county commissioners who are in charge but department heads are elected. I really don’t know other than nobody’s do jack shit about it [Reply]