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 BigBeauford:
Even the delicious flavor of schadenfreude gets stale after eating too much of it. Do something for your damn country and get the vaccine.
Yeah, as much as I can talk about Darwin awards and not caring in the abstract, in the concrete it still sucks. [Reply]
What is your reaction to stories like that? Do you salute the guy because he died without compromising his beliefs? Figure God just decided it was his time? Assume he's an outlier?
You often characterize those of us who are strongly in favor of vaccines as not caring about our fellow man, but it's those stories that make me even more frustrated that people continue to refuse to get vaccinated. I'm sick and tired of good people dying. I'll never understand why you think the people in favor of reducing death are the ones who don't care. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
I ask this question sincerely:
What is your reaction to stories like that? Do you salute the guy because he died without compromising his beliefs? Figure God just decided it was his time? Assume he's an outlier?
I think any time someone gets sick, it's unfortunate.
I find it interesting that you bring up God, when you claimed you'd worship Satan to be able to go out again.
God is the giver of life.
Maybe if you didn't feel compelled to mention how you won't "shed a tear" for those who aren't vaccinated (multiple times), that vibe wouldn't be so evident. [Reply]
When it's the unvaccinated's fault that my life can't go back to normal, there is a small satisfaction in knowing they are wrong. Like when I show up to work without a mask on, and I see the folks that still have to wear one because they chose not to get vaccinated. Let me tell you, the air tastes real good! [Reply]
Originally Posted by BigBeauford:
When it's the unvaccinated's fault that my life can't go back to normal, there is a small satisfaction in knowing they are wrong. Like when I show up to work without a mask on, and I see the folks that still have to wear one because they chose not to get vaccinated. Let me tell you, the air tastes real good!
What about your life is not yet "back to normal" that you wish was? [Reply]
Originally Posted by stevieray:
I think any time someone gets sick, it's unfortunate.
I find it interesting that you bring up God, when you claimed you'd worship Satan to be able to go out again.
God is the giver of life.
Maybe if you didn't feel compelled to mention how you won't "shed a tear" for those who aren't vaccinated (multiple times), that vibe wouldn't be so evident.
I have no idea what the bold is referring to...
To clarify your position, though, you basically just think it's like anyone else dying? Sad, but life happens? [Reply]
Originally Posted by wazu:
What about your life is not yet "back to normal" that you wish was?
Masks on public transit, still many places with reduced capacity, many performance venues are still shut down, family members with compromised immune systems who still don't feel like they can go out despite being vaccinated...
It's a world away from where we were a year ago, but it's still not "normal." [Reply]
Originally Posted by wazu:
What about your life is not yet "back to normal" that you wish was?
A conference I was looking forward to attending all year went with a masking policy because of northwest MO terrible #s.
Kids' Karate Dojo had to pack their bags up this month.
I was hoping my kids won't have to wear a mask at school, this is in doubt.
Others to list, that just add up to things not being normal because here we are a year later with vaccines being in abundant supply, but cases are going back up. [Reply]
Originally Posted by DaFace:
Yeah, as much as I can talk about Darwin awards and not caring in the abstract, in the concrete it still sucks.
Same here, seeing strangers die after pounding their chest about not being scared initially makes me shake my head (and little more) - but then think about it happening to the few people I know that have been resistant to the vaccine is heartbreaking. I can only imagine the amount of regret they feel as they have a tube stuck down their throat. [Reply]
Also: places that are directly impacted (restaurants, performance venues, etc.) are still having trouble planning for the fall due to concerns that this thing could flare up again. They've been burned pretty badly from this, so they're being cautious about getting back up to full speed again. [Reply]
