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.”
The wife and I are scheduled to go to PCB Florida next week. The only state between here and there that has the virus is Tennessee and then of course Florida. We will stay at Graceland in Memphis and then the Renaissance Hotel in Montgomery Alabama. When we get to PCB we'll be staying in a beach side condo. Most of this is already paid for so if we cancel our trip we're going to be out a lot of money. I'm looking everyday for new outbreaks as I try and decide what to do. The wife has COPD. Should we stay or do we go? [Reply]
Originally Posted by Three7s:
Yeah, if that happens, we're all dead to this thing. But it won't.
No it will mean .15% of the US population will be dead before this thing burns itself out. Which is actually lower than what many experts have been saying could happen from the beginning (.5-2% fatal case rate, 20-70% of the population gets infected). The sources many of you get your information from are lying to you. [Reply]
Originally Posted by suzzer99:
The COPD complication is scary. I've heard the airlines are giving free reschedules for C19 related issues. Not sure about hotels.
We're driving hence the two hotel stays. To get the lower room rate I paid up front and because of that it says it's non refundable. We'll stop three times for gas so we'll have at least 5 chances for exposure before we get to the beach. I could be wrong but I think most people who vacate to PCB drive and they come from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and then there will be a some cars in the parking garage from NY and Canada. So assessing the risk of contracting the virus seems low but all it takes is one person to start the spread in an area so I'm not sure what to do. [Reply]
Originally Posted by njchiefs:
Of course I don’t want my family to get sick. But there are so many more diseases and illnesses that they are FAR more likely to contract. You can’t sit around and be paralyzed by fear. The death rates quoted are way overestimated, because to date only the sickest have even been tested. I don’t doubt that many more have had it and thought they had a bad cold. Irrational fear is exactly that. Irrational. People stopped drinking Corona beer for crying out loud. Educate yourself. You take a calculated risk every time you cross the street. But if you want to sit in the basement with your family, go ahead. This is not the plague. Really, it’s not. Swine flu, H1N1, SARS. The world didn’t come to an end. And the stock market was due for a correction. This was good excuse.
FWIW I'm not worried about myself personally as I'm healthy and relatively young. I took a calculated risk to go out and play poker and go to the gym yesterday. I'm going out to a bar with friends tonight.
However I am worried about loved ones, especially if the hospital system gets overloaded. I know a lot of people who are still completely pooh-poohing this, which worries me that they aren't altering their daily habits at all to wash their hands more or avoid close contact. My mom, who has hypertension, had a little kid cough in her face the other day and was joking about it. I'm like Mom - please try to be a little more careful. My Dad OTOH is completely terrified. I'll let you guess who watches which news networks.
Maybe right a little panic wouldn't be the worst thing if it gets people to wash their hands more and be a little more cautious. [Reply]
A man who drives for taxi or ride-hailing services in Queens tested positive for the coronavirus. The new case prompted more than 40 doctors, nurses and other workers at the Queens hospital he visited to go into self-quarantine, officials said on Saturday. https://t.co/XZ1YIEx040
Originally Posted by philfree:
We're driving hence the two hotel stays. To get the lower room rate I paid up front and because of that it says it's non refundable. We'll stop three times for gas so we'll have at least 5 chances for exposure before we get to the beach. I could be wrong but I think most people who vacate to PCB drive and they come from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and then there will be a some cars in the parking garage from NY and Canada. So assessing the risk of contracting the virus seems low but all it takes is one person to start the spread in an area so I'm not sure what to do.
I don't think the geography of the places you're traveling through are significantly better or worse than where you are living now. The major difference in risk will be the activities on your trip vs being at home. Your wife's COPD is the only thing that gives me pause. Limit going out, Wipe doorknobs and surfaces where ever you stay, wash your hands frequently and go have a good time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by philfree:
We're driving hence the two hotel stays. To get the lower room rate I paid up front and because of that it says it's non refundable. We'll stop three times for gas so we'll have at least 5 chances for exposure before we get to the beach. I could be wrong but I think most people who vacate to PCB drive and they come from Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky and then there will be a some cars in the parking garage from NY and Canada. So assessing the risk of contracting the virus seems low but all it takes is one person to start the spread in an area so I'm not sure what to do.
Clean your phone often, especially if you put it down anywhere. The alcohol wipes used for injection site prep work well. [Reply]
Originally Posted by cdcox:
I don't think the geography of the places you're traveling through are significantly better or worse than where you are living now. The major difference in risk will be the activities on your trip vs being at home. Your wife's COPD is the only thing that gives me pause. Limit going out, Wipe doorknobs and surfaces where ever you stay, wash your hands frequently and go have a good time.
Here in Greene County Mo they have tested some people and the test came back negative but they are watching 5 people. There has been one death of an elderly man in the Florida Panhandle. Santa Rosa County which is between Ft Walton and Pensacola. He had been out of the country but they didn't/wouldn't say where. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Chiefspants:
Yep. Very concerned for my parents, my in laws, and my grandma, who lives with my parents. I work in a school, all 110 of my students are pretty much walking Petri dishes of sickness so I’m happy how immune children have been - and with how tested my immune system is I’m ready to take it on.
I like how Seattle’s schools are staying open so parents (healthcare workers and emergency responders) can stay working and children stay in a safe and monitored environment. We can get through this together.
I know children haven't been dying from it. But do they know they are immune?
Kids might be able to spread it without showing symptoms. [Reply]
