Coronavirus Global Health Emergency, 2019-nCoV

[ChatteringBirds]

I wonder how well the vaccine could work. They can't even manage to create an effective vaccine for some viruses despite years of efforts. I know I'm oversimplifying, but I'm not breathing a sigh of relief about a vaccine being in progress.
(But also not panicking about this.)

 

[Inthedetails]

WHO (World Health Organization) will be providing live updates at 11am Eastern time.

 

[Inthedetails]

I wonder how well the vaccine could work. They can't even manage to create an effective vaccine for some viruses despite years of efforts. I know I'm oversimplifying, but I'm not breathing a sigh of relief about a vaccine being in progress.
(But also not panicking about this.)

I would assume it would be more effective than the "flu shot" since they would have the precise virus to target. The flu shots are a guess at what strain will hit the population.

However, from my understanding of the CDC guy who spoke, it's possible that by the time a vaccine is developed, the virus will have run its course and the vaccine will no longer be needed. Sounds like that has happened with epidemic viruses in the past.

My take is that it's worth developing even if never used because it provides more experience to the medical field....so perhaps in the future, vaccines can be developed even faster. The more knowledge and experience, the better.

jmo (I'm not a medical person!)

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Brief recap (not comprehensive, just the highlights in my opinion and bbm)

* 5 cases detected in USA.
* USA has experience with how to respond to such a virus.
* Known cases are the most severe (because if not severely sick, people don't seek medical care so we don't know about them).
* Incubation period still not entirely known.
* USA offered to send CDC team to China to assist, more than once. Urging cooperation and transparency.
* Lots of reassurance that USA is prepared.
* Level 3 travel advisory to all of China - postpone or reconsider travel.
* Level 4 travel advisory to Hubei (sp) - don't travel there.
* 18 known international locations were virus is.
* Will screen at 20 airports in USA.
* Wash hands, cover mouth when cough, stay home if sick.
* If infected, follow CDC guides so don't spread to others.
* No spread of virus within USA, but potential.
* Arizona, California, Washington, Illinois team: tracing everyone who has been in direct contact with infected people in USA.
* Thanked patients and contacts for cooperation.
* Diagnostics have been developed by CDC.
* No proven therapy for the virus. Ongoing studies and testing.
* Important to get isolates of virus (not sure what that means).
* Will be able to make antibodies "soon." Vaccines under development.
* China shared virus sequence (which will help develop a vaccine).

I didn't listen to the questions from reporters. The above is from the prepared statements by the CDC professionals who spoke.

jmo

Lots of notes, thanks so much for this original post to view the video. One of the reporters questions was how long to quarantine.

#1, educate the travelers. If they develop symptoms, they will be educated to see health provider. They will be screened etc. There was no answer as to quarantine in their response.

As to the rapid test, they want to keep within CDC as such a new test due to they want to within a week or two develop one to share with others once sensitivity and specificity is best so no false negatives or positives.

 

[Inthedetails]

I'm feeling much less concern than I was just a few days ago. Of course I'm concerned about the patients and the people around them, but I'm less concerned this will be a worldwide catastrophe. I think it will end sooner rather than later.

But, then again, why the rush to build new hospitals if the virus is going to end soon?

It's frustrating not to know....but I'm not panicked.

jmo

 

[dixiegirl1035]

Again, thanks for the CDC presser that was posted. As @Inthedetails posted also, For those that watch stuff like that, Watch live coverage as World Health Organization officials in Geneva, Switzerland, provide an update on novel coronavirus.

Watch live here beginning at 11 a.m. Wednesday: (e.d. that is US eastern time for this MSM outlet, 90 minutes from now)

Watch live: World Health Organization provides update on coronavirus

 

[Taskforce88]

I wonder what the update from WHO will be? Can't see them declaring an emergency at this time.

 

[margarita25]

BBM:

Lots of notes, thanks so much for this original post to view the video. One of the reporters questions was how long to quarantine.

#1, educate the travelers. If they develop symptoms, they will be educated to see health provider. They will be screened etc. There was no answer as to quarantine in their response.

As to the rapid test, they want to keep within CDC as such a new test due to they want to within a week or two develop one to share with others once sensitivity and specificity is best so no false negatives or positives.

Thank you for this. So it seems maybe they don’t know the answer to the quarantine questions. This could be a major factor, IMO. Whatever the case, sounds like they’re doing what they think they need to do.

Rsbm
Passengers will be re-screened and "temporarily housed for a period of time" upon their arrival in California, officials added.

Termporarily housed sounds much nicer and hospitality like vs. quarantined

Thank you, dixiegirl. I missed this part earlier.

I wonder what this “period of time” is.

I’m guessing they will quarantine for two weeks like Australia and the UK?

 

[dotr]

New coronavirus from China: Everything you need to know | Live Science
''As of Sunday (Jan. 26), the Chinese government had banned the sale of wildlife in markets, restaurants and online.

"The Chinese government's announcement today to temporarily ban the sale of wildlife in markets, restaurants and over e-commerce needs to be permanent. We congratulate the government for taking this important first step," Christian Walzer, chief global veterinarian at for the Wildlife Conservation Society, said in a WCS statement.

"The banning of such sales will help end the possibility of future outbreaks of zoonotic diseases, such as the Wuhan coronavirus. We learned this lesson with the outbreak of another zoonotic disease, SARS, in 2002. The pattern will keep repeating itself until we ban, not only in China, but in other countries, the sale of wildlife, specifically for food and in food markets," Walzer added.''

 

[margarita25]

Can you imagine how happy and relieved all the people who have been evacuated feel? How happy their families must be? What a Nightmare. They’ve surely all been through so much. I hope they will get good rest and be well and I hope none of them have become infected. I’m glad they have been removed safely. I wonder how many others are waiting. I’ve read so many stories...one story that grabbed my heart was about a pregnant woman who was getting ready to pop. She and her husband said they just wanted a safe birth and baby. I’m proud of the governments who responded quickly and got their citizens out of there.

This is really an awful, awful situation for everyone still in China. (Obviously) Just sayin, what a nightmare.

 

[Rosegold68]

why do these viruses all seem to originate in China?

 

[Taskforce88]

why do these viruses all seem to originate in China?

Its the perfect environment:

"Many Chinese people, even city dwellers, insist that freshly slaughtered poultry is tastier and more healthful than refrigerated or frozen meat. This is one of the major reasons China has been such a hot spot for new influenza viruses: Nowhere else on earth do so many people have such close contact with so many birds."

Is China Ground Zero for a Future Pandemic? | Science | Smithsonian Magazine

This article from 2017 was about bird flu.

 

[Inthedetails]

why do these viruses all seem to originate in China?

I surely don't know, but it's possible that viruses originate in other places too, but the population isn't so dense so the virus doesn't spread and just dies out. It seems that viruses from the animals mutate and jump to humans.

If there aren't many humans to serve as a host to the virus, it would die out.

In large Chinese cities with live markets, there are many human hosts. Closing the live markets in the cities should help, imo.

But I'm not an expert by any means!

jmo

 

[JerseyGirl]

The Thinking Behind China's Quarantines ... And (Illegal) Village Blockades

Wuhan's mayor admitted that 5 million residents had been able to leave the city before the quarantine was put in place, many for the Lunar New Year which began last week.

Across the river from Wuhan is Jiujiang, a city of 4.7 million, where four cases have been diagnosed. It's not under official lockdown but is screening temperatures and blocking outside cars and long-distance buses from entering.

[The author] was barred from entering a cluster of 18 villages where several thousand people live. In one village, a hand-painted sign stuck between the metal bars blocking the main road reads, "Anyone from out of town, any cars from out of town can't enter."

The entrance to Zhaoping, a village of around 2,000, is now obstructed by bamboo sticks tied with red trash bags and guarded around the clock by village cadres, kept warm inside a hastily-built shed.

Residents say at least hundreds of migrant workers who work in Wuhan returned home, to this village, for the Lunar New Year.

China's public security chief underscored in a press conference Tuesday afternoon that destroying roads and setting up unauthorized roadblocks are illegal, urging police across the country to enforce traffic regulations.

 

[margarita25]

why do these viruses all seem to originate in China?

Here’s one answer. There are many, imo.

Warning, disturbing moo.
China’s Omnivorous Markets Are in the Eye of a Lethal Outbreak Once Again

 

[Tadpole12]

New coronavirus from China: Everything you need to know | Live Science
''As of Sunday (Jan. 26), the Chinese government had banned the sale of wildlife in markets, restaurants and online.

"The Chinese government's announcement today to temporarily ban the sale of wildlife in markets, restaurants and over e-commerce needs to be permanent. We congratulate the government for taking this important first step," Christian Walzer, chief global veterinarian at for the Wildlife Conservation Society, said in a WCS statement.

Hoping the ban will become permenant.

 

[Rosegold68]

so it comes from animals? chicken? fresh meat?

 

[JerseyGirl]

American Airlines cancels some China service for more than a month as coronavirus spreads

American Airlines on Wednesday joined United in suspending some of its service to China.

American is canceling its flights from Los Angeles to Shanghai and to Beijing from Feb. 9 through March 27.

American will continue to operate its China service from Dallas-Fort Worth and from Los Angeles to Hong Kong in that period.

Cathay Pacific and Air Canada have also said they would reduce service to mainland China due to the virus.

 

[Inthedetails]

so it comes from animals? chicken? fresh meat?

This particular virus seems to have jumped from exotic, wild animals rather than domestic animals. The wild animals were sold alive at a market. It's my understanding that people handling those live animals are "Patients Zero."

My guess (only a guess) is that if the animals are dead, they aren't a risk because the virus in them would also be dead. It's the "live markets" that would pose a threat for viruses jumping from animal to human.

Animals can get viruses like we do, but they don't usually jump to humans. That requires a mutation. Those virus that do jump are especially dangerous because human bodies have no experience in responding to them.

Info learned from my armchair while following the case. Not medical expertise!

jmo

 

[Tadpole12]

Yesterday I watched some footage of citizens building barricades to protect their village.

Watched some night time footage , where the occupants of highrise buildings shouted out into the night sky and to their neighbours across the road.
"Stay Strong!" "We will be okay!"

Can see the best in humanity.
Sometimes you just need reassurance.