You always get some new connection from Rachel.

[LAS14]

Very interesting that the "community spread" case in California is 10 miles from an airforce base where untrained, inadequately protected HHS officials greated infected persons from the cruise ship and then went out into the community. I haven't heard definitive info about how this spreads, just that it definitely spreads in "droplets." But if it can be spread on surfaces, how about a quarter that an HHS person paid for a bag of Fritos at a 7/11 that a neighbor of this woman got for change, along with the COVID-19 virus, and... and...

[silverweb]

1. Oh, it spreads on surfaces.

It is viable for up to 9 days on inanimate surfaces. With transmissability like that, it will be everywhere in short order. It can be killed by disinfecting with hydrogen peroxide, bleach, and rubbing alcohol, but that's not going to happen everywhere or nearly as much as needed.

[littlemissmartypants]

3. It is possible that transmission is also airborne.

That has not been ruled out based on the coverage I have been seeing. If that's the case then masks and eye protection are needed. That it lives so long on surfaces is very frightening. I am not feeling hopeful about this at all. I was worried about ebola but this has me close to terrified.

[LAS14]

6. Actually, according to your link, we don't know how long it lasts on surfaces. (Underline mine).

But how long can the new coronavirus linger on surfaces, anyway? The short answer is, we don't know. But if this new coronavirus resembles other human coronaviruses, such as its "cousins" that cause SARS and MERS, it can stay on surfaces — such as metal, glass or plastic — for as long as nine days, according to a new study. (In comparison, flu viruses can last on surfaces for only about 48 hours.)

[silverweb]

7. I'll find a better link.

Last edited Fri Feb 28, 2020, 10:50 AM - Edit history (1)

Because I did read in what I would consider a reputable source (but can't remember which one right now) that it could survive on surfaces for up to 9 days and is also transmitted via airborn droplets, i.e. sneezing. I'll find that source for you.

On edit: So the up to "9 days" viability on surfaces is from a review of 22 prior studies on other coronaviruses, like SARS. WHO and CDC say "several days" or "more than a week" on their sites. Peroxide, bleach, and rubbing alcohol will kill the virus on surfaces. Here's a good link.

As for airborn transmission of the virus, that is confirmed on both the WHO and CDC websites. Basically, it spreads like any other respiratory virus.

[Warpy]

2. That was exactly my guess earlier today, minus the Fritos

I'm pretty sure this is being spread more by contaminated surfaces than by droplets in the air. It seems to need very close proximity, like being packed into a subway car at rush hour, to spread by droplet.

The incubation period is 2 days to 2 weeks. Likely an HHS worker was exposed, started to have a little tickle in his throat and coughed into his hand like his Mama taught him and anything that hand touched was contaminated.

If you develop a cough, cough into the crook of your elbow. Don't touch your face with your fingers unless you're home and you have washed your hands for 20 seconds, count it out. We're looking at harm reduction here, not containment. Bungling by the DHHS has already closed that door.

(rich assholes never consider people like clerks or van drivers, they're invisible, interchangeable, and expendable, just part of the furniture, not to be considered at all because they are so unimportant. That's where the spread will come from. It's already happened.)

[MoonlitKnight]

4. Because of the lack of test kits

The workers at the hospital treating that person did not know and have been out and about in the community as well.

It’s already here and has a head start.

[dewsgirl]

5. I believe there has to be community spread across many states

by now, being misdiagnosed as the flu. If it lives on surfaces for 9 days and has a 24 day incubation period if not longer, there is no telling how widespread it already is.