Red Cross: Study Suggests Possible New COVID-19 Timeline in the U.S.

[dilbert firestorm]

Study Suggests Possible New COVID-19 Timeline in the U.S.

December 01, 2020

The following statement regarding the publication of “Serologic testing of U.S. blood donations to identify SARS-CoV-2-reactive antibodies: December 2019-January 2020,” in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal may be attributed to Dr. Susan Stramer, vice president of Scientific Affairs at the American Red Cross:

“The American Red Cross provides about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply and has played a critical role in helping to battle the coronavirus pandemic, as well as other public health emergencies through the decades.

A study by the American Red Cross and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), entitled “Serologic testing of U.S. blood donations to identify SARS-CoV-2 reactive antibodies: December 2019-January 2020,” was recently published in the Clinical Infectious Diseases journal. This study aimed to determine when the virus might have first appeared in the United States by using archived samples from routine blood donations collected by the Red Cross. The non-identifiable blood samples used in the study—from donors in nine states between Dec. 13, 2019 and Jan. 17, 2020—demonstrate one way that blood donation helps scientific research.

In the U.S., the first COVID-19 infection was reported on January 19, 2020 in a traveler returning from China. These study results show that it’s possible COVID-19 may have been present in the U.S. in December 2019, earlier than previously recognized.

The findings of this study indicate that that it is possible the virus that causes COVID-19 may have been present in California, Oregon, and Washington as early as Dec. 13-16, 2019, and in Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin as early as Dec. 30, 2019 - Jan. 17, 2020. Although researchers at the CDC found antibodies that reacted to the virus in blood donations from all nine states that were part of this study, the percentage of blood samples with these antibodies was very low—indicating the virus was not widespread. All identifiable donor information was removed from blood donation samples prior to distribution to the CDC.

It is not possible to determine whether the potential SARS-CoV-2 infections suggested by this study may have been community- or travel-associated. A previous survey of blood donors, conducted to help understand travel practices, determined that less than 3% of respondents reported travel outside of the U.S. within the 28 days prior to donation, and of those reporting travel, only 5% traveled to Asia.

The tests used in this evaluation were designed to look for antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, rather than antibodies to other types of coronaviruses. However, there is some limited similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and other, more common coronaviruses, so cross reactivity cannot be completely ruled out. Nearly everyone over the age of five has had a common coronavirus infection and has antibodies against those viruses.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, blood donations have been critical to maintaining the health of communities and to help researchers identify, track and better understand this emerging virus. In fact, data from U.S. blood donation screenings have historically been used to help monitor the emergence of infectious disease agents, most recently the Zika virus.

The Red Cross adheres to the highest standards of safety and infection control, and blood donation remains an essential activity to help ensure patients continue to have access to lifesaving blood products. We understand the strain of this pandemic weighs heavily on everyone and we must continue to care for one another. If you are eligible and feeling well, please make an appointment today to give by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED-CROSS.”

About the American Red Cross:
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

[dilbert firestorm]

so the virus was in america already. suggests maybe far back as september 2019?

[Levianon17]

So how did it enter the human population in China? Wet Market, Bat to Pangolin scenario? I am not buying that one, the virus would have been contained before it spread across three Continents in a couple of months. Lab technician in Wuhan China becomes infected, that's non sense as well. So how did this Virus enter the Human Population? Anyone dare to take a guess?

[Yssup Rider]

A full month earlier.

OK.

[Ripmany]

Must be most people can't do math 350 million times $1200 is 0.420 trillion vs 1.3 trillion on the Last bill or 2.4 trillion nasty pussy is proposing. People should be outrage on big pork barrel crony capitalism

[dilbert firestorm]

this writer has an opinion about this.
https://townhall.com/columnists/brad...he-us-n2581066

Does This Study Shift the Covid-19 Narrative About When the Virus Was in the US?

Brad Slager|Posted: Dec 04, 2020 12:52 PM
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

The American Red Cross has released a report that might alter the realities of the Covid-19 pandemic. The organization announced a new study has been released based on tests conducted on blood donations to the Red Cross, and it shows a presence of the coronavirus in samples dated from December 2019. This could become deeply significant based on the accepted timeline of events we have been served up to this point.

Because China has not been fully forthcoming about the outbreak, the origins are rather hazy. It is believed there were indications they were contending with the virus in November of last year. China and the World Health Organization officially recognized the presence of Covid-19 near New Years Eve 2019. The US was notified of the outbreak in January, and we are told the first official case was recorded in the middle of the month. The new study, however, points to the possibility of a far earlier arrival.

"This study aimed to determine when the virus might have first appeared in the United States by using archived samples from routine blood donations collected by the Red Cross. The non-identifiable blood samples used in the study—from donors in nine states between Dec. 13, 2019 and Jan. 17, 2020."

The conclusion; it appears that introduction of the virus to the U.S. may have taken place much earlier than declared, possibly in the fall of 2019.

In the study of the blood samples, Covid-19 antibodies were detected in 84 donors on the west coast from Washington, Oregon, and California as early as December 13. Other samples were from donations made between late December to mid-January from six other states showing the antibodies -- Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. The key aspect is these were not showing positive viral activity but the presence of the anti-SARS CoV-2 antibodies, the virus causing Covid-19.

Given that that period for these antibodies to develop is estimated to be one to two weeks moves the possible infection date to at least November. The Center for Disease Control states that the antibodies for Covid-19 now have shown to be 60-90 days to remain in a testable threshold. This would push the infection dates of some back to possibly September of 2019.

The idea that these results could be coming from donations made by those who travel out of the country is a possibility, but it is a limiting factor. The Red Cross reports that they survey donors and find that less than 3 percent of those giving blood have traveled outside the country; of that small figure only 5 percent reported traveling to Asia.

There is a possibility also of cross-reactivity to more common coronavirus strains, but the study has been targeting specifically the Covid-19 strain causing our pandemic. As the novel virus is becoming more known, more serological tests are coming online to detect the antibodies of the SARS CoV-2 virus. If this study continues to make the determination of earlier presence in the U.S. of the outbreak it could shift the thinking on the outbreak. More studies will be conducted to pin down details.

[Yssup Rider]

Townhall has a writer with an opinion on everything you like. Pity your comprehension level is so pathetically low.

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Townhall.com.

Even they won’t take responsibility for the bullshit they post.

The truth is out there. Keep searching BP!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[Tiny]

There's one theory that this disease was introduced to the general population back in 2012 or 2013 by workers in a Chinese mine populated by bats, but didn't take off until the epidemic in Wuhan kicked off.

Dilbert, I wonder whether the antibodies might have been from other strains of coronavirus, not Covid 19?

[dilbert firestorm]

Originally Posted by Tiny

There's one theory that this disease was introduced to the general population back in 2012 or 2013 by workers in a Chinese mine populated by bats, but didn't take off until the epidemic in Wuhan kicked off.

Dilbert, I wonder whether the antibodies might have been from other strains of coronavirus, not Covid 19?

I think viruses take a long time to propagate to a saturation point where it spreads.

the american flu, it took 1 year for this virus to spread and people didn't find out about it until the war was over in 1918.


black death aka bubonic plague prolly took longer maybe up to 2 years.

[winn dixie]

Yssup. Do you realize that most articles have that same disclaimer. No matter where its written.

[dilbert firestorm]

Originally Posted by winn dixie

Yssup. Do you realize that most articles have that same disclaimer. No matter where its written.

this is why he is an
I.D.I.O.T.

[pfunkdenver]

Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

this writer has an opinion about this.

Opinions are like assholes.

Everybody has one, and they all stink!



I prefer facts!!

[dilbert firestorm]

Originally Posted by pfunkdenver

Opinions are like assholes.

Everybody has one, and they all stink!


I prefer facts!!

opinions are based on facts.


you can't form facts if you don't have an opinion.

[Levianon17]

Originally Posted by dilbert firestorm

I think viruses take a long time to propagate to a saturation point where it spreads.

the american flu, it took 1 year for this virus to spread and people didn't find out about it until the war was over in 1918.


black death aka bubonic plague prolly took longer maybe up to 2 years.

But we can develop a vaccine in eight months with 90% effectiveness. Fucking amazing.

[Tiny]

Originally Posted by Levianon17

But we can develop a vaccine in eight months with 90% effectiveness. Fucking amazing.

95%