I hope the numbers stay in the double digits then drop to single digit per day.

This article details a new survey that organized people who have not been vaccinated into four groups (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/05/18/opinion/covid-19-vaccine-hesitancy.html). If the survey is accurate, it indicates that a large number of Oklahomans are in the most promising category of watchful (waiting to see what happens next) and not the most pessimistic category of COVID skeptics (conspiracy theorists who don’t believe the threat).

Only 71 new cases today (last 3 Tuesdays: 85, 142, 115); 7-day rolling average 136.

1 additional reported death; 7-day rolling average 6.1.

Hospitalizations are 118 (+7).

ICU is unchanged at 29.

Such good news. I also heard that Texas had 0 deaths recently. Are hospitals getting back to elective surgeries and preventative maintenance?

Can you explain a bit more? All evidence suggests the vaccine is not only safe for children 12-15 and protects them against COVID (a much bigger risk than the vaccine), but it also prevents children from spreading COVID to others in their lives. Can you imagine a child living with knowing/thinking they spread COVID to someone who became sick or died? What risks am I missing that would cause parents to be hesitant?

My children (5 & 8) are very healthy and have virtually zero chance of hospitalization if contracting Covid. All able and willing adults should be vaccinated in Oklahoma by June 1 at the latest (well before any vaccine is approved for under 12). I cannot find any statistic on the percentage of the immunocompromised population that cannot receive the vaccine, but I did find several articles (NPR, U of Chicago Med, CDC, etc) stating Pfizer and Moderna are safe due to them being "genetic instructions" rather than a weak version of the virus. Therefore, we can deduct that this population is extremely small and the far majority of unvaccinated at-risk are that way by choice. Furthermore, I doubt that the severe immunocompromised are hanging out at restaurants and elementary schools (virtually the only public indoor venues my children are in).

Are hospitals getting back to elective surgeries and preventative maintenance?


this happened a long time ago in Oklahoma

My children (5 & 8) are very healthy and have virtually zero chance of hospitalization if contracting Covid. All able and willing adults should be vaccinated in Oklahoma by June 1 at the latest (well before any vaccine is approved for under 12). I cannot find any statistic on the percentage of the immunocompromised population that cannot receive the vaccine, but I did find several articles (NPR, U of Chicago Med, CDC, etc) stating Pfizer and Moderna are safe due to them being "genetic instructions" rather than a weak version of the virus. Therefore, we can deduct that this population is extremely small and the far majority of unvaccinated at-risk are that way by choice. .

From this article: Coronavirus vaccines may not work in some people. It’s because of their underlying conditions. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/05/18/immunocompromised-coronavirus-vaccines-response/)


The state worker is among millions of immunocompromised Americans, about 3 to 4 percent of the U.S. population, for whom the shots may not work fully, or at all, and who are unsure of their place in a country that is increasingly opening up. Emerging research shows that 15 to 80 percent of those with certain conditions, such as specific blood cancers or who have had organ transplants, are generating few antibodies.

So, there are millions of them in the US. Most can probably get the vaccine, so it'd be a smaller percentage that could not get it, but even then there's still some question about how effective it might be.


Furthermore, I doubt that the severe immunocompromised are hanging out at restaurants and elementary schools (virtually the only public indoor venues my children are in).

I'm sure many of them work in settings like schools or restaurants.

124 new cases today (last 3 Wednesdays: 143, 252, 249); 7-day rolling average continues to drop at 133.

5 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 6.0.

Hospitalizations are 120 (+2).

ICU is 30 (+1).

From this article: Coronavirus vaccines may not work in some people. ItÂ’s because of their underlying conditions. (https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2021/05/18/immunocompromised-coronavirus-vaccines-response/)



So, there are millions of them in the US. Most can probably get the vaccine, so it'd be a smaller percentage that could not get it, but even then there's still some question about how effective it might be.



I'm sure many of them work in settings like schools or restaurants.

Could be wrong, but I didn't read anything in that article that stated these people couldn't get the vaccine. Additionally, this article seems to indicate the problems are with very specific conditions; transplants and blood cancers. It doesn't say what percentage of the 3-4 million people that encompasses. Furthermore, numbers such as "15%-80%" tell me the research is far from exact. The researchers are still learning about that vaccine and that's really my point. My children are not responsible for this sliver of the population and thus do not need to be the first ones to get a new vaccine they personally don't really need themselves. I read of lot of "I feel", "maybe", "may not", and "perhaps" in that article. Parents shouldn't feel selfish for questioning whether a new vaccine could affect their children's developing brains, bodies, future fertility, etc.

So are the deaths a little bit of a back long or what is going on with deaths. 7 day average of 6 seems kind of high. Especially with only 30 currently in the ICU.

Could be wrong, but I didn't read anything in that article that stated these people couldn't get the vaccine. Additionally, this article seems to indicate the problems are with very specific conditions; transplants and blood cancers. It doesn't say what percentage of the 3-4 million people that encompasses. Furthermore, numbers such as "15%-80%" tell me the research is far from exact. The researchers are still learning about that vaccine and that's really my point. My children are not responsible for this sliver of the population and thus do not need to be the first ones to get a new vaccine they personally don't really need themselves. I read of lot of "I feel", "maybe", "may not", and "perhaps" in that article. Parents shouldn't feel selfish for questioning whether a new vaccine could affect their children's developing brains, bodies, future fertility, etc.

I was just trying to provide some more information about the vaccines and the immunocompromised population. I didn't know this was about all that.

Anyway, I don't think any data has been released on vaccines for kids under 12. I don't think any of the trials have even been completed, so there's really nothing upon which parents can make an informed decision at this point. Really any possible effect on kids under 12, good or bad, is just based on someone's imagination right now.

UCO and OU have ended the mask requirement on campus for vaccinated folks. I don't see a word from OSU yet but I am guessing that will be ending soon as well.

UCO and OU have ended the mask requirement on campus for vaccinated folks. I don't see a word from OSU yet but I am guessing that will be ending soon as well.

ou softball regional will be 100% attendance with no mask requirement

172 new cases today (last 3 Thursdays: 153, 148, 289); 7-day rolling average 136.

14 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 6.4.

Hospitalizations are 129 (+9).

ICU is 36 (+6).

172 new cases today (last 3 Thursdays: 153, 148, 289); 7-day rolling average 136.

14 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 6.4.

Hospitalizations are 129 (+9).

ICU is 36 (+6).

I'm not trying to start anything but are there more detail in the deaths? When did they happen. 14 is half of what was in the ICU yesterday. Nursing home deaths?

I'm not trying to start anything but are there more detail in the deaths? When did they happen. 14 is half of what was in the ICU yesterday. Nursing home deaths?

I think deaths can be from a long time ago. Not sure but I know at times deaths were being reported that occurred many many months ago. Not sure how far back they currently go.

Would be helpful if there was some reporting on that in if possible

I think deaths can be from a long time ago. Not sure but I know at times deaths were being reported that occurred many many months ago. Not sure how far back they currently go.

Would be helpful if there was some reporting on that in if possible

Yeah I looked back a few pages. Jan 8th. 5,323 (!) new cases today, an all-time high. 7-day rolling average 3,504 slightly off an all-time high.

31 more deaths; 7-day rolling average 25.1.

If you take the Average number of deaths divide by cases it's like I get .7%

Now it's 6.1 average deaths with average cases of 136 for 4.48 percent. HUH? How far back are some of these deaths going. Either I'm not doing something right or these deaths go way back?

Yeah I looked back a few pages. Jan 8th. 5,323 (!) new cases today, an all-time high. 7-day rolling average 3,504 slightly off an all-time high.

31 more deaths; 7-day rolling average 25.1.

If you take the Average number of deaths divide by cases it's like I get .7%

Now it's 6.1 average deaths with average cases of 136 for 4.48 percent. HUH? How far back are some of these deaths going. Either I'm not doing something right or these deaths go way back?

I believe that was also when Oklahoma was not using the CDC death numbers but their own numbers that usually were months off.

185 new cases today (last 3 Fridays: 151, 234, 374); 7-day rolling average 140.

15 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 7.6.

Hospitalizations are 135 (+6).

ICU is 39 (+3).

458 cases for the 3-day total (last 3 Mondays: 431, 667, 567); 7-day rolling average 144.

They did not update the reported deaths today.

Hospitalizations are 108 (-27).

ICU is 33 (-6).

89 new cases today (last 3 Tuesdays: 71, 85, 142); 7-day rolling average 147.

22 additional reported deaths, but that was for a 4-day period. 7-day rolling average 8.0.

Both hospitalizations and ICU were unchanged.

Feels like we stalled out for a while.

^

Until the fall and winter where you can be sure things will start to ramp up again.

As it stands, only 42% of Oklahomans over 18 have been fully vaxxed and the way the trend has slowed, we'll be lucky to reach 50% of adults let alone the 70% threshold for all residents.

Flu vaccination rates for people over 18 are around 40-45% in OK. Granted, those aren't free for everyone like the COVID shots, but I think you're right. It would be weird to see significantly higher COVID vax rates than flu shot rates.

That being said, there are still a lot of people that say they intend to get the shot (that is, not technically "hesitant") but haven't done so for reasons like fear of missing work, don't know it's free, aren't sure where to get it, etc. There is definitely opportunity out there to get those numbers up, but it will take a proactive effort.

If everyone who isn't actually anti-vaxx got it, we'd probably reach at least the lowest estimated heard immunity levels. In the US, that is.

I believe the vaccine rate will go up when/if they are FDA approved. There is hesitancy because it is still considered experimental, especially being the first mRNA (for non J&J). There many who want to see how the vaccine plays out with the population and see the data and research. This is what I hear when at the grocery store and other places around town.

I have heard that argument too. It's pretty nonsensical. The amount of data—from clinical trials to the real world—has painted a pretty clear picture of what these vaccines are for quite a while now. There's no big surprises coming at this point. We know what these vaccines are by now. And they're a hell of a lot better than getting COVID.

And they're a hell of a lot better than getting COVID.

this largely depends on the demographic data of the individual

Does anyone have a data set showing the demographics of the people who have received the shot in Oklahoma?

Does anyone have a data set showing the demographics of the people who have received the shot in Oklahoma?

This site does a few different graphs of demographic data they can get on both state and federal vaccine data
https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/state/oklahoma

Sorry I dont know how to do links and stuff like that. The other day I was looking on the OK Health Dept website as far as statistics on those vaccinated. It seems like Okla county is doing better then other areas as a whole but minorities rates are lower. Looks like they need to do more out reach to Hispanic, Black and Native American communities. They had one last weekend to the Hispanic community, hopefully they will do more of these. Also the rate of vaccination in the southeast part of the state is lower. Not sure why.

119 new cases today (last 3 Wednesdays: 124, 143, 252); 7-day rolling average 146.

No additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 7.3.

Hospitalizations are 139 (+31).

ICU is 45 (+12).

this largely depends on the demographic data of the individual

It absolutely does not. But your thing is making inaccurate claims with any evidentiary support.

It absolutely does not. But your thing is making inaccurate claims with any evidentiary support.

81% of 20 year olds that get covid have no symptoms 99.99999999999 don't go to the hospital ... so yeah demographics do matter .

81% of 20 year olds that get covid have no symptoms 99.99999999999 don't go to the hospital ... so yeah demographics do matter .

And yet, the numbers amongst the vaccinated are a hell of a lot better than that, especially when you look at deaths (which is what I would mean by "better")

Sure, if we're comparing the two based on tum-tum aches and feeling sleepy for a few days among 20 year olds, then it's like you say. They will probably have a little less comfortable weekend than they would if they got covid, but they won't transmit it to others resulting in more deaths.

And, maybe it's just me, but less Americans dead is a hell of a lot better than a few 20 year olds feeling icky from a vaccine instead of a hangover for a couple of days.

This site does a few different graphs of demographic data they can get on both state and federal vaccine data
https://usafacts.org/visualizations/covid-vaccine-tracker-states/state/oklahoma

It seems like women are more likely to receive a dose.

It seems like women are more likely to receive a dose.

That has actually evened out a bit, if I recall correctly at it's most extreme the US average was closer to 2:1, on who was going in for vaccines.

They will probably have a little less comfortable weekend than they would if they got covid, but they won't transmit it to others resulting in more deaths.

And, maybe it's just me, but less Americans dead is a hell of a lot better than a few 20 year olds feeling icky from a vaccine instead of a hangover for a couple of days.

i agree with all of this ..

137 new cases today (last 3 Thursdays: 172, 153, 148); 7-day rolling average 141.

12 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 7.0.

Hospitalizations are 142 (+3).

ICU is 48 (+3).

144 new cases today (last 3 Fridays: 185, 151, 234); 7-day rolling average 135.

9 additional deaths reported; 7-day rolling average 6.1.

Hospitalizations are unchanged at 142.

ICU is unchanged a 48.

466 new cases over a 4-day period. 7-day rolling average 124 which is the lowest since 6/12/20.

14 additional reported deaths for the 4-day period. 7 day rolling average 5.0, the lowest since 7/22/20.

Hospitalizations are 145 (+3).

ICU is 37 (-11).

And yet, the numbers amongst the vaccinated are a hell of a lot better than that, especially when you look at deaths (which is what I would mean by "better")

Sure, if we're comparing the two based on tum-tum aches and feeling sleepy for a few days among 20 year olds, then it's like you say. They will probably have a little less comfortable weekend than they would if they got covid, but they won't transmit it to others resulting in more deaths.

And, maybe it's just me, but less Americans dead is a hell of a lot better than a few 20 year olds feeling icky from a vaccine instead of a hangover for a couple of days.

First off, the shingles vaccine was much harder on me than the Moderna COVID shots. The fact that anyone is holding off - or ruling it out entirely - just based on (the possibility of) feeling icky for a few days is mind-numbing.

Second, - thanks to contracting COVID-19 in January, before I was vaccinated - it's now been five months since I have had a reliable sense of smell. It's worse than food not always tasting right; I am also concerned that I'll sleep through a gas leak or a fire. Or that I won't smell if food has gone bad and poison myself. And that's just smells. I also still have occasional heart flutters. My cardiologist thinks I'm most likely fine, but of course when his office was performing ultrasound didn't happen to line up timewise with one of the occasional moments when I can feel it happening. Sort of like taking your car to the shop and it (naturally) not making the damned noise that has been driving you up the wall for weeks. Well, AFIB can eventually lead to strokes. Wish me luck.

The thing that is barely talked about is that COVID-19 is clearly a neurological disease. People think of it as respiratory or GI or whatever, but what is most likely happening is that these various bodily functions are being affected by your nervous system as a result of IT being under attack by the virus. And there is zero data yet on how the nervous system might have been affected long term. I think if more people grasped that their NERVOUS SYSTEM (including THEIR BRAIN) was under attack, vaccine adoption would increase immediately. Instead, we here a bunch of flu false equivalency BS. It ain't the flu.

And the stupid "but it's less than 1% mortality" thing is also a total BS way to look at it. 1% of the world's population IS ALMOST 80 MILLION HUMAN BEINGS. Heck here in America a 1% mortality rate would result in 3.5 MILLION dead souls.

And yes, I know, it's actually LESS than 1% mortality (though that could change if a new variant is allowed to emerge thanks to vaccine resistance and other anti-science and anti-mathematics stands people are taking). But I'll guarantee you this: if you walked into a room of 1000 people (a smallish concert venue) and you learned that there was a 100% chance that a guy was going to walk into that room and randomly murder one person that evening - *almost* certainly not you, mind you, but definitely SOMEONE in that room - I'm still pretty sure you'd leave that room so damned fast that you'd leave skid marks on the floor. That equals .01%, by the way. One TENTH of one percent.

Get the damned shot.

^

Are you saying the loss of taste and smell was due to having contracted Covid-19?

^

Are you saying the loss of taste and smell was due to having contracted Covid-19?
It's precisely how I knew I had COVID-19 instead of simple gut issues and dizziness. I had been incredibly careful during the pandemic, and there had been so much informational focus on the respiratory distress people were suffering that my symptoms didn't really present as COVID to me at first.

I was never stopped up, never had a cough, a sore throat or fever (that I know of, and was checking relatively often). But at some point I tried to smell something that should have knocked me over and it literally smelled odorless to me. I immediately quarantined and got a test the next morning, Positive.

I never fully lost taste, but my sense of smell fully vanished. And it still hasn't returned; only occasional wafts of odor that are almost as quickly gone, like when you work in a pizza place and get noseblind to pizza. It's been five months, and only slight improvement.

Bums me out how much it impacts quality of life. I never lost salty or sweet tastes, but enjoying the aroma of a beer or wine for instance is largely gone. Foods that I know from experience always taste great now taste pretty bland. On the plus side I can now eat hotter food than I ever dreamed of eating before, and I'm barely affected. It convinced me that the people you know in your life who can eat impossibly hot things most likely have a sensory deficit.

But the safety thing is much more of a concern that is the loss of some food tastes. And it would suck to (for instance) be a parent and not know when your child has a poopy diaper. Or to track dog poop into your house and not know it. It's just a pain in the ass that people shouldn't risk, and this one is one of the milder chronic problems some people are experiencing. It's not worth the risks. Get the damned shot.

^

Really sorry to hear all that.

Losing your sense of smell would really suck. I had not heard of it being so semi-permanent.

My wife lost her sense of smell while we had it. She got that back, but she has different tastes now with some stuff. Most prominently, she no longer likes Pepsi. It is wild how varied this stuff can be.

^

Really sorry to hear all that.

Losing your sense of smell would really suck. I had not heard of it being so semi-permanent.

It has happened with some other symptoms too, interestingly there have been some people reporting getting vaccinated stopped the persistent issue they had.

I believe the vaccine rate will go up when/if they are FDA approved. There is hesitancy because it is still considered experimental, especially being the first mRNA (for non J&J). There many who want to see how the vaccine plays out with the population and see the data and research. This is what I hear when at the grocery store and other places around town.

People are grasping at straws with this ridiculous argument, and this post is borderline misinformation. There are hundreds of millions of people now who have taken the vaccines without serious side effects. That amounts to the largest clinical study in the history of mankind.

These vaccinations are approved by the FDA or they wouldn't be in circulation. People have been working on mRNA vaxxes for over 20 years.

^^^^^^^^^^^
This.

^

Really sorry to hear all that.

Losing your sense of smell would really suck. I had not heard of it being so semi-permanent.
It’s very common. About 25% of patients suffering olfactory dysfunction due to COVID-19 still have not subjectively recovered their sense of smell 60 days after infection, and about 1 in 20 still haven’t recovered six months in. It’s starting to look like I might fall into that last group.

Here’s a pretty good article on the topic (https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/covid19/90540)

The odd thing is that asomnia (loss of smell) is WAY more common in people who had a mild case of COVID (which was thankfully the case for me). As in like 85% or mild cases have olfactory dysfunction while MUCH smaller percentages of moderate and severe cases deal with it.

The working theory is that for mild COVID cases with asomnia there was a more robust immune response inside the nose, protecting the rest of the body but causing more damage to the olfactory function. So, a trade-off.

It just goes to show how little we still know about this disease. And it also shows that getting even a “mild” case can still carry hidden risks and unintended consequences that can even be life altering. Why anyone would pass up a chance to avoid these risks with a simple vaccination that has now been shown to be highly effective AND safe is completely beyond me.

Get. The. Damned. Shot.

a co-worker got the virus last fall and experienced very mild symptoms, but lost their sense of smell... and they still haven't fully recovered it yet. i have also heard that this is fairly common.

People are grasping at straws with this ridiculous argument, and this post is borderline misinformation. There are hundreds of millions of people now who have taken the vaccines without serious side effects. That amounts to the largest clinical study in the history of mankind.

These vaccinations are approved by the FDA or they wouldn't be in circulation. People have been working on mRNA vaxxes for over 20 years.

This is not correct. The vaccines have been given emergency use authorization. The vaccines are not FDA approved. I recommend reviewing the difference on the FDA's website. It is a reason people have not received the vaccine. They want the vaccine to be FDA approved prior. People feel it is still experimental. This is from talking to people around town of who have not yet received the vaccine.

Only 42 new cases today; 7-day rolling average down to 113.

2 additional reported deaths; 7-day rolling average 5.3.

Hopsitalizations are 136 (-9).

ICU is 31 (-6).

This is not correct. The vaccines have been given emergency use authorization. The vaccines are not FDA approved. I recommend reviewing the difference on the FDA's website. It is a reason people have not received the vaccine. They want the vaccine to be FDA approved prior. People feel it is still experimental. This is from talking to people around town of who have not yet received the vaccine.

I will start with I think it is pretty clear that the Vaccines are almost for certain 100% safe


but this post is correct ... the clinical trials for these drugs last in some cases for another year ..

This is not correct. The vaccines have been given emergency use authorization. The vaccines are not FDA approved. I recommend reviewing the difference on the FDA's website. It is a reason people have not received the vaccine. They want the vaccine to be FDA approved prior. People feel it is still experimental. This is from talking to people around town of who have not yet received the vaccine.

Did you overhear it at a hipster coffee shop in Brooklyn?

I will start with I think it is pretty clear that the Vaccines are almost for certain 100% safe


but this post is correct ... the clinical trials for these drugs last in some cases for another year ..

Nothing is 100%% safe and its very easy to lose credibility would someone speaks in absolutes. Probably very low chance that something bad would happen to someone on the individual level though based on how many vaccinations have been given out.

this largely depends on the demographic data of the individual

This is largely true for the strains we experienced in 2020. Not the case with new strains at all. Twentysomethings have been hit hard with the Brazilian variant, for one. I suspect you know this.

I will start with I think it is pretty clear that the Vaccines are almost for certain 100% safe


but this post is correct ... the clinical trials for these drugs last in some cases for another year ..

While that may be, these vaccines still had to receive approval, albeit "emergency approval." The clinical trials were still conducted, if under an abbreviated timeline.

More importantly, the sample size for the vaccines blows away any in the history of any clinical trial at this point. Literally hundreds of millions of shots, dating back to last November.

I sympathize with people who are hesitant, and I'm not going to criticize people for being cautious, but at this point there is more than enough data out there to show that the vaccines, particularly Moderna and Pfizer, are safe. Those who decided to hold off for a bit are now endangering themselves by continuing to do so out of irrational fear. And, they are now putting themselves at greater risk of infection, with businesses basically opening up completely and most people ditching social distancing and masks.

these vaccines still had to receive approval, albeit "emergency approval." The clinical trials were still conducted, if under an abbreviated timeline.

they got The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)

and the clinical trials are not over yet

One thing we noticed over the winter is that neither the kids or ourselves got any of the usual colds and sniffles. Now that more people are going without masks, we finally got our first “winter cold” for the whole family. I suspect we are going to see all this common colds and stuff playing catch-up over the summer.

they got The Emergency Use Authorization (EUA)

and the clinical trials are not over yet

Sorry for the confused terminology. They were "authorized" because they are deemed safe.

Also, show me a clinical trial with as large of a sample size as these vaccines have and I'll buy a bridge from you.

All the vaccines approved for use in the US completed phase 1, 2, and 3 of clinical trials before approval. The speed at which these were completed was largely achieved by running phases concurrently. 20 years of mRNA vaccine technology development involving similar viruses, along with the advantage of not having to grow vector viruses for delivery, has allowed those types of vaccines to be quickly manufactured and widely distributed where they are available.

About 2 billion doses of all available vaccines have been administered world wide. 296 MM doses of the approved vaccines have been administered in the US. Of the people known to have died after receiving a covid vaccine, no casual link has been made to the vaccine. That is, there is no evidence anyone has died because of the vaccine at this point. There are some reports that say a few thousand people have died after getting it, but none of those deaths have been directly attributed to the vaccine. I'm not sure, but I would actually assume that number would naturally be higher.

Comparatively, 171 MM people have contracted Covid world wide and 3.57 million deaths have been attributed to the disease. In the US, those numbers are 33.3MM and 595K respectively.

Now, covid has (obviously) been around for a little bit longer than the vaccines. But, I'm not sure what the "wait and see" crowd is waiting for. Do they think if we wait a few more months the numbers will even out somehow? I'm just curious what data, exactly, they are waiting to see.

But, I guess until they figure that out, there are still a lot of people who do not even understand that it is free to everyone. There are also people who still think it is hard or inconvenient to get and don't want to or can't miss work to get a shot. Those are the people on which we should focus and offer help, imo. I think we all know by now that it is a vain exercise to try and reason with someone who trusts cable news personalities and internet memes for advice over the advice of highly trained and experienced individuals.