I posted this in the OKC Covid thread, but the University of Kansas and Duke has suspended all athletic operations. That's 2 banner basketball schools who won't participate in the NCAA tournament. So yeah, it's not happening.

also isn't the Duke AD the current Chairmen of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee??? defiantly means it's not happening

Pete

Something I thought I might ask you to start tracking amongst your sources...the OKC Memorial Marathon next month.

Given that runners from around the country/world convene on OKC for that event, it would seem that it is necessarily going to be under review at some point, and probably soon.

Now, just to make it absolutely clear - I am *asking* for info - I am NOT in any way suggesting or implying that I know anything - it just came to mind that its a huge event for OKC and would seem very much in question under current circumstances.

I have absolutely been wondering about the Marathon, I don't see how they don't cancel or delay it and still be operating in the public's best interests. Bad year for it too, this was the second "changing the course!" year with the final map using Scissortail Park as the new finishing location.

I'd love to take you at your word, but can you please provide sources? Again, I am happy to learn from you, but I'm not going to do so blindly.

I have a policy of discounting anyone making unfounded assertions with no reliable source on any Social Media. There are very few on this website, but BoulderSooner definitely fits that description.

City of OKC
@cityofokc
·
19s
.
@GovStitt
: It is the state's recommendation that schools remain open.
@HealthyOklahoma
will work with school districts to keep them updated.

Jesse McKinley
@jessemckinley
·
15m
BREAKING:
@NYGovCuomo
announces almost-immediate closing of Broadway, the city's largest tourist industry.

One thing you can count on is BoulderSooner claiming facts from thread to thread without any sources... and they are almost always wrong. First, we don't know the exact mortality rate. Even if it was 0.6 then that would be six times as deadly as the flu. However, most reports believe this is way too low. I've seen 1.4 mortality rate as a conservative estimate, which is 14 times the mortality. There are far higher mortality rates than these in several of the hard hit countries, but we're still learning about why. Unlike Boulder, I won't claim to know something experts are still trying to figure out.

An important thing to understand is that if this continues to spread our health care infrastructure will be so overwhelmed that people will start dying of other things too because they can't get care.

For people playing this down I'm curious how they think we're different from Italy, which is in absolute crisis? To me, we're less prepared than almost all these other countries and handling it far less effectively.

This availability of care is the big thing that concerns me. I read this yesterday - https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/03/who-gets-hospital-bed/607807/?fbclid=IwAR1Ky8koKmHaGhBBLyCb9hrDj2chgV55r1W4pMFJ 2ZcLVYYnxNrQTKJ_id8

This could happen quickly here. Even if hospitals don't run out of beds, there will likely be shortages of beds in ICUs and shortages in equipment like respirators. It won't just be the folks with Covid that suffer but all the folks with other life threatening health issues who suddenly lose when you have to make care decisions based on limited availability of resources and the hard math of potential outcomes. THIS is why this is scaring the crap out of me.

I just made a run to Sam's at 39th & May (pet food, not hoarding) and you can see the full-on panic that has now set in.

It was as busy as I"ve ever seen it, and this was 11AM on a Thursday. People trucking out bottled water and all types of provisions.

I went to WalMart last night on the way home to grab a few groceries and coincidentally also some dog food. It was about 10pm, but it wasn't unusually busy. But the aisles were pretty bare, notably the water, canned food, toilet paper, and cleaning supplies aisles. I think there were only about 3 can of spam on the shelf. Usually there's hundreds. Pretty surreal.

I was an early discounter of this (and still am to some degree). I think the economic effects will be well more disastrous than the virus itself. But I am changing my mind a bit. I am healthy with good hygiene. But am more concerned about losing my job. This is bad for all industries but mine is certainly one of the most affected.

All businesses, mine included, have to start figuring out how to keep going while the world is shutting down around us.

Hopefully, the health scare will soon pass but regardless, many, many businesses are going to be devastated for a while.

Dave Cathey
@TheFoodDood
·
4m
It’s business as usual for
@VastOKC
while the Devon Tower lobby is closed. Guests must enter through the Colcord Hotel lobby.

Dylan Buckingham
@DylanBuckingham
·
6m
The Utah Jazz have left OKC. No word if Rudy Gobert or Donovan Mitchell were with the team, but workers in hazmat suits were seen with the plane before it took off.

Pete, you/the Gazette should really consider looking into this.

15844

I have absolutely been wondering about the Marathon, I don't see how they don't cancel or delay it and still be operating in the public's best interests. Bad year for it too, this was the second "changing the course!" year with the final map using Scissortail Park as the new finishing location.

On a related note, there are many 5K runs that raise money often for charity. I know at least one has decided to cancel for this Saturday.
Please consider donating your entry fee ( same for the marathon if cancelled) if you are in a position to do so. These charities are all going to take big hits to their coffers.

Pete, you/the Gazette should really consider looking into this.

15844

THIS...with the reported scarcity of test kits, it sure is telling how an NBA team is able to procure so many at the drop of a hat.

Nothing informational in my post.
I’m really just wanting anybody reading all of this - and feeling all of this is just surreal - to know you are not alone. I’m waiting to be awakened and told it was all a bad dream. A very bad dream.

THIS...with the reported scarcity of test kits, it sure is telling how an NBA team is able to procure so many at the drop of a hat.

acording to CDC over a million tests are already out and 4 mil by the end of the week /

That number is a testament of no leadership. The administration is culpable after refusing WHO test kits and then making test kits that yielded suspect results.

On a related note, there are many 5K runs that raise money often for charity. I know at least one has decided to cancel for this Saturday.
Please consider donating your entry fee ( same for the marathon if cancelled) if you are in a position to do so. These charities are all going to take big hits to their coffers.

Marathons that have cancelled typically haven't been refunding entry fees. My wife is running all 50 states, and she's been watching other events cancel.

Pete, you/the Gazette should really consider looking into this.

15844

This is fake news. The local health departments don't have an unlimited number, but do have plenty on hand to test those that do need it.

https://www.factcheck.org/2020/03/the-facts-on-coronavirus-testing/

My Wife was going, with my DIL, to the Cher Concert tonight. That got axed.

acording to CDC over a million tests are already out and 4 mil by the end of the week /

327 Million / 1 million = scarce.

Marathons that have cancelled typically haven't been refunding entry fees. My wife is running all 50 states, and she's been watching other events cancel.
Yes, excellent point.
For a lot of these shorter races, people sign up on the day of, or day before. That was what I also meant about "donating" the entry fee i.e. send in what you would have paid to run the race.

BRICKTOWNOKC.COM
@BricktownOKC
·
25m
Announcement: The Bricktown St. Patrick's Day Block Party has been cancelled.

THIS...with the reported scarcity of test kits, it sure is telling how an NBA team is able to procure so many at the drop of a hat.

Not telling at all, that's the way this country (and most of the world) works - if you have the money, you can get whatever you want.

SportsCenter
@SportsCenter
·
29m
MLB has decided to suspend Spring Training games and to delay the start of the 2020 regular season by at least two weeks due to the national emergency created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Energy FC
@EnergyFC
·
2h
The USL has suspended play for a minimum of 30 days.

Question for any one with Telecom or IT background. What happens to the networks in Oklahoma, and specifically OKC, when more users are on? If universities switch to all online course, using Zoom or whatever, and employees start remotely connecting from home into their work, do connection times slow?
Can our current IT infrastructure in OK/OKC handle anything we throw at it?

Plaza District
@plazadistrict
·
39s
In light of growing concerns surrounding COVID-19, the Plaza Business Alliance is cancelling all activities associated with LIVE! on the Plaza for Friday, March 13. Plaza District businesses will continue their regular business hours.

Ben Felder
@benfelder_okc
·
25s
Mid-Del schools will close tomorrow after reports that Utah Jazz player Donovan Mitchell, who tested positive for coronavirus, worked out at the high school on Wednesday. #oklaed

Folks, let's try to keep the unenlightened political opinions in the political thread.

This is a politics free zone.

Dow finishes the day −2,352.27 (9.99%)

Question for any one with Telecom or IT background. What happens to the networks in Oklahoma, and specifically OKC, when more users are on? If universities switch to all online course, using Zoom or whatever, and employees start remotely connecting from home into their work, do connection times slow?
Can our current IT infrastructure in OK/OKC handle anything we throw at it?

Most network traffic is people watching videos and this peaks in the evening. So working from home probably doesn't really increase that too bad relatively speaking. I would think video conferencing services will run out of hosting space until they can spin up more servers if companies start doing wfh more frequently.

Folks, let's try to keep the unenlightened political opinions in the political thread.

This is a politics free zone.

i didn't realize that stating that there is less than 1% of tests available for the US population was political. i just thought it was math.

Dow finishes the day −2,352.27 (9.99%)

man. not a good day. i thought around 1 it was going to at least recover to only be down a few hundred...

Dow finishes the day −2,352.27 (9.99%)

Wonder where the bottom will be? It's hard to place a future value of the market when the dust hasn't even begun to settle. How long until trading is suspended until things stabilize? Is that possible?

The Associated Press
@AP
·
2m
BREAKING: NCAA cancels men's and women's Division I basketball tournaments amid coronavirus fears.

Looks like the NCAA has canceled all winter and spring NCAA championships. That is terrible news for OKC. No WCWS will be a big blow

Looks like the NCAA has canceled all winter and spring NCAA championships. That is terrible news for OKC. No WCWS will be a big blow

Crap, didn't think about the WCWS. The financial impact of everything this is happening is impossible to estimate or comprehend.

Disneyland (California) closing through March.

https://twitter.com/seattlesymphony/status/1238155639395844103?s=20
This is nice. Video broadcasts and Livestream from the symphony. Maybe OKC Phil could do something similar? It's important for people to have outlets for their anxiety and music is wonderful stress relief

Most network traffic is people watching videos and this peaks in the evening. So working from home probably doesn't really increase that too bad relatively speaking. I would think video conferencing services will run out of hosting space until they can spin up more servers if companies start doing wfh more frequently.

Thank you for the answer. It makes sense. My software seemed glitchy today, so naturally I jumped 5 steps ahead to "the whole system is crashing!".

327 Million / 1 million = scarce.

From Dr. Fauci, the #1 expert person on the task force.
Top U.S. health official's blunt assessment of U.S. testing capacity
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/it-failing-let-s-admit-it-fauci-says-coronavirus-testing-n1157036

More tests, less xenophobia please. More Dr. Fauci, less Stephen Miller please.

Not OKC but interesting if this will catch on with other districts around the country

https://krdo.com/news/2020/03/12/pikes-peak-area-school-districts-extend-spring-break-due-to-coronavirus-worries/?fbclid=IwAR39gz1v82tQ4xTa2OqhisGSyGsm_Jh7PzNiiNkI EwkuVyRw4lqQsotZ21M

Colorado Springs schools close until March 27, sporting activities until April 6.

A flight attendant was admitted last night. Not all of the symptoms were consistent with Covid but they did two respiratory panels on the patient and both came back negative.

Fortunately this patient tested negative for Covid.... I wasn’t looking forward to my girlfriend being quarantined for two weeks if they came back positive.

Not OKC but interesting if this will catch on with other districts around the country

https://krdo.com/news/2020/03/12/pikes-peak-area-school-districts-extend-spring-break-due-to-coronavirus-worries/?fbclid=IwAR39gz1v82tQ4xTa2OqhisGSyGsm_Jh7PzNiiNkI EwkuVyRw4lqQsotZ21M

Colorado Springs schools close until March 27, sporting activities until April 6.

Every school district in the country will be closed within a week.

Not OKC but interesting if this will catch on with other districts around the country

https://krdo.com/news/2020/03/12/pikes-peak-area-school-districts-extend-spring-break-due-to-coronavirus-worries/?fbclid=IwAR39gz1v82tQ4xTa2OqhisGSyGsm_Jh7PzNiiNkI EwkuVyRw4lqQsotZ21M

Colorado Springs schools close until March 27, sporting activities until April 6.

Denver schools closed until April 6

From Dr. Fauci, the #1 expert person on the task force.
Top U.S. health official's blunt assessment of U.S. testing capacity
https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/it-failing-let-s-admit-it-fauci-says-coronavirus-testing-n1157036

More tests, less xenophobia please. More Dr. Fauci, less Stephen Miller please.

I hope people aren't expecting there has to be a test produced for every man, woman and child. If lve been socially distanced an have no symptoms or reason to think l could be infected Ill give up my test to someone in NYC.

Now, who, exactly is being Xenophobic?

This is a few days old now but still an interesting (and also terrifying) read.

https://www.linkedin.com/content-guest/article/notes-from-ucsf-expert-panel-march-10-dr-jordan-shlain-m-d-/



-We are moving from containment to care.
-We in the US are currently where at where Italy was a week ago. We see nothing to say we will be substantially different.
-40-70% of the US population will be infected over the next 12-18 months. After that level you can start to get herd immunity. Unlike flu this is entirely novel to humans, so there is no latent immunity in the global population.
-[We used their numbers to work out a guesstimate of deaths— indicating about 1.5 million Americans may die. The panelists did not disagree with our estimate. This compares to seasonal flu’s average of 50K Americans per year. Assume 50% of US population, that’s 160M people infected. With 1% mortality rate that's 1.6M Americans die over the next 12-18 months.]
-The fatality rate is in the range of 10X flu.
-This assumes no drug is found effective and made available.


A point I hadn't considered:

School closures are one the biggest societal impacts. We need to be thoughtful before we close schools, especially elementary schools because of the knock-on effects. If elementary kids are not in school then some hospital staff can’t come to work, which decreases hospital capacity at a time of surging demand for hospital services.

^^^
Yep, those notes are super helpful and interesting... Even though some of the conclusions are terrifying, it's actually calming to have quality information on the topic. Hopefully, the death toll isn't that high, but we really need to flatten the curve to prevent our health care system from being overwhelmed as has happened in parts of Italy where doctors have to choose who to treat and who to let die. I also found the don't-close-schools argument compelling because that will limit health care professionals from working and it's the same argument that Michael Osterholm said on the Joe Rogan podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3URhJx0NSw). While the federal government has really failed in producing tests, another big takeaway is that you should not try to get tested or get treatment unless you're really struggling (e.g., having trouble breathing). Just quarantine and do what you'd do if you have the flu. Everyone isn't getting a test so don't take up hospital resources trying to get one unless your symptoms get past mild.

It's depressing to see so much misinformation floating around when our real experts - epidemiologists, social scientists, medical professionals - are providing incredibly accurate predictions and information. And all of them say we're at the very beginning of this crisis and it's about to blow up and last for a while. Prepare, practice social distancing, cancel/don't attend large gatherings, and take care of the vulnerable (elderly, obese, smokers, underlying health conditions).

This was posted about 5 hours ago on the OKC Reddit. If true, it's an interesting and concerning account of the testing process. If this isn't streamlined soon, this is going to be a huge disaster.

"I got tested today. Self quarantine until I get the results.
In case anyone is curious about the process:
Called my primary care doctor. Who incorrectly told me to call the Oklahoma Health Department. Do not do that. I was on hold for nearly an hour to be told to contact my primary care doctor.
He then told me to call the ER, ask for the charge nurse, tell them he sent me, and tell them why I was calling, don’t just show up. I explained that I’d been exposed to someone who was a confirmed case and that I’d had mild symptoms. Plus I’m supposed to fly somewhere for work soon. She told me to come in, but to call when I arrive.
I showed up, walked in and called. When a nurse answered, she asked if I was the CoronaVirus person, and told me to leave immediately and stand out in the parking lot. Made sense. Luckily it was a nice day.
My nurse met me with a mask to put on and let me into a negative pressure room. They closed the door and out signs all over it. Everyone who came in was in full protective gear. The doctor had a respirator with a hose, eye mask and everything.
Two nose swabs and one throat. The nose swabs suck. At that point they were going to discharge me, but nobody seemed to know how or when I would get my results. This is a new thing at this scale, and procedures aren’t streamlined yet. The ER process took about 2.5 hours.
I’m expecting my results in the next day or two. The ER doctor called me this evening and told me that some samples have to be flown to Dallas because we don’t have the capacity here.
After seeing the process at this stage, they are going to get overwhelmed quickly. If I didn’t have to fly twice per week for work I probably wouldn’t have gotten tested and just stayed home sick."

Here's a question regarding the Del City/NBA player incident.

As I understood it, the state informed that district that people around the player did not need to be tested or quarantined because the player, at that time, was asymptomatic. But the CDC guidance I've read said an individual *can* shed disease without symptoms.

That seems contradictory to me. And its a pretty serious contradiction. Either you shed when asymptomatic or you don't. And if you shed, the people in close contact are necessarily at risk.

So which is it? I'm concerned amid all the caution now being exercised, a potentially serious error may have occurred with this situation. Kids and their families who were taking photos with the player at Del City High School need the right info. All of us do.

If anything i've posted or asked here is wrong, please correct it.

*EDIT* I just saw a report on KWTV demonstrating this *very* contradiction from State and CDC information. So I'm not the only one noticing this.

I saw a graphic yesterday that stated that there is a period where the patient is asymptomatic and not contagious. Unfortunately, there is a period where the patient is still asymptomatic but can transmit the disease. The lag time is brief, but very dangerous because an infected person can have no idea they are infected yet still be transmitting the disease to others.

This is a few days old now but still an interesting (and also terrifying) read.

https://www.linkedin.com/content-guest/article/notes-from-ucsf-expert-panel-march-10-dr-jordan-shlain-m-d-/

FYI: Some of the panelists pushed back against these notes saying they lacked context. For example, the 1.5 million death number was presented as a possibility not necessarily a likelihood. Anyway, I should have been a bit more skeptical than to read too much into an audience member's notes of a panel discussion.

FYI: Some of the panelists pushed back against these notes saying they lacked context. For example, the 1.5 million death number was presented as a possibility not necessarily a likelihood. Anyway, I should have been a bit more skeptical than to read too much into an audience member's notes of a panel discussion.

Agreed - I believe I saw the same or similar information, and they were based on a 40-70% infection rate. Based on the facts I have read that I believe are reliable, *no* country right now has *anywhere near* this infection rate. Not at all diminishing any seriousness of the situation, but I think that number is taken from very much an extreme context.

deleted - inadvertent duplicate post - sorry

I belong to a social media group for restaurants and bars in OKC and almost everyone is reporting their business is way, way down.

Personally, I am not going to stop going out and I hope these businesses don't get decimated.

I belong to a social media group for restaurants and bars in OKC and almost everyone is reporting their business is way, way down.

Personally, I am not going to stop going out and I hope these businesses don't get decimated.

I belong to a social media group for restaurants and bars in OKC and almost everyone is reporting their business is way, way down.

Personally, I am not going to stop going out and I hope these businesses don't get decimated.

I'm not letting it affect my life in terms of frequenting restaurants. As far as I can tell OKC only got on the map cause a Jazz player flew in. I wouldn't expect them to frequent the same places I do. If they even leave their hotel at all between arriving and going to the game.

This was posted about 5 hours ago on the OKC Reddit. If true, it's an interesting and concerning account of the testing process. If this isn't streamlined soon, this is going to be a huge disaster.

"I got tested today. Self quarantine until I get the results.
In case anyone is curious about the process:
Called my primary care doctor. Who incorrectly told me to call the Oklahoma Health Department. Do not do that. I was on hold for nearly an hour to be told to contact my primary care doctor.
He then told me to call the ER, ask for the charge nurse, tell them he sent me, and tell them why I was calling, don’t just show up. I explained that I’d been exposed to someone who was a confirmed case and that I’d had mild symptoms. Plus I’m supposed to fly somewhere for work soon. She told me to come in, but to call when I arrive.
I showed up, walked in and called. When a nurse answered, she asked if I was the CoronaVirus person, and told me to leave immediately and stand out in the parking lot. Made sense. Luckily it was a nice day.
My nurse met me with a mask to put on and let me into a negative pressure room. They closed the door and out signs all over it. Everyone who came in was in full protective gear. The doctor had a respirator with a hose, eye mask and everything.
Two nose swabs and one throat. The nose swabs suck. At that point they were going to discharge me, but nobody seemed to know how or when I would get my results. This is a new thing at this scale, and procedures aren’t streamlined yet. The ER process took about 2.5 hours.
I’m expecting my results in the next day or two. The ER doctor called me this evening and told me that some samples have to be flown to Dallas because we don’t have the capacity here.
After seeing the process at this stage, they are going to get overwhelmed quickly. If I didn’t have to fly twice per week for work I probably wouldn’t have gotten tested and just stayed home sick."

Yes, as I mentioned upthread, we count on 24-48 hours from the time the sample even reaches OSDH PHL. If they are low on certain reagants and/or need confirmation test, I could easily see sample being shipped out of state.
Serologic tests are being worked on, but for now, realize that this isn't like a "rapid strep" test.

^

The ER is an extremely expensive mechanism for doing this.

The cost of all this is going to be astronomical.

I belong to a social media group for restaurants and bars in OKC and almost everyone is reporting their business is way, way down.

Personally, I am not going to stop going out and I hope these businesses don't get decimated.

I won't let it keep me from going out. But for those that don't feel comfortable being out, buy a gift card to your favorite restaurant to use later and let's support our local businesses.