I've been looking at that number for a while and it keeps getting smaller. Is this not a concern? Haven't seen many people talking about it.


Very big concern -- and we haven't done anything about setting up emergency hospital beds. I guess we don't plan for that until it hits zero first.


WEAR MASKS SAVE LIVES

Has anyone been to a busy restaurant in the last few weeks?

I've only dined out 3 times in the last several months, all at very popular places, and none were more than half full at peak times.

the places i have been to in norman have not been busy, except for patios and post church brunch on sundays

My point is that there may be some busy restaurants here and there but generally speaking business is way, way down.

And I know this because everyone in the industry is saying so.

Bars are a bigger issue because they tend to be more crowded and tightly-grouped in general and people drinking alcohol are not inclined toward good judgment.

This includes places like Kong's which is supposed to be generating at least 50% of its revenue from food, although absolutely everyone knows they come nowhere close to that threshhold.

I broke one of my Cardinal Rules and ate at Uncle Julio’s.

It was the slowest I’ve ever seen it, but I’m not sure if it’s a function of the market figuring out it sucks or the pandemic. Probably some combination.

Tweet from CathSweeny https://twitter.com/CathJSweeney/status/1283850469992013826?s=20

"A White House coronavirus task force document obtained by @publicintegrity
shows officials recommending more stringent control measures Oklahoma, Tulsa and Miami counties, such as shutting down bars, restaurants and gyms and making businesses require masks."

I broke one of my Cardinal Rules and ate at Uncle Julio’s.

It was the slowest I’ve ever seen it, but I’m not sure if it’s a function of the market figuring out it sucks or the pandemic.

They were crazy busy until the pandemic and they are very successful elsewhere.

Very big concern -- and we haven't done anything about setting up emergency hospital beds. I guess we don't plan for that until it hits zero first.


WEAR MASKS SAVE LIVESOne of the things Stitt keeps saying is that during the “shut down” hospitals built up surge capacity. But I haven’t ever heard exactly how or where which makes me believe that’s a crock.

Very big concern -- and we haven't done anything about setting up emergency hospital beds. I guess we don't plan for that until it hits zero first.

Hospitals do have plans in place, disaster drills mandate it. They have phased use of areas. I know one metro area hospital is currently flexing into their Phase 2 beds and adding more staff.
The reason you don't have full transparency on that is the same reason that I don't know for sure how many people can fit in your backyard storm shelter. They are private, for-profit entities.

One of the things Stitt keeps saying is that during the “shut down” hospitals built up surge capacity. But I haven’t ever heard exactly how or where which makes me believe that’s a crock.
It's mostly a crock, but Hausfrau expounded on what some do.

Lots of areas in hospitals can become bed space in a disaster. Recovery rooms, pre-op holding areas, procedure rooms. The point here is that these conversions occur during ongoing disasters, often with waves of casualties.
This is an ongoing disaster.

And I do agree that some of it is a "crock" because there are hard physical limits, as well as staffing. You can't just suddenly roll a bunch of litters into the cafeteria, ask HVAC to seal it as negative pressure, and deputize the cooks as respiratory therapists.
At least, I don't remember reading that in any of the memos...

Here are the exceptions to the Tulsa mask order just signed into effect.

Not they do not except churches:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/tulsamask.jpg

what is interesting about his is that any one could say that #1 applies to themselves and really not be questioned ..

I do like the idea of closing down 16th and making it more of a pedestrian and outside eating area permanently. I think it would do wonders for the area. Traffic could be routed around the area.

And I do agree that some of it is a "crock" because there are hard physical limits, as well as staffing. You can't just suddenly roll a bunch of litters into the cafeteria, ask HVAC to seal it as negative pressure, and deputize the cooks as respiratory therapists.
At least, I don't remember reading that in any of the memos...
That's why it's mostly crock - you plan and then there's what actually happens when a pandemic intensifies in a vacuum of leadership. Sh*t starts to hit the fan real quick. The best laid plans and all.

what is interesting about his is that any one could say that #1 applies to themselves and really not be questioned ..

People will do it. I saw two perfectly healthy cowpokes wandering around Costco with sh*teating grins on their faces and t-shirts that said "Freedom" on them without masks. I asked a Costco attendant and she said they claimed a "medical condition" prevented wearing masks. She rolled her eyes. Whatever. Most people aren't total a-holes.

People will do it. I saw two perfectly healthy cowpokes wandering around Costco with sh*teating grins on their faces and t-shirts that said "Freedom" on them without masks. I asked a Costco attendant and she said they claimed a "medical condition" prevented wearing masks. She rolled her eyes. Whatever. Most people aren't total a-holes.

Require a signed doctor's note for medical exemptions. Yeah, some would falsify that, but I'm guessing most wouldn't do it well enough to pass for real notes.

String some lights across 16th and eat dinner with your date at 900 pm. I believe eating later is common in other parts of the world.

Tonight at 9:00, supposed to be 89 degrees and probably heat index of 95 or so. Nope.

One of the things Stitt keeps saying is that during the “shut down” hospitals built up surge capacity. But I haven’t ever heard exactly how or where which makes me believe that’s a crock.

I thought that was a big part of them closing down Deaconess. From what I've been told two floors there are still dedicated for Covid Surge flow.

People will do it. I saw two perfectly healthy cowpokes wandering around Costco with sh*teating grins on their faces and t-shirts that said "Freedom" on them without masks. I asked a Costco attendant and she said they claimed a "medical condition" prevented wearing masks. She rolled her eyes. Whatever. Most people aren't total a-holes.

Of course, Costco (or anyone else) could still refuse entrance for anyone who can't wear a mask because of medical conditions. Curbside pickup is more than sufficient for reasonable accommodation.

Of course, Costco (or anyone else) could still refuse entrance for anyone who can't wear a mask because of medical conditions. Curbside pickup is more than sufficient for reasonable accommodation.

I saw another yuppie jackass dressed in a polo shirt taking selfies without a mask in front of the granola aisle at Whole Foods. I think there is literally a group of trolling assholes who go around town doing this for entertainment. Now that Wal-Mart and everyone else is stepping up it will be entertaining watching these people go off.

String some lights across 16th and eat dinner with your date at 900 pm. I believe eating later is common in other parts of the world.

This is a great idea. I've been seeing reports where larger cities across the country have started doing exactly this in certain areas to increase outdoor dining capacity. Would be a hit in the plaza for sure.

People will do it. I saw two perfectly healthy cowpokes wandering around Costco with sh*teating grins on their faces and t-shirts that said "Freedom" on them without masks. I asked a Costco attendant and she said they claimed a "medical condition" prevented wearing masks. She rolled her eyes. Whatever. Most people aren't total a-holes.

Agreed on the last point. I know a lot of attention has been thrown at the people who defiantly refuse to wear a mask, scream or spit at patrons/staff in stores, or just make a scene, but I think most people just want to do the right thing, no matter what walk of life or what side of the political spectrum they fall on.

The problem is the messaging has been so all over the place with differences in opinion between the health department, the CDC, the mayor, our governor, and our President. One day our governor is saying that yes this thing is still out there but we're doing ok and I think we're a long way away from needing to do a shutdown and then the next day, the health dept is recommending bars and restaurants to close again. One press conference, our governor is demonstrating to people to put on a mask so we'll be able to have the normal things in our lives that we want like college football and then there are pictures of him at Walmart and at a Vietnamese restaurant without a mask and even hugging people.

If you only casually followed the news and didn't read as much as say most of the informed people on our board do, then you probably wouldn't know what the hell to think.

Agreed on the last point. I know a lot of attention has been thrown at the people who defiantly refuse to wear a mask, scream or spit at patrons/staff in stores, or just make a scene, but I think most people just want to do the right thing, no matter what walk of life or what side of the political spectrum they fall on.

The problem is the messaging has been so all over the place with differences in opinion between the health department, the CDC, the mayor, our governor, and our President. One day our governor is saying that yes this thing is still out there but we're doing ok and I think we're a long way away from needing to do a shutdown and then the next day, the health dept is recommending bars and restaurants to close again. One press conference, our governor is demonstrating to people to put on a mask so we'll be able to have the normal things in our lives that we want like college football and then there are pictures of him at Walmart and at a Vietnamese restaurant without a mask and even hugging people.

If you only casually followed the news and didn't read as much as say most of the informed people on our board do, then you probably wouldn't know what the hell to think.

Follow the science, not the idiots who deny science.

https://publicintegrity.org/health/coronavirus-and-inequality/exclusive-white-house-document-shows-18-states-in-coronavirus-red-zone-covid-19/

This is very interesting and I wish it was public. Looking at the section on Oklahoma, and the policy recommendations, it seems like there's a clear roadmap that the cities and the governor could follow if they chose. They've supposedly been sending them to the governors already.

Dozens of countries provided a great roadmap.

We knew what to do, just didn't do it.

Watching the news while i finishing up some work, and they mentioned that they already know of 2 "no" votes for the mask ordinance, and another that might another no vote.

I am not sure if it goes 6 -3 what the process is. ( I thought that they retable it and vote on it next week, or it doesn't go into effect until next month), but It might not go into effect immediately after tomorrows vote.

Tonight at 9:00, supposed to be 89 degrees and probably heat index of 95 or so. Nope.I’m with ya.
But for those that would use it I could see 16th and maybe Paseo closing the streets. It’s been forever since I’ve been to the West End in Dallas or the restaurant district in Denver but I think I remember them having areas of streets closed.

I thought that was a big part of them closing down Deaconess. From what I've been told two floors there are still dedicated for Covid Surge flow.
Ok. I’ll give them that one.

Watching the news while i finishing up some work, and they mentioned that they already know of 2 "no" votes for the mask ordinance, and another that might another no vote.

I am not sure if it goes 6 -3 what the process is. ( I thought that they retable it and vote on it next week, or it doesn't go into effect until next month), but It might not go into effect immediately after tomorrows vote.

Didn't they say that the mask mandate wouldn't go into effect until mid August if it didn't get 7 votes?

If they don't get at least 7 votes, there would have to be a second reading of the ordinance at the next regular city council meeting, which would be in the middle of August.

Believe it can be implemented immediately thereafter.

Didn't they say that the mask mandate wouldn't go into effect until mid August if it didn't get 7 votes?

I think so?
I thought I heard that if it doesn't get 7 it doesn't go into effect immediately and it will be revoted on, on Tuesday. Then I heard that if it doesn't get 7 votes it will go into effect next month.

Dozens of countries provided a great roadmap.

We knew what to do, just didn't do it.

Yeah, but it's even more striking seeing a document that was sent from the WH task force with specific recommendations - For example in Oklahoma...


POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COUNTIES IN THE RED ZONE
Public Messaging
• Wear a mask at all times outside the home and maintain physical distance
• Limit social gatherings to 10 people or fewer
• Do not go to bars, nightclubs, or gyms
• Use take out or eat outdoors socially distanced
• Protect anyone with serious medical conditions at home by social distancing at home and using high levels of personal hygiene, including
handwashing and cleaning surfaces
• Reduce your public interactions and activities to 25% of your normal activity

Public Officials
• Close bars and gyms, and create outdoor dining opportunities with pedestrian areas
• Limit social gatherings to 10 people or fewer
• Institute routine weekly testing of all workers in assisted living and long-term care facilities. Require masks for all staff and prohibit
visitors
• Ensure that all business retailers and personal services require masks and can safely social distance
• Increase messaging on the risk of serious disease for individuals in all age groups with preexisting obesity, hypertension, and diabetes
mellitus, and recommend to shelter in place
• Work with local community groups to provide targeted, tailored messaging to communities with high case rates, and increase community
level testing
• Recruit more contact tracers as community outreach workers to ensure all cases are contacted and all positive households are
individually tested within 24 hours
• Provide isolation facilities outside of households if COVID-positive individuals can’t quarantine successfully

Testing
• Move to community-led neighborhood testing and work with local community groups to increase access to testing
• Surge testing and contact tracing resources to neighborhoods and zip codes with highest case rates
• Diagnostic pooling: laboratories should use pooling of samples to increase testing access and reduce turnaround times to under 12
hours. Consider pools of 2-3 individuals in high incidence settings and 5:1 pools in setting where test positivity is under 10%
• Surveillance pooling: For family and cohabitating households, screen entire households in a single test by pooling specimens of all
members into single collection device

If they don't get at least 7 votes, there would have to be a second reading of the ordinance at the next regular city council meeting, which would be in the middle of August.

Believe it can be implemented immediately thereafter.

What's the rationale behind that exactly?

What's the rationale behind that exactly?

It's in the city constitution.

I'm sure it's meant to prevent measures from being quickly put through unless they have almost unanimous support. It's to allow more public awareness and input.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but CVS, Target, Walgreen's, Barnes and Noble, and Sprouts are now requiring people to wear face masks in their stores.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but CVS, Target, Walgreen's, Barnes and Noble, and Sprouts are now requiring people to wear face masks in their stores.

Thanks for the info.

It's to the point that you almost have to wear a mask now, regardless of government ordinances.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but CVS, Target, Walgreen's, Barnes and Noble, and Sprouts are now requiring people to wear face masks in their stores.

Too bad the local chains like Crest don't have the courage to require masks

Too bad the local chains like Crest don't have the courage to require masks

Or Braums at least for Grocery. Mandate won't be needed shortly every business will require it anyway. I guess it helps protect the business more though.

Sheer lunacy in Georgia:

Georgia governor to sues Atlanta mayor over city's mask mandate (https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/16/politics/georgia-kemp-mask-mandate/index.html)

Too bad the local chains like Crest don't have the courage to require masks
Crest is the only grocery I go to that doesn’t have one way aisles. Not that everyone pays attention to them.

Sheer lunacy in Georgia:

Georgia governor to sues Atlanta mayor over city's mask mandate (https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/16/politics/georgia-kemp-mask-mandate/index.html)
What can he possibly be thinking. When Atlanta has been one of the worst spots.

In a bit of good news on the treatment and vaccine front:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/hopes-coronavirus-vaccine-boosted-reported-115924064.html

And

https://mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSKCN24G2WM

Watching the news while i finishing up some work, and they mentioned that they already know of 2 "no" votes for the mask ordinance, and another that might another no vote.

I am not sure if it goes 6 -3 what the process is. ( I thought that they retable it and vote on it next week, or it doesn't go into effect until next month), but It might not go into effect immediately after tomorrows vote.

The two no votes at the moment are Larry McAtee and Greiner. Stone seems like a wobbly yes. Everyone else is on board so it is shaping up to a 7-2 or 6-3 vote.

Many people are hitting up McAtee and have been emailing him en masse. He claimed in the meeting he made up his mind based on callers to a radio show he was on last night (haha, WTF?). Will be interesting if he sticks with that with so many of his constituents reaching out to him directly.

The solid yes votes are Holt, Stonecipher, Cooper, Hamon, Nice and Greenwell, with Stone looking like a likely yes. If it is passed 6-3 I suppose the mayor could enact an emergency declaration that goes into effect immediately and until the ordinance commences.

What is odd is that the date is set through only September 8, which makes very little sense if it doesn't even go into actual effect until August 21. It would have been way better to make it active through November or December with the ability to end it early.

Thankfully, today's hospital numbers total 604. Down from yesterday's 638.

The two no votes at the moment are Larry McAtee and Greiner. Stone seems like a wobbly yes. Everyone else is on board so it is shaping up to a 7-2 or 6-3 vote.

Many people are hitting up McAtee and have been emailing him en masse. He claimed in the meeting he made up his mind based on callers to a radio show he was on last night (haha, WTF?). Will be interesting if he sticks with that with so many of his constituents reaching out to him directly.

The solid yes votes are Holt, Stonecipher, Cooper, Hamon, Nice and Greenwell, with Stone looking like a likely yes. If it is passed 6-3 I suppose the mayor could enact an emergency declaration that goes into effect immediately and until the ordinance commences.

What is odd is that the date is set through only September 8, which makes very little sense if it doesn't even go into actual effect until August 21. It would have been way better to make it active through November or December with the ability to end it early.

We're ****ed.

Thankfully, today's hospital numbers total 604. Down from yesterday's 638.

ICU went up and I heard and it might not be the case here but they are sending people home on oxygen just so they can make room for others.

ICU went up and I heard and it might not be the case here but they are sending people home on oxygen just so they can make room for others.

Ya... unfortunately I fully expect a dramatic reversal based on the amount of cases we've seen this week. I've seen independent OK journalists on Twitter saying they've been waiting ~7 days (maybe more) for their test results.

Don't know if it's been mentioned but CVS, Target, Walgreen's, Barnes and Noble, and Sprouts are now requiring people to wear face masks in their stores.

That is good news.
It's 3 months too late, but it's still good news.

I sent James Greiner an email a couple of days ago asking him to vote for a mask ordinance. Guess we'll have to vote him out next.

ICU went up and I heard and it might not be the case here but they are sending people home on oxygen just so they can make room for others.

Staffing shortages are spreading in various states. Healthcare workers who have been exposed to Covid-19 and are still out. Docs who are mentally exhausted from arguing at town hall meetings and then going back to 12 hour ER shift without enough PPE or supplies. If enough states keep spiking all at the same time, we literally do not have enough well -rested, healthy, adequately trained medical staff left in the country.
The president didn't do us any favors by suspending H1 visas for doctors either.
You really don't want to get sick right now with anything requiring intensive medical intervention. We won't have the manpower available.

And don't tell me we can just call back everybody we furloughed in the spring unceremoniously.
Would you want to go back into this storm?

Thankfully, today's hospital numbers total 604. Down from yesterday's 638.

Home free! Sorry, didn't mean to be sarcastic, but glad you can find joy in this dismal moment.

Ya... unfortunately I fully expect a dramatic reversal based on the amount of cases we've seen this week. I've seen independent OK journalists on Twitter saying they've been waiting ~7 days (maybe more) for their test results.

My wife and I were told it would be 10 days on Tuesday when we got tested.

My wife and I were told it would be 10 days on Tuesday when we got tested.

what is going on down there? Up here results are coming back within 48 hours no matter if it is a weekday or weekend. And that's with 200 cars in line all day at the testing sites. Are they delivering these tests to the lab on horse and buggy?

Yesterday was another record day in the U.S.

77,255 new cases and 943 people died.

From the governor of Georgia:
“Just like sending in the Georgia National Guard to protect those living in our capital city from crime and violence, I refuse to sit back and watch as disastrous policies threaten the lives and livelihoods of our citizens,” a statement from Kemp continued. “We will fight to stop these reckless actions and put people over pandemic politics.”
So wearing masks is threatening lives in his opinion. What planet is he from?

Home free! Sorry, didn't mean to be sarcastic, but glad you can find joy in this dismal moment.

This morsel of good news is anything but finding joy. Still, it is good news.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled bad news:

My expectations are that daily cases, daily deaths, and hospitalizations have yet to peak. IMHO, the next 90 days are going to be very difficult. Very likely the worst.

This is Florida's data, but examine the dates closely, and what the colors mean. Due to lags in death reporting between actual day of death and date of report, it is the opinion of the graph author that deaths will peak about a month after cases peak. OK has yet to hit peak cases, and it seems that total cases each week are accelerating.
(Excerpt from: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1282480454663172096.html)

https://i.imgur.com/wGDHYFj.jpg

The two no votes at the moment are Larry McAtee and Greiner. Stone seems like a wobbly yes. Everyone else is on board so it is shaping up to a 7-2 or 6-3 vote.

Many people are hitting up McAtee and have been emailing him en masse. He claimed in the meeting he made up his mind based on callers to a radio show he was on last night (haha, WTF?). Will be interesting if he sticks with that with so many of his constituents reaching out to him directly.

The solid yes votes are Holt, Stonecipher, Cooper, Hamon, Nice and Greenwell, with Stone looking like a likely yes. If it is passed 6-3 I suppose the mayor could enact an emergency declaration that goes into effect immediately and until the ordinance commences.

What is odd is that the date is set through only September 8, which makes very little sense if it doesn't even go into actual effect until August 21. It would have been way better to make it active through November or December with the ability to end it early.

Calls in to a radio show? Seriously? That is how our public health emergency policy is being decided????

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/07/15/upshot/drug-overdose-deaths.html?smid=tw-share

Not liking this news at all. Couple it with the data from our recent Point in Time count of the homeless in OKC which is also way up, and our uninsured rate which is now approaching 20% in the state, and you start to understand why we need all hands on deck during public health emergencies.

n/m