8040 is the number of estimated current cases. 4620 new cases. Still rising rapidly though.

Thanks. I corrected the post.

My girlfriends experience in southern Oklahoma.... She is seeing more Covid than Flu now and has yet to see a patient with the flu that has been vaccinated.... The vaccine appears to be very well matched this season.

My girlfriends experience in southern Oklahoma.... She is seeing more Covid than Flu now and has yet to see a patient with the flu that has been vaccinated.... The vaccine appears to be very well matched this season.

Coworker of mine had her kids vaccinated (1 is at OU, and 1 is in high school). Both have had the flu 3 times this year since getting the vaccine. So I don't know if it as well matched. Her OU son is in a frat, and has had their frat house deep cleaned 5 times because of it. I guess it is all arbitrary. She's missed 3 weeks of work because of it. So who knows. Both are bad.

Coworker of mine had her kids vaccinated (1 is at OU, and 1 is in high school). Both have had the flu 3 times this year since getting the vaccine. So I don't know if it as well matched. Her OU son is in a frat, and has had their frat house deep cleaned 5 times because of it. I guess it is all arbitrary. She's missed 3 weeks of work because of it. So who knows. Both are bad.

Studies will always be better than sporadic anecdotal evidence, it is well-matched. :)

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/flu-shots-influenza-very-good-match-this-season-cdc-says/

"Every year, the CDC tests hundreds of samples collected from Americans with the flu, in an effort to track if the virus could be evading the current season's vaccines.

The CDC reported on Friday that most of the viruses tested so far this season are similar to the strains that were picked out by officials for this year's updated vaccines. Using antibodies from ferrets, the agency said almost all samples they tested "were well recognized" by the animals' immune responses.

Almost every sample tested by public health laboratories around the country so far this year have been from the Influenza A type of virus. Only 0.1% were Influenza B. All viruses tested so far this season have also been susceptible to the four antiviral treatments that are currently recommended for flu patients."

I encourage everyone to take thier safety into thier own hands this winter. Make the right choice for your health.

I encourage everyone to take thier safety into thier own hands this winter. Make the right choice for your health.
…?

Thanks but I already eat clean and workout

…?

Personal Responsibility Hippo, Personal Responsibility.

Personal Responsibility Hippo, Personal Responsibility.
Ah yes. You get measles, I’ll be responsible. Makes perfect sense.

Mr./Mrs. Hippo I dont see how getting measles is being pesonally responsible. I'll let you do you over there and I will take personal responsibility over here for my health and the health of those I am responsible for at this stage in life. I am not looking to agrue.

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid121522a.jpg

The free federally provided test kits are back available starting today: Place Your Order for Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests (https://special.usps.com/testkits)

^

Thank you!

Just ordered a new set.

^
Me too
Between those and what they keep at work I'm set for a long time.

If you still have tests from the last free distribution program, and they are past the expiration date printed on the box, don't throw them away before checking to see if their expiration date has been extended: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list

If you still have tests from the last free distribution program, and they are past the expiration date printed on the box, don't throw them away before checking to see if their expiration date has been extended: https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/coronavirus-covid-19-and-medical-devices/home-otc-covid-19-diagnostic-tests#list
Yes. Good info. Almost all tests have extended the expiration dates.

What a weird coincidence. Yesterday I was looking at my stash of cold/flu meds and saw the box of covid at home test was expired. I went online to see if I could get the free kits in the mail. Found out that it was suspended, none being shipped, so I went to wallymart and paid $20 for a box containing 2 home test kits. Got home and tossed it in my cold/flu meds box.

This morning I get the email that you can now get the FREE ones through the USPS, so naturally I ordered some right away, should be here next week or so.

What a weird coincidence. Yesterday I was looking at my stash of cold/flu meds and saw the box of covid at home test was expired. I went online to see if I could get the free kits in the mail. Found out that it was suspended, none being shipped, so I went to wallymart and paid $20 for a box containing 2 home test kits. Got home and tossed it in my cold/flu meds box.

This morning I get the email that you can now get the FREE ones through the USPS, so naturally I ordered some right away, should be here next week or so.

A lot of insurance companies will reimburse you for tests you buy at the store.

So me and my wife haven't ever really had COVID-19 symptoms (or if we did, they were mild enough to be mistaken for allergy-type stuff), and we've never bought or had a COVID-19 test during this whole thing. Seems like a lot on here are testing themselves, do y'all test regularly just because, or when you have symptoms, or before big gatherings, or .....? Should we have been testing ourselves or no need unless symptomatic?

^

I've tested at home when I've felt a bit funny and after I've been together with someone who later found out they had Covid.

Thus far, all my tests have been negative. I'm due for the next booster and need to get that done before Christmas.

So me and my wife haven't ever really had COVID-19 symptoms (or if we did, they were mild enough to be mistaken for allergy-type stuff), and we've never bought or had a COVID-19 test during this whole thing. Seems like a lot on here are testing themselves, do y'all test regularly just because, or when you have symptoms, or before big gatherings, or .....? Should we have been testing ourselves or no need unless symptomatic?

I test only if my family is feeling ill. I have actually tested positive 3 times since 2021. All times I had zero symptoms at all. I just test to make sure to try to not infect others if anyone in my family is ill.

I test if I'm having symptoms consistent with COVID. Or after I've been around someone who tested positive.

So me and my wife haven't ever really had COVID-19 symptoms (or if we did, they were mild enough to be mistaken for allergy-type stuff), and we've never bought or had a COVID-19 test during this whole thing. Seems like a lot on here are testing themselves, do y'all test regularly just because, or when you have symptoms, or before big gatherings, or .....? Should we have been testing ourselves or no need unless symptomatic?

I only test like last June when I felt like I was sick from covid and confirmed my suspicions with a test. From having covid back then, I hope I'm immune from getting it again through this winter. Because I'm a covid vaccine skeptic, so haven't gotten any boosters. Besides, the covid I had in June wasn't as agonizingly bad as back years ago when I had strep throat and needed antibiotic treatment. Of course, somebody else's experience with covid could be worse.

It's quite a blessing to not ever be sick with covid. If you get covid you will feel like crap. Besides having fever over 100 and being tired, it will feel like thick sandpaper is being pressed against your throat. And so, you will have to cough so much that your coughing muscles will get sore. It's a drag while it lasts. If positive with covid, go to a doctor and see if you can be prescribed Paxlovid to hopefully get it over with quickly. Don't be too surprised if your doctor wears two masks when he or she sees you. However, with hospitalizations and ICUs up from covid, I can't help but wonder if Paxlovid is overrated.

My my free test kits came in today. I'm impressed with the speed.

Mine too. A few days earlier than expected.

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid122222a.jpg

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid122922a.jpg

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid010523b.jpg

^^ Pete, thank you for continuing to compile and report this information. It is an absolute community service.

It really is a help when comparing COVID deaths to excess 'all cause' moralities in Oklahoma City.

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid011223a.jpg

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid011923c.jpg

It's weird to think a year ago we had six times as many people hospitalized for Covid but we actually have more in ICU for it now than we did then. Not sure what to make of that.

It's weird to think a year ago we had six times as many people hospitalized for Covid but we actually have more in ICU for it now than we did then. Not sure what to make of that.I just pulled up the 1/19/2022 situation update. It shows 361 in ICU.

I corrected the weekly update above.

My friend was just in St. Anthony's downtown and they thought he might have TB. So they put him in a negative air room. When he was negative they kept him there they said as long as they don't need the room they will just keep him in that room. It was a covid room nurse even said so but they didn't need it. This was last week.

I have some good news. Britain is moving to restrict booster shots to those under 50 or if you have special medical need. I hope this is seen as a positive development as we move advance through the pandemic.

I hope other countries follow Britain's lead after evaluating their own data.

Very grateful there was no real surge after the recent holidays.

I'm sure the virus will stay around in some form but very happy to just get on with things. The supply chain is still trying to recover in many aspects.

I have some good news. Britain is moving to restrict booster shots to those under 50 or if you have special medical need. I hope this is seen as a positive development as we move advance through the pandemic.

I hope other countries follow Britain's lead after evaluating their own data.

you mean boosters only for those over 50 correct??

COVID is no longer a public health emergency - Time Magazine 1/25. Interesting read. Considering all of the politics associated with COVID, I am not sure if I ever had any opinion on how Time magazine leans...

https://time.com/6249841/covid-19-no-longer-a-public-health-emergency/

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid012623a.jpg

Oklahoma stats corrected by CDC.
CDC records 71 additional COVID-19 deaths in Oklahoma | KFOR.com Oklahoma City
https://kfor.com/news/cdc-records-71-additional-covid-19-deaths-in-oklahoma/

you mean boosters only for those over 50 correct??

Yes, and those with pre-existing conditions.

COVID is no longer a public health emergency - Time Magazine 1/25. Interesting read. Considering all of the politics associated with COVID, I am not sure if I ever had any opinion on how Time magazine leans...

https://time.com/6249841/covid-19-no-longer-a-public-health-emergency/

Public Health Emergency was renewed by Secretary Azar on Jan 11,2023. It has important implications for prescribing practices and telemedicine, among other benefits. Not sure what Time magazine is referring to, possibly the end of the Medicaid rules allowing for ease of enrollment. Those end in March 2023.
EDIT: the cited Time piece is an opinion piece, not a news article. PHE remains. Carry on.

Sorry, did not mean to imply a literal end of COVID as a public health emergency, I think Time was saying that many deaths are being classified as COVID when people who had no symptoms but tested positive died for other reasons. Anyway, looks like Biden will end it in May, 2023

https://www.cnn.com/2023/01/30/politics/may-11-end-of-covid-and-public-health-emergencies/index.html

I found this opinion piece interesting. I wonder if anything will come from it.

https://www.newsweek.com/its-time-scientific-community-admit-we-were-wrong-about-coivd-it-cost-lives-opinion-1776630

That piece is a litany of assertions without presented evidence; it’s polemical and nothing more. Nothing will come of it.

That piece is a litany of assertions without presented evidence; it’s polemical and nothing more. Nothing will come of it.

I was going to post something about how it would've been nice if he would've offered any kind of evidence about what was wrong instead of just saying "we believed Fauci when he was wrong" (why and when was he wrong?). He kind of did do that, in some of the links at the top of the article, but you said it better than I would've. :)

So much projection in that opinion piece.

I found this opinion piece interesting. I wonder if anything will come from it.

https://www.newsweek.com/its-time-scientific-community-admit-we-were-wrong-about-coivd-it-cost-lives-opinion-1776630

Interesting in the same way that a car crash is interesting, sure. Dude doesn't cite anything in this rambling jeremiad to back up his central point.

I'm sure mistakes were made. This was a very different thing than we had ever been through before. Experience is a great teacher and we had none or very little. But to write a piece like that is pretty irresponsible.

I'm sure mistakes were made. This was a very different thing than we had ever been through before. Experience is a great teacher and we had none or very little. But to write a piece like that is pretty irresponsible.

similar pieces have now been in the washington post the NY times and lots of other papers ..

Science is the process of trying to figure out things we don't yet understand, constantly learning, adding that to our knowledgebase and always improving society by simply knowing more than before.

Opinion and politics have nothing to do with truth or bettering society. It's all in aid of the selfish desires of an individual or a group.

similar pieces have now been in the washington post the NY times and lots of other papers ..
No doubt. And their all opinions and irresponsible. It will take years to accurately evaluate COVID response and have a solid lessons learned picture.

No doubt. And their all opinions and irresponsible. It will take years to accurately evaluate COVID response and have a solid lessons learned picture.

i am not going argue

but they are not irresponsible

Interesting in the same way that a car crash is interesting, sure. Dude doesn't cite anything in this rambling jeremiad to back up his central point.

Interesting in that it seems like the media is setting up a narrative where it can slowly bleed the uncomfortable facts of the what happened during the pandemic to the public. Then the public can accept that mistakes were made and the media can drive traffic to their site through sustained clicks over time.

Maybe as you think nothing will come out of his central point, or maybe something will come of it. Only time will tell. It will be interesting to see what happens going forward.

Interesting in that it seems like the media is setting up a narrative where it can slowly bleed the uncomfortable facts of the what happened during the pandemic to the public. Then the public can accept that mistakes were made and the media can drive traffic to their site through sustained clicks over time.

Maybe as you think nothing will come out of his central point, or maybe something will come of it. Only time will tell. It will be interesting to see what happens going forward.

Seems like we kind of already know what was right and wrong.

Widespread shutdowns of businesses and schools, bad. Decision making by a small group of bureaucrats, bad. Certain segments of population freaking out about relatively benign things like masking, bad. US intel not having more info out of China, bad. Doling out of easy government money that much of it went to waste, bad.

Vaccines, good, especially early on. This might be the one thing time will tell but the harm of them is overblown imo. The speed and quality of western pharmaceutical companies, good. A good chunk of the population buying in to helping each other out, good.

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid020223a.jpg

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid020923a.jpg

Weekly update:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/covid021623a.jpg