Covid-19 in OKC (coronavirus)

[sooner88]

Spoke with a banker yesterday - a customer had just told them, “Good morning. I’m closing my store. Come get your stuff.”

That customer had to been having major problems prior to this, especially considering that most banks will work with their customers during extraordinary circumstances. Unfortunately this is not going to be an uncommon theme moving forward, there will need to be patience and forgiveness from the financial institutions to ensure our local economies survive.

[Pete]

Bars, gyms, theaters ordered to close, restaurants to serve only take-out or delivery, with modified state of emergency in Oklahoma City
Post Date:03/17/2020 2:20 PM

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt announced Tuesday he will modify the proclamation of a state of emergency to order all bars, gyms and theaters to close, and restaurants to serve only take-out or delivery food, until April 12.

The announcement is to help limit the spread of COVID-19 (the new coronavirus) in Oklahoma City. Public health officials say it’s critically important to limit social interactions, which will slow the rate of infection and ensure people who are sick receive the best possible care.

“Public health officials tell me this is the most serious pandemic our community has faced in the last half-century,” said Mayor Holt. “The loss of life in Oklahoma City would be profound if we did nothing.”

Get the latest local COVID-19 updates at covid19.okc.gov.

Under the terms of the state of emergency:

All bars and similar venues without on-premises food (hookah barks, cigar bars and vaping lounges) must close from 5 p.m. today (March 17) through April 12.

All bars and similar venues with on-premises food, breweries, restaurants and coffee shops may serve only take-out or delivery food, or pre-packaged alcohol authorized for sale under state law, from 12:01 a.m. March 18 through April 12. They must otherwise remain closed to everyone but employees.

All athletic gyms, exercise facilities, movie theaters and shopping mall food courts must close from 12:01 a.m. March 18 through April 12.

The Remington Park gaming area must close from 12:01 a.m. March 18 through April 12.
Staff may still perform maintenance duties at these facilities.
The terms of the original emergency proclamation are also still in place. The City has revoked all special event permits through April 12, banned gatherings of more than 50 people at most City facilities, and is requiring a distance of at least 3 feet between transit users. Read the details here.

Mayor Holt made the announcement Tuesday at a news conference at the Oklahoma City-County Health Department (OCCHD). The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) has confirmed nine of 17 statewide COVID-19 patients are in the Oklahoma City metro. Some cases are attributed to community spread.

The emergency proclamation is authorized under Chapter 15 Article III of City Code. It will remain in effect until the Mayor signs a proclamation to end it. The Mayor may modify the terms of the emergency for as long as it remains in effect.

The terms of the declaration are based on fast-evolving guidance on mass gatherings from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), OSDH and OCCHD.

Visit covid19.okc.gov for the latest local news, updates and guidance on COVID-19.

A violation of the proclamation’s terms would be a class “b” misdemeanor under City Code, punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $750.

[jn1780]

I think governments are just hoping to get to summer where spread rates will decrease. After summer who knows what they will do then. "Flattening the curve will take 6 months minimum" unless we can completely stop it during the summer which seems unlikely at this point, it won't go away until at least 70 percent of the population has built antibodies to it.

[Pete]

Now 17 confirmed cases in Oklahoma, 9 in OKC Metro area:

https://kfor.com/health/coronavirus/...tests-pending/

[sooner88]

Now 17 confirmed cases in Oklahoma, 9 in OKC Metro area:

https://kfor.com/health/coronavirus/...tests-pending/

I saw those statistics this morning and it was pretty shocking. Based on the chart only 0.009% of the entire state has been tested (348 tests / 3.95mm population). My sister's a PA in Cleveland (where the spread is much worse) and they did double that in drive-thru testing YESTERDAY. It would seem logical that the number of confirmed cases in the OKC metro and statewide will sky rocket once testing is readily available.

[Pete]

Festival of the Arts -- scheduled from April 21-26 -- has been canceled.

[PhiAlpha]

Interestingly, yesterday I remembered a conversation we had with my stepdaughter's pediatrician during the last week of February. We were getting her re-tested for the flu because she was exhibiting flu like symptoms but had initially tested negative for it. She tested positive for it that day, but her pediatrician made the comment that over the last few weeks they had seen a bunch of kids who were exhibiting flu-like symptoms but repeatedly tested negative for it. A few weeks prior she had a fever for a day or two but was negative for flu and strep. A few weeks before that I had an odd cold with a cough that I couldn't shake for over a month and so did my parents who had a fever for several days but tested negative for the flu and by their own admission had the worst cough they could remember. That all may or may not be related to this (and you would think that doctors' offices would make the connection if it was) but it certainly makes you wonder if the virus has been circulating here for much longer than we realize.

[jn1780]

Interestingly, yesterday I remembered a conversation we had with my stepdaughter's pediatrician during the last week of February. We were getting her re-tested for the flu because she was exhibiting flu like symptoms but had initially tested negative for it. She tested positive for it that day, but her pediatrician made the comment that over the last few weeks they had seen a bunch of kids who were exhibiting flu-like symptoms but repeatedly tested negative for it. A few weeks prior she had a fever for a day or two but was negative for flu and strep. A few weeks before that I had an odd cold with a cough that I couldn't shake for over a month and so did my parents who had a fever for several days but tested negative for the flu and by their own admission had the worst cough they could remember. That all may or may not be related to this (and you would think that doctors' offices would make the connection if it was) but it certainly makes you wonder if the virus has been circulating here for much longer than we realize.

My kid had a mystery upper respiratory illness also a couple of weeks ago that tested negative for flu. He then gave it to me, Had a fever for a day that forced me to bed for a day or two. I then had a bad cough for a week.

[TheTravellers]

... it certainly makes you wonder if the virus has been circulating here for much longer than we realize.

Of course it has, first case was in Nov 2019.

[jccouger]

Interestingly, yesterday I remembered a conversation we had with my stepdaughter's pediatrician during the last week of February. We were getting her re-tested for the flu because she was exhibiting flu like symptoms but had initially tested negative for it. She tested positive for it that day, but her pediatrician made the comment that over the last few weeks they had seen a bunch of kids who were exhibiting flu-like symptoms but repeatedly tested negative for it. A few weeks prior she had a fever for a day or two but was negative for flu and strep. A few weeks before that I had an odd cold with a cough that I couldn't shake for over a month and so did my parents who had a fever for several days but tested negative for the flu and by their own admission had the worst cough they could remember. That all may or may not be related to this (and you would think that doctors' offices would make the connection if it was) but it certainly makes you wonder if the virus has been circulating here for much longer than we realize.

Also makes me wonder how many deaths have been categorized as pneumonia when it was actually caused by Covid-19

[AP]

19 reported from Johns Hopkins. I wonder if that includes the 2 Jazz players.

https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html

[Edmond Hausfrau]

I think governments are just hoping to get to summer where spread rates will decrease. After summer who knows what they will do then. "Flattening the curve will take 6 months minimum" unless we can completely stop it during the summer which seems unlikely at this point, it won't go away until at least 70 percent of the population has built antibodies to it.

The problem with the summer argument is that there are cases in the southern hemisphere, where it's currently late summer.

[bigjkt405]

Of course it has, first case was in Nov 2019.

I had an issue for a couple weeks around Christmas. Really bad cough, flu like symptoms, but had a flu shot previously and tested negative for the flu.

[chuck5815]

Durant catches a case:
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...ve-coronavirus

[kukblue1]

So Bruams is going to keep the store open cause of market and just bag all fountain area items to go and not let anyone sit in the dining room? Don't that defeat the purpose of all this?

[dankrutka]

I think governments are just hoping to get to summer where spread rates will decrease.

I've seen a lot of experts who do not think COVID-19 will be affected by the summer or seasons. I think there is still some debate, but I don't think it's a safe assumption that heat will kill this off.

[jn1780]

The problem with the summer argument is that there are cases in the southern hemisphere, where it's currently late summer.

No one said it was zero. Even the flu is still around in the summer. There are countries where you would have expected this to have already become an Italy or worse but somehow not.

It would be an extremely resilient virus if could withstand 90+ degree temperatures outside for any length of time. Obviously it would not be over 90 degress inside. During the Spanish Flu, they saw good results putting patients outside.

I guess we will find out in a week down in Mexico after they had their large gathering.

[catch22]

I've also heard this. I would consider the source to be quite reputable.

Think it's about to start. Chicago Midway Tower just closed due to 3 controllers or equipment technicians (immediate data is conflicting) testing positive for COVID-19. Believe MDW is closed until tomorrow and all Southwest flights have been canceled in and out of MDW until tomorrow.

Wait until this starts popping up at en route centers, tracons, and more local towers.

[Bill Robertson]

I've seen a lot of experts who do not think COVID-19 will be affected by the summer or seasons. I think there is still some debate, but I don't think it's a safe assumption that heat will kill this off.

I always thought summer killing off the flu had more to do with people being outside more and not cooped up together inside than with temperature killing the virus.

[catch22]

Think it's about to start. Chicago Midway Tower just closed due to 3 controllers or equipment technicians (immediate data is conflicting) testing positive for COVID-19. Believe MDW is closed until tomorrow and all Southwest flights have been canceled in and out of MDW until tomorrow.

Wait until this starts popping up at en route centers, tracons, and more local towers.

MDW 03/159 Aerodrome 03/17/2020 2246 03/20/2020 1300 SVC TWR CLSD CLASS D SERVICE NOT AVBL CTC CHICAGO APP AT 847-289-0926 2003172246-2003201300
Closed MDW 03/149 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 RWY 04L/22R CLSD 2003180300-2003181100
Closed MDW 03/150 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 RWY 04R/22L CLSD 2003180300-2003181100
Closed MDW 03/151 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 RWY 13L/31R CLSD EXC TAX 2003180300-2003181100
Closed MDW 03/152 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 RWY 13R/31L CLSD 2003180300-2003181100
Closed MDW 03/153 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 TWY R CLSD 2003180300-2003181100
Closed MDW 03/154 Aerodrome 03/18/2020 0300 03/18/2020 1100 TWY Y6 CLSD 2003180300-2003181100

Confirmed by FAA Notice to Airman system. Tower closed and all runways closed.

[jonny d]

If only we knew a little more about the virus. We could treat it like the chicken pox (another disease with no cure, just treat the symptoms). I am kidding, and since this is way worse for the elderly, that would never work, but still. Getting everyone immune would help a lot!

[emtefury]

So Bruams is going to keep the store open cause of market and just bag all fountain area items to go and not let anyone sit in the dining room? Don't that defeat the purpose of all this?

No one is forcing you to go to Braums. If don't like their policy, then don't go. Simple solution.

[kukblue1]

No one is forcing you to go to Braums. If don't like their policy, then don't go. Simple solution.

100% agree but isn't it defeating the purpose. Isn't all this defeating the purpose. We are just slowly bleeding instead of stopping the bleeding by doing a two week shut down of everything. Which oh by the way is coming next week. Another week goes by before we take the measures we should be taking now.

[Pete]

This site shows the U.S. added over 1,800 cases just today.

These #'s are going to go through the roof, as we've barely even started testing.

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/

[jonny d]

The good thing about positive tests is that people now will know to get inside and stay there for the incubation period. Rather than walking around blind. That is the misleading thing about higher positive tests. People will focus on the negative, rather than the somewhat positive.