Covid-19 in OKC (coronavirus)

[Bill Robertson]

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?

[pw405]

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/1...663172096.html)

[LocoAko]

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????

[Edmond Hausfrau]

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...?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.

[jccouger]

n/m

[pw405]

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/...?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.

The national psychological effects of this pandemic will last for some time after the virus, I fear. I'll be honest.. my own use of substances has increased since all of this started. Luckily I don't drink alcohol much, but anecdotal reports from peers indicate alcohol consumption is up. I think that larceny will likely rise too, as addicts look for things to steal to feed the need.

Hell, I lost somebody in my own family last fall. It was tough, but also not a total surprise. How one processes a death will vary, but for me it workaholism... For a few months.

Back then (Nov 19), we had the support of family, friends, we got together and honored the memory of our lost loved one. We had many family events to draw support from one another.

What must be especially difficult now, for the 140,000 (and counting) families that lost a loved one, is that they can't be by there side in the hospital to say goodbye. Even having funerals and family events is discouraged, as you risk infecting others.

People are alone, isolated, and many have lost their jobs. Drug use, abuse, and suicide will surely increase. That can't all be blamed on shelter-in-place either.

[pw405]

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?

Right now, I'll put odds at 62% that Stitt pulls a similar move.

Wasn't it mentioned a while back that municipal authority for such actions was removed as a result of recent state legislation?

[kukblue1]

200 pages we have come a long way from page 1 when we were talking about where to buy hand sanitizer and talking about schools

[jerrywall]

Right now, I'll put odds at 62% that Stitt pulls a similar move.

Wasn't it mentioned a while back that municipal authority for such actions was removed as a result of recent state legislation?

It would be a pretty big switch for him, since he's already on the record basically saying cities have the authority to do it and he doesn't intend to try to override their authority on it (even if he disagrees).

[Ohwiseone]

It would be a pretty big switch for him, since he's already on the record basically saying cities have the authority to do it and he doesn't intend to try to override their authority on it (even if he disagrees).

That doesn't mean the State Leg won't try to pass something next session. Like they did with stripping some power from the mayors.
Honestly, I would expect that happening over Stitt doing something. That way he can always play it off as "Well *I* didn't override it, the State House did"

[HangryHippo]

That doesn't mean the State Leg won't try to pass something next session. Like they did with stripping some power from the mayors.
Honestly, I would expect that happening over Stitt doing something. That way he can always play it off as "Well *I* didn't override it, the State House did"

This is what I expect. I give Stitt credit for not doing what Kemp is doing, but I wouldn't put it past the state legislature at all.

[jdizzle]

This is what I expect. I give Stitt credit for not doing what Kemp is doing, but I wouldn't put it past the state legislature at all.

A lot of legislators are calling for a mask mandate, and most don't like Stitt. So Stitt being anti-mask does not mean that the legislators will be anti-mask (or by virtue anti-mayor).

[Pete]

699 new cases today. 7-day rolling average now at 721, an all-time high.

7 more people have died.

There also 71 new hospitalizations but we won't know the net number until this evening.

[Ronnie Jackson]

I knew this was always going to be a blind spot for Stitt. The guy is a closer and drinks plenty of coffee (See, e.g., Skydweller Aero), but he always hated Majora’s Mask as a boy. It was his least favorite game in the Series.

It really scarred him and changed his view of masks forever.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

699 new cases today. 7-day rolling average now at 721, an all-time high.

7 more people have died.

There also 71 new hospitalizations but we won't know the net number until this evening.

From Dr.Monks, president of OSMA
https://mobile.twitter.com/GeorgeMon...34371646156800

[AP]

This is why I get confused when Stitt says we have 5000 beds. All the data says otherwise.

[TheTravellers]

This is why I get confused when Stitt says we have 5000 beds. All the data says otherwise.

Stittiot just says "beds", and doesn't break it down into ICU, COVID-19-specific ICU, surgical, morgue, rehab, etc., I believe. He has no idea what he's doing or talking about.

[jerrywall]

This is why I get confused when Stitt says we have 5000 beds. All the data says otherwise.

The whole 5,000 beds thing goes all the way back to March/April. At that point the projections were that we would need up to 5000 beds at the peak, so they supposedly developed a surge plan to accommodate that 5000. I assume that's counting a lot of beds in Deaconess, which was closed down and only recently reopened with 2 floors reserved for Covid overflow, and other strategies to accommodate 5000 "beds" which probably includes some emergency measures (such as tents or portable buildings). We may very well have a plan in place to handle 5000 beds worth of patients, but that's very different than having "5000" beds available in the hospital.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

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.

Propublica literally publishes an article on this very problem 24 hours later, and explains it better than I do.
https://www.propublica.org/article/h...mpression=true

[Ohwiseone]

It has begun, if you want to watch this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xiw3-2W11s0

[catch22]

Nice selection of Jerry Springer contestants in the comments section of that video link ^

[kukblue1]

699 new cases today. 7-day rolling average now at 721, an all-time high.

7 more people have died.

There also 71 new hospitalizations but we won't know the net number until this evening.

Death rates are starting to creep up. This is not good.

[catch22]

I'm not understanding Nikki Nice's reluctancy on the fines. The officers will have to provide you a mask before issuing a ticket - I think the $250 fine for second offense is more than fair if the officer is giving you a mask and you still refuse. Imagine a traffic cop stopping you for speeding, and telling you to turn around and drive that section again without speeding and he will not issue a ticket. Seems more than fair to get an option to correct a behaviour and not get a fine.

[jerrywall]

I was thinking the same thing. If you're getting that second ticket, you've refused to accept an offered face covering, and refused to leave when requested. Twice. I feel like every single chance was given at that point.

[Ohwiseone]

If this mask policy only lasts until after labor day, then.. the amounts for the tickets are more than fine.

You would have to be going out and not wearing it on purpose to reach that $250 dollar ticket.