Covid-19 in OKC (coronavirus)

[SEMIweather]

And BTW, think of the enormous cost of all this...

Fully 14% of Oklahomans do not have any sort of health insurance (near the bottom of the U.S., of course) and another 35% has public health insurance.

The incredible cost will be shared by all of us, including the "it won't happen to me" crowd.

For our country's sake, we need to hope that the many, many thousands of COVID long-haulers are eventually able to recover. If it turns out that chronic illness is a fairly common aftereffect of COVID, the resulting health care costs could be nearly unfathomable, not to mention the effects on productivity and mental health. Just another reason why letting COVID run uncontrolled for the next 6-12 months until we have a widely distributed vaccine is a shortsighted, unwise decision.

[Pete]

Earlier this year I was in the hospital for 3 days for what turned out to be a minor health scare.

My total bill -- without being in the ICU or surgery or anything beyond routine tests -- was $35,000. Even with excellent insurance, I had to write a check for over $7K.


The cost of all of this is something not really discussed but is going to end up being an economic disaster in itself.

[d-usa]

I know this is verging on the political, but these are two main issues the US faces that make is quite unique:

1) the lack of universal paid time off and employee protections make it harder for people to stay home if they are sick. How many cases can be traced back to a positive employee showing up for work after being told that they can either show up or look for another job? Or to people who cannot afford to stay home for an unpaid sick day?

2) the fact that heath insurance is tied to employment for most of us. The economy hits the tank because of a pandemic, people are without work because of a pandemic, and now they don’t have health insurance in the middle of a pandemic.

I’m not posting this to start a political discussion, but just to acknowledge that these two factors are pretty significant.

[Pete]

By far and away the most significant and unique factor in the U.S. is that our president and many state governors who were pressured by our president completely refuted the advice of experts, if not by out-right statements, by their actions and non-action.

It's still going on every single day and the reason the states aligned with the current administration are the ones in by far the worse shape, with almost all trending in very bad directions, even though most of them had big head-starts by not being initially hit in an extreme way.

Every other factor is very, very minor (and/or directly related) in the face of the disinformation and leadership vacuum.


I say all this as a registered Republican of 42 years.

[Jesseda]

Our governor is suppose to talk at 3:30 about the covid Pandemic and a revised Surge plan. So do you think there is any chance he will issue some orders like closing bars or anything like that? My opinion and just an opinion I have said it on here a few times that schools need to go back to being online only, there is so many kids being sent home to quarantine as it is right now from schools that the inside physical school learning is pointless with the back and forth mass quarantine going on right now

[Pete]

Stitt has said many times he will not issue any state-wide orders.

Be very surprised if he changes that today.

[Bill Robertson]

Our governor is suppose to talk at 3:30 about the covid Pandemic and a revised Surge plan. So do you think there is any chance he will issue some orders like closing bars or anything like that? My opinion and just an opinion I have said it on here a few times that schools need to go back to being online only, there is so many kids being sent home to quarantine as it is right now from schools that the inside physical school learning is pointless with the back and forth mass quarantine going on right now

I predict he won't say anything negative. He said early on that hospitalizations were the biggest concern for him. Open ICU beds have gone up from 11% to 13% somehow. Even with the occupied numbers getting way higher. I bet he focuses on that percentage and how we have the "ability" to further increase capacity. I think he's imagining things but that's where we are I think.

[BoulderSooner]

Our governor is suppose to talk at 3:30 about the covid Pandemic and a revised Surge plan. So do you think there is any chance he will issue some orders like closing bars or anything like that? My opinion and just an opinion I have said it on here a few times that schools need to go back to being online only, there is so many kids being sent home to quarantine as it is right now from schools that the inside physical school learning is pointless with the back and forth mass quarantine going on right now

schools need to go to 5 days a week

[Bunty]

schools need to go to 5 days a week

Some schools already do it, such as Enid.

[Jersey Boss]

schools need to go to 5 days a week

Why?

As I recall due to lack of funding in the recent past the legislature forced many schools to go to a 4 day school week.

[Pete]

Oklahoma has now passed New York and Illinois in cases per capita.

[BoulderSooner]

Some schools already do it, such as Enid.

and oakdale near the metro

[BoulderSooner]

Why?

As I recall due to lack of funding in the recent past the legislature forced many schools to go to a 4 day school week.

the massive undo hard ship on low income family's for 1

[soonerguru]

For our country's sake, we need to hope that the many, many thousands of COVID long-haulers are eventually able to recover. If it turns out that chronic illness is a fairly common aftereffect of COVID, the resulting health care costs could be nearly unfathomable, not to mention the effects on productivity and mental health. Just another reason why letting COVID run uncontrolled for the next 6-12 months until we have a widely distributed vaccine is a shortsighted, unwise decision.

Maybe that's why individuals of a certain political persuasion are desperately trying to get the Supremes to dump ACA, and get rid of any requirements that insurance companies cover people with preexisting conditions. Insurers will be lining up for a bailout in the next few months.

[soonerguru]

I predict he won't say anything negative. He said early on that hospitalizations were the biggest concern for him. Open ICU beds have gone up from 11% to 13% somehow. Even with the occupied numbers getting way higher. I bet he focuses on that percentage and how we have the "ability" to further increase capacity. I think he's imagining things but that's where we are I think.

Cots in tents? This is a shiny object. Beds are beds. ICU patients require care. Listen to the hospitals that provide the care not this craven liar or delusional optimist governor of ours.

[Jersey Boss]

the massive undo hard ship on low income family's for 1

Didn't seem to be a concern when the legislature refused to adequately fund the schools or pay staff.

[catcherinthewry]

the massive undo hard ship on low income family's for 1

Avoiding a virus that has killed 220,000+ Americans hardly qualifies as undue.

[Bill Robertson]

Cots in tents? This is a shiny object. Beds are beds. ICU patients require care. Listen to the hospitals that provide the care not this craven liar or delusional optimist governor of ours.

I did say he's imagining things.

[d-usa]

Maybe that's why individuals of a certain political persuasion are desperately trying to get the Supremes to dump ACA, and get rid of any requirements that insurance companies cover people with preexisting conditions. Insurers will be lining up for a bailout in the next few months.

**** 20-60% of the population that will have a history of COVID I guess...

[FighttheGoodFight]

As expected the news conference offered no new information. Fry said it was concerning but they have capacity. Went into staffing issues and will work with legislature on that (the Oklahoma legislature doesn't reconvene until February).

[The Dude]

My friend(40 years old) got the Covid virus a couple of months ago and for whatever reason had a bad case. Missed 5 weeks of work. He has been back at work for a few weeks and is experiencing severe brain fog. I saw him yesterday and he told me his aunt(50 years old) had passed away Sunday night after a 2 week battle with Covid. I've lived in Oklahoma for 40 years and even though I have not always agreed with the politics of this state...I felt like by and large Okies were "good" people. The lack of concern for their fellow humans by a significant number of people in this state is staggering. I have a position where I have to enforce mask wearing by our customers...it is exhausting

[Bill Robertson]

As expected the news conference offered no new information. Fry said it was concerning but they have capacity. Went into staffing issues and will work with legislature on that (the Oklahoma legislature doesn't reconvene until February).

And where will they find staff. Lots states are having spikes in hospitalizations also. Probably not bringing staff in from anywhere else.

[Pete]

[d-usa]

[Libbymin]

As expected the news conference offered no new information. Fry said it was concerning but they have capacity. Went into staffing issues and will work with legislature on that (the Oklahoma legislature doesn't reconvene until February).

This is only anecdotal evidence but I've seen people that I know who are nurses in OKC posting things about how they are at capacity already and things are not looking great. It's one thing for officials to try and reassure people but it just feels more and more like we're being misled, which isn't right.