Covid-19 in OKC (coronavirus)

[FighttheGoodFight]

Dr Bratzler said today he thinks we won’t have as high of a peak as the past, but we are still 6 to 8 weeks away from the peak of this. He said he is in support of universal masking this fall. OU could be bringing back the mask.

[Pete]

Dr Bratzler said today he thinks we won’t have as high of a peak as the past, but we are still 6 to 8 weeks away from the peak of this. He said he is in support of universal masking this fall. OU could be bringing back the mask.

Lots of schools start in the middle of August which is only about 3 weeks away.

Something is going to have to be done other than throwing open the doors and packing in kids.

[PoliSciGuy]

Yeah we're gonna see cases rise and peak somewhere in late September/October. It'll be interesting to see if that then results in a much lower winter peak over the holidays (which would be ideal, since we're most likely going to see a resurgence of flu this year).

[BoulderSooner]

Lots of schools start in the middle of August which is only about 3 weeks away.

Something is going to have to be done other than throwing open the doors and packing in kids.

Edmond starts 3 weeks from today

[Pete]

12,600 new cases in Florida today.

Meanwhile, their governor is selling this merchandise:

[BDP]

12,600 new cases in Florida today.

Meanwhile, their governor is selling this merchandise:

Literally rooting for the virus to infect his constituents.

[Pete]

Oklahoma has moved up to #9 in cases per capita.

[soonerguru]

Dead five year old in Georgia, posted here for the deniers.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/5-year-...y-spreads/#app

[d-usa]

https://www.einnews.com/pr_news/5459...-complications

Maybe this will get people to vaccinate!

[Pete]

From an editorial in the Oklahoman today:

The numbers are telling — and scary. Since June 1, the seven-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma has jumped nearly 500%. Our vaccination rates are among the lowest in the country. Less than 40% of the state is fully vaccinated. About 8% of our young people, under age 18, are fully vaccinated, according to the Mayo Clinic vaccine tracker.

Last Sunday, our reporter Carmen Forman showed how Oklahoma is following the track of many predominantly red states in lagging behind on vaccinations. Whether it’s politics, fear, misinformation or complacency as restrictions have eased, consider this: The unvaccinated make up 90% of recent hospitalizations, according to the Oklahoma Health Department.

Yet our governor, Kevin Stitt, as if channeling the will of parts of his base, seems content to sit back and let the pandemic run its course, even as the dangerous new delta variant surges across the state.

The governor in March smartly made a public show of getting his Johnson & Johnson vaccination, which requires only one dose. But recently asked by our reporter if the governor planned to do more to encourage Oklahomans to get a shot, Stitt’s spokeswoman replied, “No.”

[Pete]

1,194 new cases today; last several Fridays: 750, 551, 303, 224, 181.

7-day rolling average 938; highest since 2/18.

Hospitalizations are 495 (+54). Highest since 2/26.

ICU is 159 (+14). Highest since 2/24.

********

For the week:

6,559 new cases; last several weeks: 3,925, 1,648, 1,270, 1,151.

Hospitalizations were +172.

ICU was +48.

[Bowser214]

Flori-Duh

[FighttheGoodFight]

At the presser today Stitt said he will not being doing another emergency act over covid.

[LocoAko]

At the presser today Stitt said he will not being doing another emergency act over covid.

The disgust and frustration I feel over this as the spouse of a teacher headed back into the classroom is almost hard to describe. So much for our purportedly cherished local control...........

[soonerguru]

At the presser today Stitt said he will not being doing another emergency act over covid.

I didn't think it possible that I could end up hating him as much as I do. Fallin, Henry, Keating -- any of them would be doing better than him. He is literally the worst possible leader for this moment.

[Pete]

Oklahoma has even passed a law expressly prohibiting schools from requiring masks.

Not only are we doing next to nothing -- not even the governor bothering to encourage vaccinations -- the state is actively working against containing the disease.

[mobstam]

Has there been any discussion about OKC reinstituting a city-wide mask mandate? Is it even possible anymore (I plead ignorance on whether any of Stitt's edicts disallow local municipal mask mandates like, I believe, has been done with school mask mandates)?

[jccouger]

Oklahoma has even passed a law expressly prohibiting schools from requiring masks.

Not only are we doing next to nothing -- not even the governor bothering to encourage vaccinations -- the state is actively working against containing the disease.

It really sucks how history books are going to look back on us.

[Pete]

Has there been any discussion about OKC reinstituting a city-wide mask mandate?

I believe Holt would have to declare a state of emergency first.

Remember, he is up for reelection soon. He'll likely maintain a pretty hands-off approach given that many are tired of restrictions and to be more proactive would be politically unpopular with a good percentage of voters.

[mobstam]

I believe Holt would have to declare a state of emergency first.

Remember, he is up for reelection soon. He'll likely maintain a pretty hands-off approach given that many are tired of restrictions and to be more proactive would be politically unpopular with a good percentage of voters.

I see. If that is his line of reasoning, that would be disappointing.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it sure would be nice to see politicians make (sometimes difficult or unpopular) decisions in the best interest of their constituents over what is politically (or monetarily) advantageous.

If OKC/Oklahoma county has a (relatively) higher percentage of the eligible adult population vaccinated than the state in general, it would seem to me that maybe OKC residents (and voters) may not be as anti-mask as the rest of the state? Or maybe I'm just very naive.

[Pete]

^

Only recently have a large percentage of any political followers ever actively worked against something as straightforward as a simple solution to a horrible public health problem.

[Bunty]

I believe Holt would have to declare a state of emergency first.

Remember, he is up for reelection soon. He'll likely maintain a pretty hands-off approach given that many are tired of restrictions and to be more proactive would be politically unpopular with a good percentage of voters.

Maybe Stitt expects businesses to make restrictions on their own. In Stillwater, Texas Roadhouse closed on Thursday and will be to go only for the weekend due to covid cases with workers. Businesses might as well go back to masks required for workers.

[BDP]

COVID cases are up 55% across the U.S.

Oklahoma is up 123%.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I guess the only somewhat good news, Los Angelos has reported 6500 covid cases among the 4.9 million fully vaccinated population. Vaccines work!

[SEMIweather]

I see. If that is his line of reasoning, that would be disappointing.

I know I'm preaching to the choir, but it sure would be nice to see politicians make (sometimes difficult or unpopular) decisions in the best interest of their constituents over what is politically (or monetarily) advantageous.

If OKC/Oklahoma county has a (relatively) higher percentage of the eligible adult population vaccinated than the state in general, it would seem to me that maybe OKC residents (and voters) may not be as anti-mask as the rest of the state? Or maybe I'm just very naive.

Can’t speak for everyone, and I may well be in the minority here, but while I masked and avoided all unnecessary indoor activities for over a year until I was fully vaccinated, I have no interest in going back to mask mandates given that masks are much less effective than vaccines and unvaccinated folks are going to be the least likely to follow any new mask mandates anyways. Would much rather see indoor events require either proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test within 24 hours for entry. (Even better would just be requiring proof of vaccination, but I’m trying to be realistic given the political alignment of this state.)