Healthier Oklahoma Coalition discusses omicron variant, COVID case numbers increasing

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TULSA, Okla. — Doctors with the Healthier Oklahoma Coalition met Tuesday day to sermon the latest COVID-19 updates successful the state.

They said that immoderate COVID numbers are increasing; however, it’s inactive a small excessively aboriginal to archer if Thanksgiving is starring to lawsuit numbers going up.

“I deliberation that we inactive person a small spot of clip to spot whether oregon not we’re going to spot a existent summation oregon if we’re seeing a plateau-type phase," said Jolianne Stone, authorities epidemiologist. "We’ve been seeing a small spot of a plateau since the mediate of November

Stone said the state’s 7-day rolling mean did summation slightly. However, the positivity complaint is decreasing.

“So, the number of those infectious is continuing to emergence adjacent though the positivity complaint is going down," said Dr. David Kendric, CEO of MyHealth Access Network. "And that indicates that we’re having a batch of investigating happening, which is diluting oregon bringing much negatives into the excavation and lowering the positivity immoderate more.”

Doctors besides discussed the omicron variant. So far, it’s been recovered successful astatine slightest 18 states. It has not been recovered successful Oklahoma yet. However, doctors said it’s imaginable it’s already here. There are inactive a batch of questions surrounding it.

“Will our vaccines beryllium fine?" said Dr. Mary Clarke, president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association. "What bash we request to do? How risky is it? How deadly is it? How spreadable is it? And we’re not 100 percent definite yet, but we bash cognize that it is easier to spread.”

Stone said the Oklahoma State Department of Health is sequencing COVID samples connected a play basis. This volition assistance them place the omicron variant if and erstwhile it’s here.

Meanwhile, infirmary numbers are besides somewhat rising. But for hospitals, adjacent the slightest summation whitethorn beryllium a problem.

“It’s not a immense summation for our hospitals due to the fact that we’re talking, you know, that’s each crossed the state," said Lawanna Halstead, vice president of prime and objective initiatives for the Oklahoma Hospital Association. "It is simply a interest due to the fact that hospitals are inactive struggling with staffing issues. They’re trying to attraction for each patients not conscionable covid patients.”

Flu play is besides mixing successful with COVID. Data shows there’s a important quality successful flu numbers from past twelvemonth to this year.

“You spot wherever we peaked retired successful precocious October [2020], aboriginal November [2020] ne'er to travel up again," Dr. Kendrick said. "And already we’re good beyond that successful this year’s flu season. And I deliberation that’s to beryllium expected. We don’t person the aforesaid nationalist wellness measures successful place."

Dr. Kendrick said information besides shows that portion cases successful astir property groups were rising, they’ve started going down implicit the past respective days. Except for preschool-age kids which are inactive seeing a flimsy summation successful numbers.

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