Capital update: Oklahoma Continues Battling COVID
By State Rep. Randy Randleman
Oklahoma is still very much in the midst of a pandemic. More than 9,370 Oklahomans have died from complications due to COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics.
The Delta variant now makes up 85 percent of cases in Oklahoma. Nationally, Oklahoma is fourth for death rate, fifth in new cases over the past week, fifth for rate of confirmed COVID-19 hospital admissions and sixth for test positivity when adjusted for population. T
he four major health systems in Oklahoma City (Integris Health, Mercy, OU Health and SSM Health St. Anthony) are consistently reporting that they are at or near capacity in their ICU.
Across the state, wait times are extended and patients are sent as far as Idaho and Nevada for treatment.
We’re seeing this trend in eastern Oklahoma as well.
Last week, the McAlester Regional Health Center ran out of ventilators and had to involve its ethics committee to decide which of the other nine COVID patients in their hospital wouldn’t have access to a ventilator if their condition deteriorated.
In a recent three-day average, 420 people across the state were in the ICU with COVID-19 and more than 1,500 people were hospitalized, 29 of whom were children.
On average each day in August, about 2,210 Oklahomans who were unvaccinated ended up contracting COVID-19, compared to about 118 Oklahomans who were vaccinated.
No precautionary measures are 100 percent guaranteed to prevent COVID-19 infection, but the New England Journal of Medicine shows that those who are vaccinated and become infected typically experience less severe symptoms and are much less likely to be hospitalized. I want to make it clear that I’m not in favor of state-mandated vaccines.
I think this should remain a personal decision for people in consultation with their doctor or other trusted health care provider. That being said, I want to share that I have personally had all three COVID-19 shots and have not experienced any problems from the vaccine whatsoever. Ultimately, you alone are in charge of your own health decisions. I do not believe in vilifying or judging people for their firmly held personal beliefs.
Those who wish to schedule a COVID-19 vaccination may do so at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov or find other vaccination opportunities at vaccinefinder.org. Besides being vaccinated, please consider what other precautions you may need to take to protect the health of yourself and your loved ones while we wait for this pandemic to end.
Due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases in Oklahoma, I am sending out regular updates on the current situation. If you would like to receive those emails, simply send me a message at randy.randleman@okhouse.gov and you’ll be added to my list.
To end on a lighter note, yesterday I attended a ribbon cutting for a new business in Eufaula. Prime Living Design House opened on South Main Street. It was very exciting to welcome them to the community and I’m always glad to see more businesses open in my district.
Rep. Randy Randleman represents District 15 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives, which includes portions of Haskell, LeFlore, McIntosh, Muskogee, Pittsburg and Sequoyah counties. Randleman can be reached at 405-557-7375.