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I was on three COVID-19 related zooms this morning. One for healthcare workers, one for legislators, and one about the state Cares Act funds. A few things that I feel should be said out loud. (Read thread, I think I'll have something to make everyone mad before I'm done.)
None of this is necessarily groundbreaking, but I rarely see it put together in one place. Also, I've been focused on a re-election, my family, and OESC claims for a while, and largely been quiet. Figured it's time to reengage and make up for lost time.
1. We are headed in the wrong direction on the COVID healthcare front and in the right direction economically. These are both facts, and, unfortunately, interconnected.
Anyone that says we need to shut everything down again is making a value judgement that avoiding COVID infection is more important than thousands of people's jobs and the education of our children. (Not to mention the mental health toll.)
Anyone who says we should all go back to work and/or the kids should all go back to school are making a value judgement that jobs and education are more important than avoiding COVID infection and saving lives.
We need to have a real discussion about where we draw the line b/w those dueling scenarios. Is our goal to be 100% COVID free? Is our goal to have kids in school no matter how many teachers get sick? Hopefully you agree that "somewhere in between" is the right answer.
The fact that we are heading in the wrong direction on infection rates BEFORE we try to reopen school is a real problem. If you are in an orange county, you need to get really serious right now to change the trajectory before schools open. https://coronavirus.health.ok.gov/covid-19-alert-system
2. Cloth face masks help significantly. You may hate them, but that doesn't change the fact that they help prevent the spread of COVID. They are also not perfect or a silver bullet. (I'd guess this one makes about 40% of the people reading mad.)
While we are at it, get a decent mask. A bandanna may be good enough for a bank robber, but it's not good enough for this. It should be fitted and at least two layers of cotton fabric (quilted is even better). Light shouldn't show through it. (Now my best friend is mad.)
3. Just because masks help doesn't mean the governor should mandate them. There are counties in OK that have zero infections right now. Why does an outbreak in OKC mean the folks in Kenton, which is 360 miles away with 0 cases, need to mask up? (The other 60% are mad at me now!)
We should trust our elected county commissioners, city councils, and school boards to make the best decision for their people. It just makes sense that every location will need to respond differently at different times. If you don't trust your local officials, ... elections.
4. Let's talk hospital capacity. This is, in my mind, the most important statistic, but the recent freak-out on twitter (led by a doctor) was unnecessary. Today 21% of our ICU beds are empty and 24% of our "normal" beds are empty. When those numbers dwindle, there are options.
Those of us in rural OK have been told for years that we have to drive to a metro area for various health services. If OKC or Tulsa ever have bed shortages, the roads run both directions. We'd love to have you come to our hospitals just like we've been forced to come to yours.
5. If we are going to open schools (and our kids need us to), we need to do it in the safest manner possible. That includes students wearing masks in areas where there is community spread (currently most of the state).
Safe opening of schools also means that we find a way to meet the PPE and cleaning supply needs of the schools. I believe the state can and should use Cares Act dollars for this and we can bundle group purchasing with the current PPE warehouse to keep costs as low as possible.
I love the districts that are offering in person and online options. There are kids and teachers who shouldn't be going to school because their health risk is high. Sure, they may hate online, but education is vital and so is health. We need to do the best we can for everyone.
That should be enough to have made everyone mad at some point. If not, then I'll go ahead and mention that people who like crunchy peanut butter over creamy are underrated psychos and I really don't like cats. There. I've done it. Flame away. I love you Oklahoma. #oklaed #okleg
Oops, forgot a few things. Wash your hands. Keep your distance from others. Stop touching your face. Don't pick your nose. Generally be a good person. Say your prayers. Eat your vitamins.
