The YMCA at Tulsa Community College's West Campus is set to host a Community Health Assessment Day on the 13th of July, offering free health assessments to the community. This event aims to promote health and wellness by providing valuable insights into individuals' overall well-being.
Read MoreSpring Dental, founded in 2014 by Dr. Creed Cardon and Mike McInelly, announced Wednesday that it has rebranded to Lumio Dental.
Read MoreWhile the number of active COVID-19 cases across state of Oklahoma are declining, the number of deaths attributed to the virus are continuing to climb. In the latest numbers from the Oklahoma State Department of Health, active caseload has declined by more than 10,000 in the two weeks since its last peak, but the seven-day rolling death average is at an all-time high of 42.7 per day.
Read MoreThe COVID-19 pandemic in Oklahoma is once again reaching new heights after several weeks of somewhat controlled growth. It took only 11 days for the number of active cases in Oklahoma to go from 20,000 to 30,000 in November. It took 52 days to go from 30,000 to 40,000.
Read MoreThe Sand Springs City Council took action during a special meeting Monday evening to combat the recent dramatic rise in COVID-19 pandemic statistics in the Sand Springs community. During the meeting, City of Sand Springs Ordinance No. 1359 was approved unanimously by council members. The new ordinance outlines specific educational information, statistics, definitions and requirements for persons to wear face masks within the boundaries of the City of Sand Springs. An Emergency Clause was also approved by Council, putting the new ordinance into effect this Friday.
The ordinance requires that persons located within the City of Sand Springs are required to wear a face covering at all times while present in spaces being used for business, entertainment, education, athletic and recreational uses. Some spaces identified in the ordinance include:
Business
Retail businesses; spas; entertainment venues; food service facilities including restaurant and bars; hotels; motels; professional offices; banks and financial services; repair facilities and/ or motor vehicle dealerships.
Public Setting
Workplaces; child care facilities; hospitals and health facilities; gymnasium and physical fitness facilities; sports facilities; parks; trails, sidewalks and outdoor retail areas.
Educational Setting
Any building or facility used for academic or athletic purposes including campuses; any private school or preschool.
The ordinance relies on some guidelines from the US Center for Disease Control which allows exemptions to facial coverings for:
persons with medical, mental health or developmental disability reasons
children age 9 years or younger
restaurant patrons while eating or drinking
occupants in a personal vehicle
persons exercising, who can maintain a 6’ (six foot) social distance
An additional exemption was added to the ordinance last night by council members for individuals engaged in a team sports activity where the level of exertion makes it difficult to wear a face covering.
Religious facilities and places of worship are provided the opportunity to be governed by their own policies regarding facial coverings. The Sand Springs Local Church Network and the City of Sand Springs have worked together since before the pandemic outbreak, sharing community health updates, statistics and other important information related to COVID-19 to lessen the spread of the virus.
Enforcement of the ordinance shall be made upon complaint from any property owner or from a law enforcement officer. Sand Springs Police advises that their intent is to meet any initial response to a call out with educational information for all persons involved in a situation, but will take each instance on a case-by-case basis.
According to a study in an October “Oklahoma Weekly Epidemiology Report”, COVID-19 cases in areas without a facial covering requirement grew by 88%, whereas areas adopting a facial covering requirement saw a much slower spread of only 21%.
This ordinance will remain in place until further notice and shall expire along with other COVID-19 emergency proclamations or declarations.
As of Tuesday, there are 267 active cases in Sand Springs, down from 291 on Monday, marking the first decline in the past two weeks. Active caseload was as low as 77 on November 1st. 11 Sand Springs residents have died from the virus.
The Sand Springs City Council unanimously voted 6-0 to approve a mandatory mask ordinance at a special meeting Monday evening at the Case Community Center.
Ordinance 1359 states that “persons located within all City of Sand Springs public buildings, Public Service Areas of Place of Public Accommodation or an Education Institution are required to wear face coverings at all times when present therein.” Furthermore “persons in any Public Setting wherein social or physical distancing cannot be maintained are required to wear face coverings.”
The ordinance exempts persons who have medical or mental health conditions or developmental disabilities, children under 10 years of age, restaurant patrons while they are eating or drinking, people walking or exercising in outdoor communal space (while physical distancing is maintained), people who are undergoing dental or medical treatments, swimmers, occupants of personal vehicles or private homes, patrons of gyms (while physical distance of six feet from other patrons is maintained), and offices and workplaces that are not Public Service Areas (so long as physical distance is maintained). Religious facilities are encouraged to require masks, but will not be forced to do so.
Even in outdoor settings, masks will be required if you are in close physical contact with individuals from outside of your household. Even in gyms, masks will be required if you are not actively exercising.
The ordinance defines a “face covering” as a covering that fully covers a person’s nose and mouth, and includes but is not limited to cloth face masks, towels, scarves, face shields, and bandanas as recommended by the CDC, or OSDH, an N95, KN95, or other mask that would be appropriate for a health care setting, or a surgical mask. The face covering should fit snuggly on a person’s face, but allow the person to breathe easily and be worn consistently with the guidance provided by the CDC or OSDH.
There are currently 291 active cases in Sand Springs, marking fourteen-consecutive days of increase. Four Sand Springs residents have died in the past eight days, and the city’s death toll is at 11 since the pandemic began.
The number of active cases of COVID-19 in Oklahoma has risen to a record-high 30,484 according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Thursday report. 2,915 new cases were reported, bringing the seven-day rolling average to a record-high 2,807.
18 new deaths were reported, including a tenth victim in Sand Springs. Three Sandites have been reported dead in the past four days. The seven-day rolling death average is at a record-high 15.3 across the state and 107 Oklahomans have died in the past week.
1,381 Oklahomans are currently hospitalized from the virus, down from yesterday’s record of 1,434. There are currently only 56 adult ICU beds available in the state, and 16 pediatric ICU beds.
Sand Springs reported 29 new cases on Thursday, bringing the active total to a record-high 251. Active case load has doubled in the past ten days. There have been five deaths in the past month. Sand Springs Public Schools have announced they will be going to distance learning for all grade levels until after the Thanksgiving Break. City Council is expected to vote on a mandatory mask ordinance at their Monday meeting.
A ninth Sand Springs resident has died from COVID-19, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s Tuesday numbers. Two Sandites have been reported dead in the past 48 hours, and four in the past month.
30 new cases were reported in Sand Springs, bringing the active total to a record-high 227. There are 2,228 active cases in the city of Tulsa, and 4,340 in Tulsa County.
1,551 new cases were reported across the state, the lowest single-day total in ten days, though the seven-day rolling average is still at 2,607. The statewide active total dropped to 28,807, the first decline in 15 days, but it is still the second-highest total since the pandemic began.
Hospitalizations reached a record-high 1,381 on Tuesday, up from 1,249 the day before. State census shows adult ICU at 95% capacity and pediatric ICU at 75%. Six new deaths were reported, bringing the statewide death toll to 1,544.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 11,136,253 cases nationwide since the pandemic began, with 246,232 deaths. Oklahoma currently ranks 26th in per capita cases in the past seven days.
The World Health Organization is reporting 54,771,888 cumulative cases worldwide with 1,324,249 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,874,290 and Brazil with 5,863,093.
Sand Springs United Methodist Church Pastor Stephen Cagle spoke in favor of mask mandate at Monday’s Sand Springs City Council meeting.
As the number of active COVID-19 cases continues to climb dramatically in both Sand Springs and Oklahoma at large, the pandemic once again took center stage at Monday’s City Council meeting. Although the Council passed no specific measures to combat the virus, they did pass a measure that will place a potential mask mandate on the agenda at a special meeting that will be held next Monday at 6:00 p.m.
The Council had already placed a recurring item on the agenda to discuss the pandemic at each meeting since it began, but has avoided the ever-controversial mask mandate issue that has polarized the country. City leadership has instead relied on the community itself to voluntarily to action to reduce the spread.
“For the last few months we have relied on the idea that if we strongly suggest that people do the right thing, then the numbers will stay down,” said Mayor Jim Spoon. “That has been our game plan, and it has worked until recently, it seemed like. Now that just doesn’t seem to be working."
On Monday, there were 214 active cases in Sand Springs, 4,389 in Tulsa County, and 29,157 in the state. Councilman Brian Jackson attending the meeting virtually due to quarantine, and he made the motion to hold a special meeting in which the Council would consider a mask mandate. The motion passed 6-1 with Beau Wilson dissenting.
Prior to the vote, extensive conversation was held between Councilmembers and City officials, and several citizens also spoke both in favor of and against a mask mandate.
“Each month we have spoken about this, and we have been maintaining fairly well,” said Police Chief Mike Carter. “The goal of what we were doing is flattening the curve, so we were looking for a pretty stable number. In the last two weeks we have had a 256% increase here in Sand Springs in the number of cases.”
“Month after month we have not recommended any change to what we are doing,” said Carter. “With this rate of increase, I think we need to do something to break the trend.” According to Carter, Sand Springs ranks third in the Tulsa Metro area in per capita cases, behind Collinsville and Skiatook, while Tulsa has the lowest rate.
“My job is to provide you with the information,” said Carter. “I think it’s clear that there is something that Tulsa is doing that is positive, because they have half the rate that we do. I don’t think that’s by accident because it’s been happening day after day for a while now. Before they took that action (mandating masks in public businesses), they were mid-pack and sometimes towards the top early into this. So I do think (masks) have some sort of mitigating effect. To be clear, masks are not a cure for this. Masks will not make us go to zero, and we should never be under the illusion that they’re a magic answer to this. But I do think they have a mitigating effect that we should look at.”
Sand Springs United Methodist Church Pastor Stephen Cagle spoke at length in favor of a mask mandate. “To me and many others, the need for such a mandate is self-evident. However, I know that in the past the council has resisted such a mandate, and I know that there is a vocal minority that oppose such a mandate.”
Cagle rejected the notion that a mask mandate is a violation of rights. “Nowhere in our Constitution is the right to not wear a mask specifically protected. On the other hand, the Declaration of Independence, which forms the philosophical basis for our system of government, proclaims without caveat that the right to life is inalienable, granted to us by God Himself, and it is the moral responsibility of government to protect this right.”
“Do we not have the right to a reasonable expectation of safety in the public sphere?” asked Cagle. “Indeed, a failure to pass a mask mandate at this juncture would be a violation of our basic rights. Secondly, I would like to address the criticism that a mask mandate is unenforceable. Saying that a law should not be passed because someone might break that law is not an argument. By that reasoning there would be no laws at all.”
Five total Sandites spoke against a mask mandate, and two spoke in favor of a mandate.
In other news:
Council unanimously approved a resolution relating to a planned trail extension along Highway 97. The planned trail will be 5,400 feet long and 10 feet wide, along the east side of the highway between 41st Street and 51st Street. The project will cost an estimated $1,204,385.97 but the City is submitting a grant for 80% to the Transportation Alternatives Program. The City will commit to paying the other 20% with local designated sales tax.
Council unanimously approved a supplemental appropriation of $25,988 for the purpose of hiring a new full-time employee at Keystone Ancient Forest. Upon the completion of the KAF Visitors Center, the Parks Department will need an employee to run the center, open and close the park, perform janitorial duties, maintain the trails, manage the trail guide volunteer program, etc. The reserve is expected to open to the public Thursday through Sunday, weekly.
Council unanimously approved the purchase of four police pursuit units from Bob Howard Dodge at a cost of $92,063.
Council unanimously approved the purchase of an Elgin Whirlwind 1 Vacuum Street Sweeper from J&R Equipment at a cost of $299,314.
Council unanimously approved a resolution endorsing the Tulsa Regional Chamber OneVoice Legislative Agenda for 2021.
As of Monday, the OSDH COVID-19 Alert System has all counties in the Moderate Risk Phase.
The number of active COVID-19 cases in Sand Springs has doubled in only ten days, reaching a record-high 214 on Monday with 58 new cases in the past 48 hours, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health. An eighth Sand Springs resident has died from the virus, the first death since October 29th and the third in the past month. City Council is expected to discuss the ongoing pandemic at their Monday evening meeting.
City Council meetings are open to the public, and Sand Springs residents can sign up to speak on the issues. The meeting will be convened at Case Community Center at 6:00 p.m. There is no agenda item to pass a mask mandate, though Council could consider the idea. To enact a mandate, the Council would have to reconvene at a later date.
The Sand Springs Public School District is reporting 57 active cases among students and personnel. There are 639 active quarantines. Last week the district announced it would be going to distance learning at the secondary level after contact tracing led to a combined 350 quarantines between Charles Page High School and Clyde Boyd Middle School. In-person schooling is expected to resume the Monday following Thanksgiving Break.
The Tulsa Health Department has the 74063 ZIP Code designated as a Severe Risk area on Monday.
Last week there were only two active cases and 76 quarantines at the primary level, but in Monday’s report there were 16 cases and 249 quarantines across the five elementary sites plus the Early Childhood Education Center. SSPS numbers are collected on Friday and reported the following Monday.
The OSDH reported 2,729 new cases statewide on Monday, bringing the seven-day rolling average to 2,629. There are 29,157 active cases statewide, marking nine-straight days of increases. Active hospitalizations are at 1,249 and there have been 1,538 deaths. There are 2,306 active cases in the city of Tulsa, and 4,389 in Tulsa County.
In a Monday afternoon press conference, Governor Kevin Stitt announced new restrictions to combat the pandemic’s spread. Effective Thursday, November 19th, all restaurants will be required to provide at least six feet of space between tables, or will be required to install partitions. All bars and restaurants will be required to close at 11:00 p.m. except for curbside and drive-through windows. All State employees will be required to wear masks at work and State buildings.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 10,984,398 cumulative cases nationwide since the pandemic began with 245,470 deaths. Oklahoma ranks 23rd in per capita cases in the past week.
The World Health Organization is reporting 54,301,156 cumulative cases worldwide with 1,316,994 deaths.
The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,845,127 and Brazil with 5,848,959.
As the number of active COVID-19 cases in both Sand Springs and Oklahoma at large continue to set new records, Sand Springs community leaders joined together to release a video Friday morning pleading with Sandites to remain smart and cautious in this unprecedented time.
“Sand Springs we need your help to get through this latest COVID challenge. It will take all of us working together to combat this highly infectious disease,” said Mayor Jim Spoon. “We’re counting on you, Sand Springs, to take this matter seriously. If we all work together we can regain control of this pandemic spread. If we all work right now, we can keep Sand Springs healthy.”
“We love Sand Springs. We’re just asking to not to give in to the divisiveness and the anger that’s all around in our culture here today,” said HillSpring Associate Pastor Matt Barnett. “What we know is that we’re all in this together, and if we’re all in this together that means that we can make it through this together. As we go into our Holiday season, we’re just asking to use common sense in everything that we do so on the other side of this pandemic we can come out stronger and better.”
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 2,667 new cases on Friday, the second-highest single-day total since the pandemic began, bringing the seven-day rolling average to a record-high 2,230 and the active total to a record-high 24,091.
20 new cases were reported in Sand Springs on Friday, and there have been 114 new cases in the past week. The active case load is at a record-high 164, doubling in only ten days. There are 1,947 active cases in the city of Tulsa, and 3,551 in Tulsa County.
In the last situation update from the Sand Springs Public School District, there were 26 positive cases and 428 active quarantines. Those numbers were collected last Friday and reported on Monday. They are expected to go up on next Monday’s report.
The rising number of quarantines led SSPS to move to virtual schooling at the secondary level, beginning yesterday. Of the 26 cases, 19 were at Charles Page High School, and five were at Clyde Boyd Middle School. Grades 6-12 will move to virtual till the Monday following Thanksgiving Break, while Elementary schools will continue with in-person learning for now.
SSPS Superintendent Sherry Durkee and Chamber of Commerce President Kyle Smith also appeared in the City’s video. Watch their full comments below.
The Tulsa Health Department’s Daily New Active Case Rate map has moved the 74063 ZIP Code into the Severe Risk category with 0.34 cases per 1,000 residents.
There are a record-high 1,279 active hospitalizations statewide. There are currently only 64 adult ICU beds available across the state, and only 48 pediatric ICU beds. 12 new deaths were reported Friday, bringing the statewide death toll to 1,493.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 10,508,864 cumulative cases nationwide since the pandemic began. There have been 242,216 deaths. Oklahoma currently ranks 15th in per capita cases in the past seven days.
The World Health Organization is reporting 52,487,476 cumulative cases worldwide with 1,290,653 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,727,795 and Brazil with 5,748,375.
The Oklahoma State Department Health reported 1,878 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, the second-highest single-day tally since the pandemic began. Thursday set the single-day record at 2,101, and the seven-day rolling average is at a record-high 1,465. Active case totals are at a record-high 17,095.
Current hospitalizations are over 1,000 for the third-straight day, but declined slightly to 1,025 from Thursday’s record-high 1,055. The state’s adult intensive care units are at 93% full, and pediatric ICU is at 72%.
The state reported 16 new deaths on Friday, bringing the pandemic death toll to 1,429. 103 Oklahomans have died in the past week, and the seven day rolling average is at 14.7. Newly reported deaths include:
One in Adair County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
One in Beckham County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Blaine County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Comanche County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
Two in Jackson County, one female in the 50 - 64 age group and one female in the 65 or older age group.
One in Jefferson County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Kay County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
Four in Oklahoma County, two females and two males in the 65 or older age group.
Four in Tulsa County, one female in the 50 - 64 age group and one female and two males in the 65 or older age group.
The city of Sand Springs reached a record-high active case total of 103. The previous record was 100 on October 9th, but it had declined as low as 60 on October 29th. There are 1,518 active cases in the city of Tulsa, and 2,721 in Tulsa County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 9,581,770 cumulative cases nationwide since the pandemic began. There have been 234,264 deaths. 117,988 new cases and 1,135 new deaths were reported in the past day. Oklahoma ranks 22nd in per capita cases in the past week.
The World Health Organization is reporting 48,534,508 cumulative cases worldwide with 1,231,017 deaths. There have been 581,679 new cases in the past day. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,411,724 and Brazil with 5,590,025.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported record-high COVID-19 related hospitalizations Wednesday, along with 1246 new cases and 17 new deaths.
There are currently 1026 Oklahomans hospitalized from the virus, up from yesterday’s record-high of 974. The adult intensive care unit is at 92% capacity, and the pediatric ICU is at 79%. There are still 740 ventilators available.
The 1246 new cases reported on Wednesday marks seven straight days with at least 1000 new cases, and the seven-day rolling average is at 1231, down from a record-high of 1348 set on October 25th. The active case total is at 15,927, slightly down from Monday’s record of 15,948.
The 17 new deaths bring the seven-day rolling average to a record-high 15.1. One of those cases was a Tulsa County man in the 50-64 age group. 106 new deaths have been reported in the past week.
Sand Springs is at 83 active cases, down from the record-high of 100 on October 9th. There are 1402 active cases in Tulsa and 2453 in Tulsa County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 9,268,818 cumulative cases nationwide since the pandemic began. There have been 230,893 deaths. Oklahoma currently ranks 23rd in per capita cases in the past week.
The World Health Organization is reporting 47,362,303 cumulative cases since the pandemic began with 1,211,986 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,313,876, Brazil with 5,554,206, and Russia with 1,693,454.
After going 70 days without a COVID-19 related death, the city of Sand Springs has suffered two in the past week. The town’s sixth death was reported on Sunday, and its seventh was reported Thursday. The deaths come at a time when the town’s active caseload has seen significant decrease.
Sand Springs peaked at 100 active cases on October 9th, but is currently at 60, its lowest level since September 26th. There are 1,265 active cases in nearby Tulsa, however, and 2,121 in the county.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 1,041 new cases statewide Thursday, but the seven-day rolling average is at 1,101, down from a state-record of 1,348 on Sunday. The state’s active case total dipped below 15,000 for the first time in eight days. There are currently 14,968 cases, down from 15,946 on Sunday.
20 new deaths were reported on Thursday, but due to technical difficulties the OSDH Situation Report was unable to provide specific demographics. There have been 85 deaths reported in the past week, and the seven-day rolling average is at an all-time high of 12.1.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 8,834,393 cases since the pandemic began with 227,045 deaths. Oklahoma ranks 23rd in the country in per capita cases over the past seven days.
The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 8,040,203 and Brazil with 5,439,641. According to the World Health Organization, there have been 44,351,506 cases since the pandemic began, with 1,171,255 deaths.
The COVID-19 pandemic is reaching record heights in Oklahoma. The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported a record single-day increase of 1,628 new cases Thursday, bringing the seven-day rolling average to a record-high 1,235. The active case total has set new record-highs in eight of the past nine days, and is currently at 15,017.
Current hospitalizations reached a record-high for the third straight day, now at 910. A previous record of 663 held from late July till October 6th, and since then it has gone up ten times. There were 870 hospitalizations on Wednesday and 821 on Tuesday.
The OSDH reported eleven additional deaths on Wednesday, including one in Tulsa County. Of the 11, only two were under 65 years of age, and all were over the age of 50. There have been 48 deaths reported in the past three days, bringing the seven-day rolling average to a record-high 11.1. The previous record average was 10.4 in late August.
While numbers are going up across the state, they are slowly declining in Sand Springs. The city reached a record active total of 100 on October 9th, but is down to 64 now, the lowest level since September 27th. There are 1,428 active cases in Tulsa, and 2,318 in Tulsa County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 8,312,667 cases nationwide since the pandemic began, with 221,438 deaths. Oklahoma ranks 15th in the country in new cases per capita over the past week.
The World Health Organization is reporting 41,104,946 cases worldwide since the pandemic began, with 1,128,325 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in cumulative cases, followed by India with 7,706,946 and Brazil with 5,273,954.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported several new record-high COVID-19 statistics Friday afternoon, including 1,524 new cases. The previous single-day record was 1,401 on July 27th. There are 13,515 active cases in the state, surpassing the September 28th record of 13,379.
Hospitalizations set a new record for the third time in the past four days, up to 749. The death rate continues to remain below record-highs, however. The seven-day rolling average was 10.4 on August 30th and is currently at 6.7.
Sand Springs reached 100 active cases for the first time after 25 new cases were reported in the past 48 hours. There are 1,253 active cases in Tulsa, and 2,016 in Tulsa County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 7,583,200 cumulative cases nationally with 212,111 deaths. There have been 322,741 new cases reported in the past seven days. Oklahoma ranks 22nd in total cases per capita and is ninth in per capita cases in the past seven days. The state is 38th in per capita deaths and 26th in per capita deaths in the past week.
The World Health Organization is reporting 36,361,054 cumulative cases worldwide with 1,056,186 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 6,906,151, Brazil with 5,000,694, and Russia with 1,272,238.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 1,006 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday afternoon, and though active cases are below the state’s record-high, current hospitalizations have hit a new peak for the second-straight day.
Oklahoma’s last record-high hospitalization number was 663, set on July 29th when there were only 6,714 active cases in the state. For two months active case total continued to climb, while hospitalization declined, but on Tuesday that number rose to 699, and on Wednesday it hit 738.
There are 13,066 active cases in Oklahoma, down from a record of 13,379 set on September 28th. The seven-day rolling average for new cases is 1,022, down from a peak of 1,136 on September 25th.
There have been 1,075 deaths from the virus in Oklahoma, and nine more were reported Wednesday, including one in Tulsa County. The seven-day rolling death average is 6.3, down from a peak of 10.4 on August 30th.
The city of Sand Springs reported a record-high single day increase of 21 cases on Tuesday, bringing the town’s active total to a record-high 87, but no new cases were reported Wednesday and the total declined to 81. There have been five deaths in the town. There are 1,769 active cases in Tulsa County and 1,108 in the city of Tulsa.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported 7,475,262 cases nationwide since the pandemic began with 210,232 total deaths. There have been 307,191 cases in the last seven days.
Oklahoma ranks 27th in total cases but is 15th in cases in the past seven days, and eighth in per capita cases in the past seven days. The state is 25th in per capita deaths in the past seven days.
The World Health Organization is reporting 35,659,007 cases since the pandemic began with 1,044,269 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by India with 6,757,131, Brazil with 4,927,235, and Russia with 1,248,619.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 30, 2020) – Local county health departments and other health care providers in Oklahoma will begin offering seasonal flu vaccinations on Thursday, Oct. 1. Almost everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine every year. It is an effective way to prevent flu illness and another great tool for mitigating the impacts of COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a flu vaccine by the end of October, before flu begins spreading in the community. The flu vaccine can keep a person from getting the flu and make the illness less severe if a person gets it.
CDC has worked with vaccine manufacturers to have extra flu vaccine available this flu season, and Oklahoma will distribute 400,000 flu vaccine doses to ensure availability of an affordable or free flu shot this year.
During the last flu season, 3,580 Oklahoma residents were hospitalized because of flu-related illnesses -- including 383 children under age four – and 85 Oklahomans died, including three children under age 17.
While flu vaccines will not prevent COVID-19, they will reduce the burden of flu illnesses, hospitalizations and deaths on the health care system and conserve scarce medical resources for the care of people with COVID-19.
“It is critically important this year that every Oklahoman who can get the flu shot does so right away,” said Health Commissioner Lance Frye, MD. “This is a great method of preventing the spread of influenza in our communities, and I urge Oklahomans to take this proactive step.”
Children through age 18 years are eligible to receive vaccines at no charge through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program if any of the following apply: they are Medicaid eligible, uninsured, Native American Indian, Native Alaskan, or their insurance policy does not cover vaccines. Free flu shots are available at health care providers enrolled in the VFC program, including all local county health departments and community health centers (CHC).
Uninsured adults may be able to get a flu shot at no out-of-pocket cost at most local county health departments and CHC across Oklahoma.
Insured adults and children are able to get a flu shot for free at their health care provider or at a local pharmacy. Coverage can vary among different insurance plans.
There are many places to get a flu shot, including:
County health departments
Doctor’s office
Clinics
Pharmacies
Retail and grocery stores
Community health centers
Workplace
Where people get their flu shot this year may need to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many places follow strict guidelines to create a safe environment for the community. It is easy to find a flu vaccine available at different providers at VaccineFinder.org.
The best way to prevent flu is to get vaccinated this fall. In addition to getting a flu shot, the Oklahoma State Department of Health reminds the community to follow these prevention tips:
Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
Outside your home, put 6 feet of distance between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
Everyone should wear a mask in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household, especially when other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
Stay home from work, school, and other public places if you are ill. Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Make “respiratory hygiene” a habit, including use of tissues to cover coughs and sneezes, then disposing of them and washing hands at once. When tissues are not readily available, use your sleeve, never your hands.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
Be alert for symptoms. Watch for fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms of respiratory illness and take your temperature if symptoms develop. Call your health care provider for advice if you are experiencing symptoms.
For more information, please call (405) 271-7200 or visit fightflu.health.ok.gov.
The state of Oklahoma surpassed 10,000 active cases of COVID-19 for the first time Monday morning, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Health situation report. The department reported 869 new cases, but zero new deaths. There are currently 499 Oklahomans hospitalized from the virus, down from a record-high 663 in late July.
The state has now processed over a million specimen and returned 70,223 positive cases for a 7.02% positivity rate overall. The seven day moving average is at 8.7% according to Johns Hopkins.
Friday’s weekly epidemiology report showed 5,673 new cases, 5,084 recoveries, and 41 deaths between September 4th and 10th. Persons aged 50 and over accounted for only 31% of cases, but 96% of deaths. 74.7% of victims suffered at least one comorbidity.
The city of Sand Springs reached 400 total cases since the pandemic began, and is currently sitting at 64 active cases, down from 74 last Tuesday. There are 1,041 active cases in the city of Tulsa, and 1,639 active cases in Tulsa County.
Oklahoma ranks 29th out of 50 states in total cases (27th per capita) but is 16th in new cases in the past seven days (4th per capita). The state is 33rd in total deaths (37th per capita) and 25th in new deaths in the past week (23rd per capita).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 6,503,030 total cases since the pandemic began with 35,549 new cases in the past day and 241,814 cases in the past week. There have been 193,705 total deaths and 510 deaths since yesterday.
The World Health Organization is reporting 28,918,900 cumulative cases worldwide and 922,252 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in cases, followed by India with 4,846,427 and Brazil with 4,315,687.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported 909 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, bringing the number of active cases to 8,745. The state record for active cases is 8,749, set on Monday. 540 Oklahomans are currently hospitalized, down from a record-high 663 in July.
835 Oklahomans have died from the virus and 14 additional deaths were reported Thursday.
One in Carter County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Johnston County, one male in the 50 - 64 age group.
Two in Le Flore County, one female and one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Lincoln County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
One in Love County, one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Mayes County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
Two in Oklahoma County, one female and one male in the 65 or older age group.
One in Okmulgee County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
Two in Pittsburg County, two males in the 65 or older age group.
One in Rogers County, one female in the 65 or older age group.
One in Tulsa County, one male in 65 or older age group
Ten new cases were reported in Sand Springs, bringing the active total to 51, down from a peak of 56 on August 10th. The city of Tulsa has 995 active cases and Tulsa County has 1,504 active cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are reporting 6,087,403 cumulative cases nationwide with 185,092 deaths. 288,357 cases have been reported in the last seven days. Oklahoma ranks 28th in total cases and 33rd in deaths. The state is 15th in new cases in the past seven days.
The World Health Organization is reporting 25,847,521 cases worldwide since the pandemic began with 858,766 deaths. The United States continue to lead the world in total cases, followed by Brazil with 3,950,931 and India with 3,853,406. Russia became the fourth nation to surpass one million cases on Wednesday.
Sandite Pride News, LLC is a locally owned and operated Sand Springs, Oklahoma news source, serving the community since 2014.
What is Sandite Pride News?
Sandite Pride is the only locally owned and operated news source for Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Sandite Pride News was founded in 2014 by Scott Emigh. The site is primarily focused on Sandite sports, Sand Springs city development, events, and community news.
