OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – One of many state’s high docs referred to as on Gov. Kevin Stitt to do extra for hospitals after a current uptick in COVID-19 hospitalizations, nonetheless, not all state medical chief agree.
Dr. George Monks, the previous Oklahoma State Medical Affiliation President, steered Stitt declare a brand new Emergency Well being Declaration, after the 2023 order expired in early Might.
In keeping with INTEGRIS officers, there was a 26 p.c rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations during the last week with a median of 175 sufferers within the hospital over the previous three days.
“The sufferers which might be dying are nearly completely unvaccinated sufferers,” mentioned present OSMA President Dr. Mary Clarke.
The CDC stories the Delta Variant is america’ dominate pressure. Native well being leaders say the COVID-19 variant is hitting unvaccinated residents in Northeastern Oklahomans exhausting.
“You get some signs [that] aren’t too unhealthy,” mentioned Dr. Sam Ratermann, President of the Oklahoma Academy of Household Physicians. “Then rapidly, it hits you actually exhausting.”
On Thursday, Dr. Monks took to Twitter to induce Stitt to order a brand new emergency declaration. He tweeted it might enable “hospitals extra flexibility to extend the variety of COVID beds and improve employees.”
“I’m not satisfied that’s the way in which to go at this second in time,” mentioned Dr. Clarke.
Dr. Clarke mentioned well being leaders want extra info earlier than making a transfer.
“We’d like pressure knowledge. We’d like that desperately,” she mentioned. “And the extra knowledge we begin seeing, extra points with the unfold, we might change that kind of help advice.”
The State Division of Well being mentioned it plans to debate variants, breakthrough instances and provides an replace on the state’s Pandemic Lab on Friday Morning.
In an announcement to KFOR, State Epidemiologist Jolianne Stone mentioned, “We’ll consider and talk with native hospitals and authorities officers to offer help and help if wanted.” She provides the division is “sequencing as many samples as we are able to to acquire a full image of what’s at the moment taking place in Oklahoma.”
“I do know they’re having some points. Making an attempt to get optimistic checks to them. I perceive that,” mentioned Dr. Clarke.
Monks additionally tweeted about vaccine boosters, tweeting, “If I had the one shot J&J, I might now be getting a booster dose with Pfizer or Moderna.”
Nevertheless, in keeping with Dr. Clarke, a number of research on which might be nonetheless underway and proper now it isn’t but really helpful.
Continued Coronavirus Protection
