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Stitt Calls For Oklahomans Who Suspect They Have COVID-19 To Get Tested

https://www.facebook.com/GovStitt/
Oklahoma Gov. Stitt urged Oklahomans with COVID-19 symptoms, or those who have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 to get tested. He also urged Olkahomans to continue social distancing at least through the end of April.

Oklahomans who have symptoms of COVID-19 or who have been exposed to people who have tested positive for coronavirus are being urged by Gov. Kevin Stitt to get tested. He also urged Oklahomans to continue social distancing measures, as the state expects to see its peak in COVID-19 cases in less than two weeks. 

During a press conference Friday, Stitt and other members of his Solutions Task Force also assured Oklahomans that the state has the capacity to deal with a surge in cases, in terms of hospital beds, ICU beds and equipment.

Stitt urged Oklahomans who are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have been exposed to people who have tested positive for the coronavirus to get tested.

“I want to remind Oklahomans that if you have a symptoms of a temperature of 100.4, if you have shortness of breath or cough, or if you have been exposed to someone that’s tested positive for COVID 19, I want you to get tested,” Stitt said. “Remember, you can call your primary care physician, you can call 2-1-1, or you can go to coronavirushealth.ok.gov to find out where you can get tested.”

Stitt said there are now 70 mobile testing sites across the state. Those who get tested, he said, should expect to get the test results within 24 hours.

Stitt also reiterated the importance of maintaining social distancing, to stay at home as much as possible and to limit one person per household for trips to the grocery store or other essential businesses.

Stitt pointed to the fact that COVID-19-related hospitalizations have remained somewhat flat over the past 11 days and referred to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IMHE) model, as evidence that the state has flattened its curve, but warned people not to let up on social distancing practices through at least the end of April.

“It is critical though that we don’t take our foot off the gas,” he said.

He said even if Oklahoma sees the worst-case scenario for a COVID-19 peak, as outlined by the IHME model, the state has more than enough capacity to handle it in terms of total number of hospital beds, total number of ICU beds and total number of ventilators.

According to a post on Stitt’s Facebook page, the IMHE model projects Oklahoma to reach its peak hospital demand on April 23. At that time, the state will need 1,115 beds, about a quarter of the number of beds available, and 229 ICU beds, about a third of the number of ICU beds available. The model also projects a need for 195 ventilators at that time -- the state has 1,800 available ventilators.

During the press conference, Patty Davis, president of the Oklahoma Hospital Association, added that in preparation for that expected surge, personal protective equipment (PPE) is being preserved for health care workers.   

Oklahoma Secretary of Health Jerome Loughridge added that another aspect of the state’s surge plan is to “flex up” the states’ hospital capacity by 40 percent. As part of that plan, a portion of the state’s other hospitals and medical centers will be designated as treatment centers for non-COVID-19 patients, he said. 

On Friday, Oklahoma reported 1,794 COVID-19 cases, with 88 deaths. The number of cases reported in the Oklahoma panhandle remain at four – three in Texas County and one in Beaver County.