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Oklahoma health officials predict COVID-19 peak a few weeks away

Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 surge.

Oklahoma health officials predict COVID-19 peak a few weeks away

Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 surge.

IN THE THICK OF THE SURGER. D BROSSER SAID IT’LL BE A COUPLE MORE WEEKS UNTIL WE REACHUR O PEAK BUT WITH OUR CASES ALREADY BREAKING NUMBERS WHO WORRIES WHAT TSHI MEANS FOR HOSPITALS WHEN OUR NUMBERS START TO CATCH UP. SATURDAY OKLAHOMA SHATTERING, THE STATE’S PANDEMIC RECORD OF SINGLE DAY COVID-19 CASE LOADS OVER 14,000 EVERYBODY. I THINK KNOWS SOMEBODY THAT’S INFECTED RIGHT NOW. BUT WAS JUST UNDER 1500 HOSPITALIZATIONS RIGHT NOW, DR. BRASSLER WORRIES WHAT WE’LLEE S IN A COUPLE WEEKS AS HOSPITALIZATIONS LAG BEHIND NEW CASES RIGHT N.OW THE YARDS ARE CLOGGED UP AND PART OF IT’S BECAUSE THEY CAN’T MOVE. PAY OUT OF THE EMERGENCY ROOM UP TO STAFF BEDS .DR OFFERIC SAYS WELL OMICRON IS LESS LIKELY TO PUT YOU IN THE ICU COMPADRE TO PREVIOUS VARIANTS THROUGHOUT MOST OF THE PANDEMIC ABOUT A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE. COVI19 CARE UNIT BAD AT ANY POINT IN TIME RHTIG NOW. WE’RE RUNNING AROUND 22 23 PERCENT OF THE PEOPLEHO W ARE IN THE HOSPITAL WITH COVID-19 ARE ENDING UP IN THE ICU MOORE. LAOKHOMA’S ARE CATCHING IT WITH 88,613 ACTIVE CASES. IN THE STATE DR. BRATZLER SAYS NOW'’ THE TEIM TO TAKE EXTRA PRECAUTIONS. I JUST THINK COMMUNITY PREVALENCE IS VERY HIGH RIGHT NOW. COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION RATES ARE VERY HIGH. BEST THING YOU CAN DO AT THIS POTIN IS TO AVOID INDOOR CROWDS. THIS IS THE TIME PEOPLE NEED TO STAY HOME IF YOU HAVE TO GO OUT WEAR A MASK AND WE’LL GET THROUGH THIS PREYTT QUICKLY. BUT RIGHT NOW THE CHANCE OF INFECTION IS QUITE HIGH. WHILE DR. BRATZLER DOESN’T EXPECT THIS TO LAST MUCH LONGER WHILE WE’RE IN THE TCKHI OF IT HE SUGGESTS OPTING OUT
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Oklahoma health officials predict COVID-19 peak a few weeks away

Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 surge.

Some Oklahoma health officials are predicting that the COVID-19 peak is still a few weeks away.Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 surge. Dr. Dale Bratzler, the Oklahoma University Chief COVID Officer, is worried for our local hospitals when the numbers start to catch up, with our case numbers already breaking recordings.>> Related: Stillwater hospital nearing a breaking point with current COVID-19 situationOn Saturday, Oklahoma shattered the state’s pandemic record of single-day COVID-19 caseloads at more than 14,000."Everyone knows somebody who is infected right now," Bratzler said.>> Related: Oklahoma is nowhere near herd immunity, expert saysWith just under 1,500 hospitalizations currently, Bratzler worries about what Oklahoma will see in a few weeks as hospitals lag behind new cases."Right now, the ERs are clogged up and part of it is because they can't move patients out of the emergency room and up to staffed beds," Bratzler said.>> RELATED: Oklahoma health officials believe COVID-19 surge, school closures will continueBratzler told KOCO 5 that omicron is less likely to put you in the ICU compared to previous variants."Throughout most of the pandemic, about ⅓ of the people who had COVID-19 that were in the hospital ended up in the intensive care unit at any point in time. Right now, we're running about 22-23% of the people in the hospital with COVID-19 are ending up in the ICU," Bratzler said.>> RELATED: Oklahoma pediatrician explains dangers of omicron for childrenMore Oklahomans are catching it, with over 88,600 active cases in the state. Bratzler said that now is the time to take extra precautions."I just think community prevalence is very high right now, community transmission rates are very high. The best thing you can do at this point is to avoid indoor crowds. This is the time people need to stay home. If you have to go out, wear a mask. We'll get through this pretty quickly, but right now, the chance of infection is quite high," Bratzler said.>> Related: Oklahoma Health Dept. extends COVID-19 testing hours at local health departmentsHowever, Bratzler said he doesn’t expect this surge to last much longer. Yet, while we are in the thick of it, he suggests upgrading your cloth mask to medical-grade.

Some Oklahoma health officials are predicting that the COVID-19 peak is still a few weeks away.

Oklahoma is still in the thick of the COVID-19 surge. Dr. Dale Bratzler, the Oklahoma University Chief COVID Officer, is worried for our local hospitals when the numbers start to catch up, with our case numbers already breaking recordings.

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>> Related: Stillwater hospital nearing a breaking point with current COVID-19 situation

On Saturday, Oklahoma shattered the state’s pandemic record of single-day COVID-19 caseloads at more than 14,000.

"Everyone knows somebody who is infected right now," Bratzler said.

>> Related: Oklahoma is nowhere near herd immunity, expert says

With just under 1,500 hospitalizations currently, Bratzler worries about what Oklahoma will see in a few weeks as hospitals lag behind new cases.

"Right now, the ERs are clogged up and part of it is because they can't move patients out of the emergency room and up to staffed beds," Bratzler said.

>> RELATED: Oklahoma health officials believe COVID-19 surge, school closures will continue

Bratzler told KOCO 5 that omicron is less likely to put you in the ICU compared to previous variants.

"Throughout most of the pandemic, about ⅓ of the people who had COVID-19 that were in the hospital ended up in the intensive care unit at any point in time. Right now, we're running about 22-23% of the people in the hospital with COVID-19 are ending up in the ICU," Bratzler said.

>> RELATED: Oklahoma pediatrician explains dangers of omicron for children

More Oklahomans are catching it, with over 88,600 active cases in the state. Bratzler said that now is the time to take extra precautions.

"I just think community prevalence is very high right now, community transmission rates are very high. The best thing you can do at this point is to avoid indoor crowds. This is the time people need to stay home. If you have to go out, wear a mask. We'll get through this pretty quickly, but right now, the chance of infection is quite high," Bratzler said.

>> Related: Oklahoma Health Dept. extends COVID-19 testing hours at local health departments

However, Bratzler said he doesn’t expect this surge to last much longer. Yet, while we are in the thick of it, he suggests upgrading your cloth mask to medical-grade.