You can hear it faintly in the distance: A call from the governor’s OKC residences, or perhaps his home in Tulsa, to slowly re-open Oklahoma. As it gets louder and Oklahoma mayors decide whether to lift their own orders May 1, we have to ask ourselves two questions: Is it appropriate yet? If so, will people be willing to move freely among each other as we once did?
In regards to the timing of this conversation, I think it also comes down to two things. First, do we have enough data at this point to give different parts of the population an accurate assessment of what their risk factor is when going out for everyday activities? Given that antibody tests are just now rolling out — which is big missing piece of the puzzle — I’d say no. And that’s just one of many chunks of information we need to consider but haven’t fully studied yet.
Second, I feel like the public needs to feel confident that some kind of effective treatment or medication is becoming available or at least eminent in its development. Otherwise, many people are not going to be comfortable around others while eating, shopping, etc. Your personal risk factor may be X, but feeling secure about treatment options would provide at least mental relief for our fears about catching the virus.
Whatever decrees come from the state or federal government in the next couple of weeks — Gov. Kevin Stitt’s are updated here — it seems we are a ways off from normal. Whatever that means now.
OKC Mayor David Holt’s April 24 press conference
Past comics about how things used to be
Parents agree: The Easter bunny is an essential worker
Bad news for Cheetos: Our behaviors are changing
Quarantine quandary: Are your pets sick of you yet?
Quarantine: A rear window into our worried minds
From wipes to swipes, social (distance) life impacted
Birds of a feather draw together
Where the whiskey drowns and the Bern chases …
Blow up the Thunder? Chris Paul extinguished the fuse
Imagine that: New Oklahoma brand confuses some
Be careful searching, algorithm overlords are watching
Oklahoma’s recent liquor bicker confusing, even sober
Highway to the construction zone
All ears: OU basketball gets it right as Top Daug returns
Stitt, tribal leaders pack their poker faces for court
