As Tulsa prepares to host thousands of people downtown, and health officials warn about infections and possible deaths as a result of the rally, the group that manages the BOK Center said during a public meeting Thursday they were “looking for” Tulsa’s mayor to tell them to turn down the event.
The events come at a time when new cases of the novel coronavirus hit record highs in the state, and activists, residents and business owners have expressed concern that the president’s visit will fuel tensions amid protests over systemic racism and police brutality.
Though the state recorded it’s largest increase of new cases, hospitalizations have remained steady.
The Oklahoma City council will soon consider whether to study significant changes to some of the fundamental elements of policing and how the city responds to some of its greatest challenges, including mental health, homelessness and domestic violence.
The coronavirus has been on 72-year-old Lawrence Lane’s mind. But when a wave of protests started to emerge across the nation, Lane, who is black, felt a sense of commitment.
Rural Oklahoma communities are desperate to protect their vulnerable hospitals and hand the reins to management companies that say they’re turnaround experts. Instead some companies failed the hospitals, bled them dry and expedited their demise.
So far, the state has tested more than 34,000 residents and staff members at 257 nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the state.
Calculating a recovery rate is tricky. Most cases of COVID-19 are mild and people who present with no symptoms may not be tested for the disease, and aren’t counted in the data. Because methods vary state-to-state, comparisons are virtually impossible.
