ICYMI, I am wearing a mask again.

Many of you know I play the trombone. Two weeks ago I joined a local community theater production. After a week of rehearsals, the show launched with a beautiful opening night.

Sadly, we shut down after only two shows. Yes, because of COVID. At last count, there are at least 18 members of the cast, crew, and orchestra who have now tested positive. Fortunately, most were vaccinated.

We don't know with certainty it's the Delta variant. Sadly, Oklahoma is 50th in the nation in testing for variants. 🙄 But it's likely that it is the Delta variant, since it spread so quickly. National statistics show that over 80% of cases are now COVID Delta. This new variant is much more contagious than the original. Where the original took exposure of as much as 10 minutes, Delta can take as little as 10 seconds. That's because Delta makes a lot more COVID virus in the body. More virus is easier to shed and spread.

Read More

• Journal Nature
  How the Delta variant achieves its ultrafast spread

• NPR
  Why The Delta Variant Is Hyper-Contagious: A New Study Sheds Light

Vaccination

For those who will say, "Why vaccinate? Those who vaccinated also got sick," it's worth restating what I've said before. Vaccines don't make you immune. They teach your body how to fight off infection.

Think of it this way. Vaccination is like taking karate lessons. It doesn’t mean you won’t ever get in a fight. But when you do, you will know how to defend yourself. So you are more likely to survive when it happens.

COVID vaccines teach your body how to fight COVID.

Northeastern Oklahoma hospitals are once again filled with COVID patients. Right now, it's mostly overflow from Missouri and Arkansas. That will change. Oklahoma now leads the nation in COVID spread. Hospitalizations lag by about 2-3 weeks, and deaths lag by another 2-3 weeks.

The statistics show...
Unvaccinated Oklahomans will be the ones who fill our hospitals.