Only two counties in Oklahoma, Alfalfa and Beaver, are in the low risk green level for Covid-19, according to information released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) on July 28. Woodward County is one of 12 counties designated yellow while 63 counties are at orange level.

The state had 1,474 new cases reported Wednesday with a total of 9,762 active cases.

Hospitalizations for Covid-19 are increasing with a total of 607 in acute care OSDH licensed facilities with 191 of those in the ICU. In the OSDH Region1 (northwestern Oklahoma and the panhandle) there are 13 people hospitalized with Covid-19 and eight of those are in ICU.

As of Wednesday morning report, Alfalfa County had zero active cases, Harper County had three and Grant County had four. Major County lists seven, and Woodward County had eight. Woods County jumped from nine a week ago to 20 on Wednesday. All 20 of active cases for Woods County are in the Alva zip code. No cases are listed for Dacoma, Freedom or Waynoka.

According to the OSDH weekly report for July 18-24, Oklahoma’s current trend with new positive cases continues to reflect community transmission, which can be reduced by getting the Covid-19 vaccine, keeping 6 feet of physical distance from others, wearing face coverings when around individuals from outside the household, avoiding touching your face, and regular hand-washing.

Oklahoma currently ranks 25th in the number of total reported Covid-19 cases in the U.S. and 9th in the cumulative incidence (per 100,000 persons) of reported Covid-19 cases in the U.S.

It is critical for Oklahomans to seek out testing, with or without symptoms. Diagnostic testing is freely available to all Oklahomans, and we continue to improve our ability to find and diagnose Covid-19 cases through our contact tracing efforts. If you are diagnosed with Covid-19, a public health worker may try to contact you; the need to adhere to instructions to quarantine and isolate remain critically important.

Schedule a Covid-19 vaccine appointment at vaccinate.oklahoma.gov, or locate other vaccine opportunities at vaccines.gov.

Breakthrough Cases

What is a Covid-19 vaccine "breakthrough" case? It's when a fully vaccinated person gets infected with the coronavirus.

In studies, the two-dose Covid-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna were around 95% effective at preventing illness, while the one-shot Johnson & Johnson shot was 72% effective, though direct comparisons are difficult. So while the vaccines are very good at protecting us from the virus, it's still possible to get infected with mild or no symptoms, or even to get very sick.

If you do end up getting sick despite vaccination, experts say the shots help reduce the severity of the illness — the main reason to get vaccinated.

But the understanding of how vaccinated people who are infected might spread the virus to others is changing.

Previously, health officials believed vaccinated people who get breakthrough infections were unlikely to spread the virus. But with the more contagious delta variant that is now dominant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said new data shows people who get infected could carry enough virus in their noses and throats to spread it to others.

The agency recently cited the data in updating its guidance to say vaccinated people should go back to wearing masks indoors in areas where the virus is surging.

"It is concerning enough that we feel like we have to act," said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky

Breakthrough Cases in Oklahoma

The OSHD weekly report shows as of July 27 in Woods County 36.1 percent of those age 12 and over have been fully vaccinated. However, in the age 65 and over county population, over 73 percent have been fully vaccinated.

As of July 27 in Oklahoma, 1,845 of vaccinated residents have had breakthrough cases. Of the three vaccines, Moderna showed the lowest incidence with 93.4 out of 100,000 vaccinated. Pfizer had a rate of 131.0 while Johnson and Johnson had a rate of 160.4 out of 100,000. In Oklahoma 1,577,686 people have been fully vaccinated. With 1,845 breakthrough cases, the incidence of breakthrough is 116.9 out of 100,000. Among those there have been 161 hospitalizations and 22 deaths.