Around Edmond: OKC Mayor strongly asks everyone to take a 10 day pause on out of home activity. CDC advises no travel for Thanksgiving.

Hi everyone! What a month. At the risk of those in the Edmond business community getting pissed at me, lets start outwardly by talking about what is going on right now that is negatively affecting small businesses ability to continue so that these businesses can remain open — even if that includes <gasp> wearing a damn mask in public spaces.

I love our small business community and have been supporting it for the last 11 years, going on 12 years, as of this month, so do not @ me with any harassing claims I somehow hate small businesses by anything I have written here, please and thank you, because I know my heart with this business and I am not listening when you do so, also… science.

So let’s get to it, as everyone who knows me knows if I believe something is untrue, I’ve never shied away from discussing a matter so that it may be successfully resolved.

(P.S. I’ve been quiet at social media due to preparing and just sending our new issue off to the printer and preparing graphics for 2020 EdmondActive Community Favorite Award winners, while preparing a 2021 Ballot for next years Community Favorite Awards!).

Journalists reporting factually, isn’t fake news … just because you don’t like it.

Elections are done, with 28 lawsuits from Republicans having been thrown out disputing voter fraud, without evidence, and 306 Electoral votes for Biden and Harris, this factually means they are the incoming President and Vice President.

It is ludicrous as to what is happening across the Country, but in Edmond and OKC, with residents claiming journalists are spreading fake news by reporting that after Biden gaining the same electoral votes as Mr. Trump in 2016, to which Hillary Clinton conceded to Trump, somehow Vice President Biden didn’t actually win the electoral vote, but also any claim he stole the election are not based in reality or fact (without evidence).

When I reported that Kamala Harris was Madame Vice President as glass ceiling shattering for numerous reasons, I had a local real estate agent that I don’t know personally lambaste me for spreading fake news saying that so many in Edmond are tired of the fact I spread this fake news, and then asked if I was ready to delete the fake news, to which I then blocked him on social media for harassment that was mild, but for not adding anything to realistic conversation.

He then proceeded to report my accounts for spreading fake election news, still not fake, and had 50 of his closest friends discontinue following EdmondActive. Since then, we have now 98 new followers at Instagram and 185 new followers at Facebook who participate heavily and are super fun to interact with, so there’s that.

Covid Isn’t Fake, either.

This afternoon, OKC Mayor Holt held an emergency press conference and said about your upcoming activity in the next ten days regarding chilling out and wearing a mask and avoiding going out at all, “Do it for our kids, do it for our businesses, do it for our health-care workers, do it for all of us. I’m asking you, for the next 10 days, to take a break from higher-risk activities.”

It’s been a bizarre sociological occurrence during this year in the number of people who believe this highly contagious virus is somehow a Democratic hoax, would disappear after the election, or whatever else is being falsely claimed. It is fascinating that people who are dying of it still deny it is real. It is not so fascinating that we all know how to stop community spread by containing our saliva droplets by wearing a mask, distancing and washing our hands. Pretty simple to achieve.

Except people claim their personal liberties are violated by … mask wearing. Actually no.

You are violating other’s personal liberties to health, in this circumstance, if you willfully refuse to keep your spit to yourself. It’s literally that simple, and astounding that a large group believes otherwise. Most rural residents don’t believe it and they are now occupying 25% of our hospital space in OKC, according to Mayor Holt. So, if you have a stroke or heart attack, that is your tough luck.

OKC Mayor Holt made a serious request to residents of OKC and surrounding communities today to pause all group activities and mask up whenever you are out in public, that is not unconstitutional but to be taken seriously with over 2,500 cases occurring per day and in the lack of medical personnel to handle the immense surge occurring in hospitals currently. Just because you can’t or don’t see all of this doesn’t mean it’s not happening.

This never happens when we have severe weather or any other disaster to which can be seen, and allowing our metro to report over 3,000 cases per day for the last 7 days says that a large portion of people only care about the Oklahoma Standard if they can see it. Should everyone not start now constantly wearing masks and distancing, we will pay the price with a shutdown without any support from any entity, and that is on the folks who chose to ignore this pandemic.

CDC ADVISES NOT TO TRAVEL OR GATHER WITH THOSE OUTSIDE OF YOUR HOUSEHOLD FOR THANKSGIVING

As COVID-19 cases increase rapidly across the United States, the safest way to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday is at home with the people you live with. Avoid gatherings with family and friends who do not live with you. See CDC’s guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/thanksgiving.html?fbclid=IwAR01t5Jw1fOMCTr9ikG73z6xLI8mHBsBZl8E26RaIa6SNupQXXODULuhoCk

 

If you do travel

• Check travel restrictions before you go.
• Get your flu shot before you travel.
• Always wear a mask in public settings, when using public transportation, and when around people who you don’t live with.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart from anyone who does not live with you.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
• Avoid touching your mask, eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Bring extra supplies, such as masks and hand sanitizer.
• Know when to delay your travel.

Everyone Can Make Thanksgiving Safer

 

Wear a mask

• Wear a mask with two or more layers to help protect yourself and others from COVID-19.
• Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Make sure the mask fits snugly against the sides of your face.

 

Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you

• Remember that people without symptoms may be able to spread COVID-19 or flu.
• Keeping 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

 

Wash your hands

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it when you are unable to wash your hands.
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Attending a Gathering

 

Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving.

If you choose to attend a gathering, make your celebration safer. In addition to following the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer, take these additional steps if attending a Thanksgiving gathering:

• Bring your own food, drinks, plates, cups, and utensils.
• Wear a mask and safely store your mask while eating and drinking.
• Avoid going in and out of the areas where food is being prepared or handled, such as in the kitchen.
• Use single-use options, like salad dressing and condiment packets, and disposable items like food containers, plates, and utensils.

 

Hosting a Thanksgiving Gathering

 

Celebrating virtually or with the people you live with is the safest choice this Thanksgiving.

If having guests to your home, be sure that people follow the steps that everyone can take to make Thanksgiving safer. These steps include:

• Have a small outdoor meal with family and friends who live in your community.
• Limit the number of guests.
• Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
• If celebrating indoors, bring in fresh air by opening windows and doors, if possible. You can use a window fan in one of the open windows to blow air out of the window. This will pull fresh air in through the other open windows.
• Limit the number of people in food preparation areas.
• Have guests bring their own food and drink.
• If sharing food, have one person serve food and use single-use options, like plastic utensils.

 

Consider Other Thanksgiving Activities

 

Host a virtual Thanksgiving meal with friends and family who don’t live with you

• Schedule a time to share a meal together virtually.
• Have people share recipes and show their turkey, dressing, or other dishes they prepared.

Watch television and play games with people in your household

• Watch Thanksgiving Day parades, sports, and movies at home.
• Find a fun game to play.

Shopping

• Shop online sales the day after Thanksgiving and days leading up to the winter holidays.
• Use contactless services for purchased items, like curbside pick-up.
• Shop in open air markets staying 6 feet away from others and wear a mask.

 

Other Activities

• Safely prepare traditional dishes and deliver them to family and neighbors in a way that does not involve contact with others (for example, leave them on the porch).
• Participate in a gratitude activity, like writing down things you are grateful for and sharing with your friends and family.
•  

Around Edmond is now daily so check back tomorrow for more about what is happening around Edmond!

Sherri