Covid-19 has buffeted Osages this week and with the Grayhorse dances that ended Sunday and elections on Monday, the timing could not be worse.
The WahZhaZhe Health Clinic has tested 119 patients for Covid so far this week – 77 of them on Wednesday and Thursday – and 37 came up positive, a 31 percent positivity rate, according to clinic Manager Kirk Shaw.
Many of the people who tested positive attended Grayhorse – some were singers at the drum – and evidence based on the virus’ average incubation period pointed to that being where they had become infected, Shaw said.
As a result, the dances in Hominy that were slated to start Thursday have been postponed. No announcement has been made about the Pawhuska dances that are scheduled to start June 23.
The actual number of cases is likely much higher because many people are using home tests – and at least for the vaccinated, symptoms have been mild this go-round.
The onslaught of cases has, however, overwhelmed the clinic, whose own staff fell prey to the virus 10 days ago, when a whopping 38 of 66 employees got the disease.
“We’re being overloaded,” Shaw said. “It doesn’t sound like that many but we’re a small clinic and we can only run six tests an hour.”
If you had contact with someone who has been diagnosed with Covid and are fully vaccinated and boosted or have had Covid in the past 90 days, the Centers for Disease Control recommends that you be tested for the disease on the fifth day after that exposure or when you develop symptoms. For 10 days from the time you were exposed, you should wear a well-fitted mask when around other people because you can spread the virus before you develop any symptoms – or even if you never develop symptoms.
If you test positive, regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate away from other people for five days after the test or the first day you have symptoms, and end isolation only if your symptoms are improving and you have had no fever for 24 hours. If you are very sick or have a weakened immune system, you could isolate for at least 10 days and consult a doctor before emerging from isolation.
