Oklahoma Hospitals Stretched Thin

THANKS FOR BEING HERE AT FIVE.I'M MIKE BROOKSAND I'M KAREN LARSEN.WITH OKLAHOMA HOSPITALS HITHARD BY COVID-19...SOME OF THE STATE'S TOPMEDICAL PROESFSIONALS AREPLEADING WITH OKLAHOMANS TO GETVACCINATED.2 NEWS OKLAHOMA REPORTER KATIEKELEHER JOINS US NOW... WITHWHAT THE "HEALTHIER OKLAHOMA"COALITION HAD TO SAY.KATIE?DOCTORS ON THE CALL SAY WHILETHEAY RE SEEING BREAKTHROUGHCASES - DON'T LET THATPOSSIBILITY STOP YOU FROMGETTING THE VACCINE.DR. MARY CLARKE SAYS YOURCHANCES OF BEING HOSPITALIZEDWITH COVID ARE MUCH LOWER IF YOUARE VACCINATED.SHE SAYS - IN OKLAHOMA - 16 OUTOF 100-THOUSAND PEOPLE IN THEHOSPITAL ARE VACCINATED.MEANWHILE - MORE THANONE-THOUSAND PER 100-THOUSAND OFTHOSE HOSPITALIZED AREUNVACCINATED.MEANING YOU ARE 70 TIMES MORELIEKLY TO NEED THE HOSPITAL IFYOU ARE UNVCCAINATED.THE DEATH RATE IS SIMILAR.SHE SAYS THOSE WHO AREUNVACCINATED AND HOSPITALIZDEARE 68 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO DIEFROM COVID.DR. MARY CLARKE // PRESIDENT,OKLAHOMA STATE MEDICALASSOCIATION: "The unvaccinatedpeploe are the ones that arebeing hospitalized, that aredying at much higher numbers.

Wecan talk 90 percent, 95 prceent,97 percent, it doesn't matter inthe nlog run.

It is obvious thatthe unvaccinated is thehospitalizations."DR. DAVID KENDRICK SAYS THEY'REALSO SEEING PATITENS SPENDINGMORE TIME IN THE HOSPITAL.AND FEWER PATIENTS ARE COMING IN- ECBAUSE THERE AREN'T ANY BEDSAVAILABLE.TIHS COVID WAVE IS TAKING ITSTOLL ON I-C-U NURSES.