Local physician comments on Texas County’s red zone status
GUYMON – On August 21, the Texas County Emergency Management Facebook page shared a White House report for the State of Oklahoma—dated August 16—citing Texas County and Guymon as “red zones” due to case transmission rates.
Local physician Dr. Martin Bautista explained that an area’s “red zone” status is determined by a “percentage of the popula- tion infected [with COVID-19] in comparison to the total population [of the area].” The state report shared by Emergency Management defines red zones specifically as areas that reported both 100 new cases per 100,000 people and a viral lab test positivity rate above 10 percent.
According to Bautista, the thresholds are determined by epidemiologists, and certain recommendations are given for locations that reach the red zone threshold. Some policy recommendation cited in the federal report advise public officials to “limit social gatherings to 10 people or fewer,” “close bars and gyms…,” and “ensure that all business retailers and personal services require masks…”
Dr. Bautista commented, “We’ve been red for the past two weeks according to White House documents given to Gover
nor Stitt last Monday.” He referred to an article by Chris Polansky from KWGS News—dated
August 21—which claims that local officials throughout the state were frustrated that the governor did not share these federal recommendations. Among the officials quoted in the article are Guymon City Manager Joe Don Dunham and City of Guymon Economic Developer Sheila Martin, both of whom expressed concern that they had not been notified by state officials.
“[The State] already knew we were red. We should not have opened schools [or] bars [or] had Pioneer Days…” Dr. Bautista commented. “It’s a disaster.”