Medical experts say Oklahoma's COVID alert system is deeply "flawed"

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — Oklahoma health experts are calling the map the state uses to color code counties in Oklahoma deeply “flawed.”

It’s orange versus red.

The White House’s COVID map versus the Oklahoma State Department of Health’s map.

Dr. George Monks with the Oklahoma State Medical Association said he knows it can be confusing for people to understand.

So, there’s one way of explaining the difference between the two maps in a way that makes more sense to Oklahomans.

“The COVID alert system map here in Oklahoma is similar to a tornado alert system, except the sirens don’t sound until after the tornado hits,” said Monks. “So, we need a system that alerts before things get really bad.”

The latest White House Coronavirus Task Force map has 24 Oklahoma counties in the red zone, which means bars should be closed and other precautions need to happen.

However, the Oklahoma map doesn’t indicate that at all.

“Certainly, the current map in Oklahoma is not very functional, it’s not very accurate, it’s not very relevant. I think the White House map more accurately portrays the risk and sort of the alert levels that need to be triggered,” said Monks.

So, why is there such a large difference between the two?

Oklahoma State Representative, John Waldron, said one looks at science first and the other looks at the economy first.

“In the end, all the choices are political, you’re choosing one or the other,” said Waldron.

Waldron said Oklahoma has dropped the ball on stopping the spread of COVID.

“Air on the side of caution,” said Waldron. “If you have people telling you it’s okay to get back into the water, but the lifeguard is feeling nervous, listen to the lifeguard.”

He said Oklahoma needs to update how it color codes its alert map so people can really understand what’s going on.

“It’s not left versus right, republican versus democrat, it’s the people against COVID and we should have a united front against this disease,” said Waldron.

Monks said most medical professionals no longer take the Oklahoma Health Department’s map into consideration because it’s almost impossible for a county to go from orange to red.

“You could actually have every single hospital bed, or every hospital in Oklahoma being at maximum capacity and we still would not trigger a county to go from orange to red in the state,” said Monks.

He said, he knows that the State Health Department has said the map is a work in progress.

And right now, it needs some work.