By Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect our lives, patients are deferring routine medical visits or preventive services out of concern for their safety and health. However, these visits are critical, especially for people with certain medical conditions and older adults who are at the highest risk of contracting influenza and pneumonia. With Medicare reimbursing for telehealth visits, patients can now use video or telephone instead of face-to-face encounters for their preventive visits. Medicare beneficiaries pay nothing for most preventive services if the services are administered from a doctor or other health care provider who participates with Medicare. To protect your health during the current crisis, consider taking advantage of the following three Medicare preventive services for free:
1. Annual Wellness Visit If you have had Medicare Part B for longer than 12 months, you can get a yearly wellness visit. You pay nothing for this exam if the doctor accepts assignment. This exam is covered once every 12 months.
2. Depression Screening Mental health is just as important as physical health. For many, COVID-19 has been a source of anxiety, worry and depression. Please reach out if you need help. Medicare covers a depression screening once per year, and you pay nothing if your doctor accepts assignment.
3. Obesity Screening and Counseling According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, having obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) or 30 or adobe, increases your risk of severe illness from COVID-19. Medicare Part B covers BMI screenings and behavioral counseling to help you lose weight if you have a BMI of 30 or higher. An easy and essential way to stay healthy during this pandemic is to get disease prevention and early detection services like exams, shots, lab tests, screenings and counseling. These services will help you take care of your body and mind and get the advice and guidance you need. Our Medicare Assistance Program (MAP) also provides free, unbiased counseling and information to help Oklahomans understand preventive services covered by Medicare.
To view a full list of preventive services covered by Medicare, visit www.oid.ok.gov/consumers/information-for-seniors/preventative-services or contact the MAP division at (800) 763-2828.
If you have questions about other insurance issues, contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 1-800-522-0071 or visit our website at www.oid.ok.gov.

Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you explain the differences between the coronavirus and seasonal flu? I’m 70-years-old, and usually get a standard flu shot, but would like to find out what else I can do to protect myself this winter.

Worried Senior

Dear Worried,
Great question! Because of the dual danger of Influenza (flu) and COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently warned that this fall and winter could be the worst ever for public health. Understanding this, knowing the differences and similarities between the viruses, and knowing what you can do to protect yourself is the best way to stay healthy and safe through this difficult time.
Flu vs COVID
Because many of the symptoms of flu and COVID-19 are similar, it may be hard to tell the difference between them based on symptoms alone, so testing may be needed to help confirm a diagnosis. With that said, here are some similarities and differences you should know.
For starters, seasonal flu symptoms come on pretty quickly, whereas COVID-19 develops gradually over a period of a few days and then either fades out or gets worse. Common shared symptoms include fever, sore throat, muscle aches, cough, headache, fatigue and even chest pain. Pinkeye and a dry cough are associated with COVID-19, while it’s now thought that a fever is more likely with the flu, as are diarrhea and nausea.
Many people are having their temperatures taken these days before entering public spaces. But fever occurs in only half of COVID-19 cases. Fever does not rule out COVID-19, but the absence of fever makes flu unlikely.
You’re also unlikely to have a runny or stuffy nose with the flu, but you may with COVID-19. What sometimes happens within the nose with COVID-19 is loss of smell and, often as a consequence, loss of taste, too.
To learn more about the similarities and differences between flu and COVID-19, visit the CDC website ?at CDC.gov/flu/symptoms/flu-vs-covid19.htm.
How to Protect Yourself
While there is currently no vaccine available yet to prevent COVID-19, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. So, stay home as much as you can. If you have to go out, wear a mask and keep at least 6 feet away from other people. And every time you come home, wash your hands with warm water and soap for at least 20 seconds.
There’s also evidence that suggests that people who are deficient in vitamin D may be at higher risk of getting COVID-19, than those with sufficient levels. So, make sure you take in around 800 to 1,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D from food or supplements daily, and get outside as much as you can.
And to help guard against the flu this year, you should consider getting a flu shot that’s specifically designed for people 65 and older. The “Fluzone High Dose Quadrivalent” or the “FLUAD Quadrivalent” are the two options that provide extra protection beyond what a standard flu shot offers. You only need one flu shot, and if you haven’t already gotten it, you should do it now because takes up to two weeks to build immunity after you receive it.
Pneumonia Vaccines
If you haven’t been vaccinated for pneumonia, you should also consider getting the pneumococcal vaccines. Both flu and COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, which hospitalizes around 250,000 Americans, and kills around 50,000 people each year. But these numbers could be much higher this year.
The CDC recommends that all seniors, 65 or older, get two vaccinations – Prevnar 13 and Pneumovax 23. Both vaccines, which are administered one year apart, protect against different strains of the bacteria to provide maximum protection.
Medicare Part B covers both flu and pneumonia shots.
To locate a vaccination site that offers any of these shots, visit VaccineFinder.org and type in your location.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Brad Benefield hasn’t tested positive for Covid-19 since April.
But as spring turned to summer, and now fall, Benefield is growing increasingly concerned about his bout with the virus known technically as SARS-CoV-2.
“One thing everyone told me to do once I was symptom-free was to donate plasma to help others recover, or donate blood for antibody studies,” said Benefield, whose wife, Beth, works for the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation. “I haven’t donated yet. Thing is, they said to be symptom-free.”
Although he tested positive for Covid-19, Benefield’s initial encounter with the virus was mild. After losing his father-in-law to complications from the virus, he considered himself lucky.
“No fever, no loss of taste or smell,” the 38-year-old Moore resident said. “I just felt cruddy. I had a cough and was always tired.” But months later, he said, he continues to feel fatigued. “That has me worried. It’s alarming to get winded and have to rest after moving a 5-pound glass punch bowl to the car.”
While the virus has cleared Benefield’s body, its fingerprints remain. That means he joined an unenviable club: the Covid long-haulers, as they’ve come to be known.
As the pandemic marches on, physicians around the world are reporting an increasing number of people feeling the lingering effects of the virus. In one study in Europe, researchers found that of 143 people with Covid-19, more than half reported fatigue and 43% had shortness of breath an average of two months after their symptoms started.
“A growing number of patients report dealing with a sort of ‘brain fog’ that makes it hard to concentrate. Others report breathlessness, muscle aches, lingering cough and chronic fatigue,” said OMRF President Stephen Prescott, M.D. As confirmed Oklahoma cases have now surged past 80,000, Prescott said, accounts like Benefield’s should serve as a warning to those who have relaxed their precautions surrounding the coronavirus. And at OMRF, researchers are part of a worldwide effort to understand the virus, including its long-term symptoms.
OMRF scientist Linda Thompson, Ph.D., is leading the foundation’s study of the body’s immune response to Covid-19. Thompson, an immunologist, attributes the long-term symptoms to the initial havoc the virus wreaks.
“It’s not that the virus is sticking around in the body,” said Thompson, who holds the Putnam City Schools Distinguished Chair in Cancer Research at OMRF. “The body’s immune response seems to go haywire, leaving lasting damage behind. In some people, we’re seeing it in the lungs. Others in the heart. Some even in the brain. Only time and more research will tell the extent.”
However, social media posts suggesting the virus might go dormant like varicella, the virus that causes chickenpox and can later rear its head as shingles, are unfounded. “Some viruses incorporate themselves inside of our genetic material. Covid-19 does not behave this way,” said Thompson.
For long-haulers like Benefield, the virus doesn’t need to reactivate to cause long-term issues. Half a year after testing positive for Covid-19, he still doesn’t feel back to normal.
“When I got sick, my biggest fear was the unknown,” said Benefield. “Almost seven months later, that remains my biggest fear. Just because you beat it doesn’t guarantee you get better, and I don’t know if or when I ever will.”

Oklahoma’s largest Halloween celebration returns with safe, contact-free trick-or-treating fun and new festive activities for all ages

Get ready for trick-or-treating fun so safe, it’s scary! The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is thrilled to announce that it will be hosting its 37th annual Haunt the Zoo for Halloween with new trick-or-treating methods in place to ensure a safe experience for all involved. Haunt the Zoo takes place on Saturdays and Sundays from October 10 through November 1, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day.
“We’re excited to bring Haunt the Zoo to life and provide Oklahoma families with a memorable way to celebrate the fall season and an opportunity to enjoy quality time together exploring the Zoo,” said Rochelle Wilhelm, OKC Zoo’s director of guest experience and events. “Our top priority is providing a safe event for our guests, volunteers and staff while showcasing all the wonder and magic this popular tradition continues to bring to the community.”
This year, Haunt the Zoo is expanding from two to four weekends to allow ample room for social distancing among guests. Event dates are Saturday, October 10 and Sunday, October 11; Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18; Saturday, October 24 and Sunday, October 25; and Halloween Saturday, October 31 and Sunday, November 1. Trick-or-treating is available each day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through timed ticketing.
Costume-clad trick-or-treaters will go wild as they collect treats from friendly volunteers at 13 candy stations located along the Haunt the Zoo trail. Volunteers will distribute candy and tasty snacks through 8-foot “treat tubes” into trick-or-treat bags from a safe distance. Guests will also discover 27 themed booths displaying an array of family-friendly decorations and elaborate props, perfect for capturing fa“boo”lous photo moments. Haunt the Zoo goers are invited to wear their Halloween costumes. Adults may wear costumes, too, but nothing scary. Guests are strongly encouraged to wear masks while at the Zoo. Masks are required for all indoor locations and while participating in animal feedings and encounters. All Zoo staff and event volunteers are required to wear masks while working.
HAUNT THE ZOO ADMISSION FAQ
Haunt the Zoo tickets are on sale now at www.okczoo.org/tickets. All guests and ZOOfriends members must purchase event tickets in advance online at www.okczoo.org/tickets.
* Participants wishing to trick-or-treat must purchase an official treat bag: $7 per child (non-members) and $6 per child (ZOOfriends members). General admission must be purchased separately for entry into the Zoo.
* A maximum of 300 trick-or-treat bags will be sold per hour. Trick-or-treat bags will be available for pickup at the Zoo’s Plan Your Day cart located past the admission check-in point.
* Haunt the Zoo capacity will be limited to 400 admission tickets sold every 15 minutes.
* Please arrive at the time of your Haunt the Zoo reservation. This allows you to enter the Zoo quickly and easily.
KEEPING YOU SAFE AT HAUNT THE ZOO
* Event admission and trick-or-treat bags will be limited to ensure social distancing.
* Haunt the Zoo activities are outdoors, spanning across the Zoo’s 100-acre park.
* Candy and snacks will be distributed to trick-or-treaters through 8-foot “treat tubes”!
* All event volunteers and Zoo employees handling event candy are required to wear masks and gloves.
* Event signage and audio messages, made periodically throughout the day, will remind guests to socially distance while in the park.
* Hand sanitizing stations will be located at the Zoo’s entry, exit, restrooms, eateries and most animal habitats for guests to use.
* Zoo team members will continuously clean high-touch surfaces like vending machines, tables, chairs, rides and more.
MORE HAUNT THE ZOO/HALLOWEEN HAPPENINGS
* NEW Pumpkin Painting Craft – The Haunt the Zoo fun rolls on with pumpkin painting! This craft activity is great for kids 11 and under and provides them with a personal keepsake from the event. Pumpkin painting will be located at the Jungle Gym Picnic Area. The cost is $5 per child (ZOOfriends members) and $6 per child (non-members) and capacity is limited per event date.
* Hay Maze and Cheetah Dash Race Course – Take a break from the trick-or-treat trail to let your kiddos partake in these interactive games at no additional cost. The Cheetah Dash Race is located at the Zoo’s picnic area and the Hay Maze can be found at the Jungle Gym Plaza.
* Halloween-Themed Sea Lion Presentation – The Zoo’s marine mammal team created a special sea lion presentation that focuses on popular Halloween characters and movies that are “delightful not frightful,” making this appropriate for young ages. These presentations are exclusive to Haunt the Zoo dates at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the sea lion stadium. Admission is $5 per person and children two and under are free.
* Endangered Species Carousel and Elephant Express Tram – Boo it all with a spin on the carousel or a guided tour on the Elephant Express Tram, both decked out for Haunt the Zoo. Additional fees apply for each ride and can be purchased in advance with your admission tickets or on-site. Children two and under ride for free.
* OKC Zoo’s Annual Pumpkin Drive – Back by popular demand, the Zoo will host its annual Pumpkin Drive from Thursday, October 1 through Wednesday, October 7 during regular hours. Guests bringing a pumpkin larger than their heads to the Zoo will receive free same-day admission. The limit is one free admission per person. Pumpkins will be available for purchase in front of the Zoo. Donated pumpkins will be used to decorate Haunt the Zoo.

By Greg Schwem

Finally, and I do mean FINALLY, I have solid evidence that some things were actually better in “the old days.”
No longer do I have to stare at my kids’ skeptical, sometimes horrified, facial expressions while I wax poetically about the merits of a television that could only pick up five channels (OK, six if you knew how to manipulate a TV antenna); a phone mounted to a wall; or a high school romance that began with spoken words as opposed to written texts and TikTok videos.
Perhaps I was too hasty when I threw away my AM/FM clock radio, my Pong game and my three-piece polyester suits. At the very least, I should have kept my turntable, a major component of my hi-fi system and my youth.
The reason? Vinyl is back, baby!
Recently released data from the Recording Industry Association of America showed that, for the first time in more than 30 years, vinyl albums (Google that phrase, kids) outsold CDs. True, services like Spotify and Apple Music are still the preferred way to obtain tunes; but for those of us who like to hold our albums as opposed to streaming them, the reemergence of the black, long play record album, and the hisses and scratches that come with it, is a victory of sorts for middle-aged music aficionados like myself.
My vinyl collection is long gone, as I succumbed to the superior sound and portability of CDs in the 1980s, but the memories endure. Growing up in suburban Chicago, I was a fixture at Polk Brothers, a home appliance and electronics retail outlet. While customers in one aisle shopped for refrigerators, I was in the adjoining aisle, flipping through recently arrived albums in search of the latest Elton John release. My Christmas wish list always included half a dozen albums, some of which my mother probably purchased in horror.
“They’re called Kiss, Mom. Just look for the album cover featuring a guy wearing white makeup with blood dripping from his mouth.”
Ah, yes, the album cover! And the back cover featuring the song list! My closest encounter to a broken bone occurred when I was pedaling home with my latest purchase and neglected to see a rut in the road, so fixated was I on the song titles. If I arrived home in one piece, I promptly retreated to my bedroom, dropped the stylus on the album and read the lyrics to each song, often laughing when I realized what I had been singing up until that moment.
“Oh, so it’s ‘Rocket Man, burning out his fuse up here alone.’ I thought it was, ‘Rocket Man, burning out his shoes, the pair I loaned.’ ”
I memorized the names of every musician who played on every track, eventually realizing a select group of drummers and horn players were in high demand when it came time for my favorite rock stars to cut new albums. I was playing guitar at the time and took heart knowing that, if I never found a band to play in, I could make a great living as a studio musician.
When I became a disc jockey at my high school radio station, I learned the art of “cueing” a vinyl song by dropping the stylus on a particular groove and then spinning the album backward so, when I pressed “play” on the turntable, the song started immediately. I knew that skill didn’t improve my status with girls, but I was sure they would have been impressed were outsiders allowed in the studio. They weren’t.
I learned wooden crates from grocery stores were the perfect width to hold my album collection. I never resorted to alphabetizing my LPs, but they were sorted by genres; and the “Greatest Hits” albums occupied the front spaces, with the Eagles getting top status. And why not? In 2018 the band’s greatest hits collection surpassed Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” as top selling album of all time.
So, Gen Z and Internet Generation members who brag about the 10,000 songs you carry on your phones, along with the 20,000 photos, take a deep breath. Find Drake’s best seller “One Dance” on vinyl, seek out a turntable and enjoy the experience.
And read the lyrics. It’s “I had to bust up the silence,” not “I had to bust up the sirens.”
(Greg Schwem is a corporate stand-up comedian and author of two books: “Text Me If You’re Breathing: Observations, Frustrations and Life Lessons From a Low-Tech Dad” and the recently released “The Road To Success Goes Through the Salad Bar: A Pile of BS From a Corporate Comedian,” available at Amazon.com. Visit Greg on the web at www.gregschwem.com.)
You’ve enjoyed reading, and laughing at, Greg Schwem’s monthly humor columns in Senior Living News. But did you know Greg is also a nationally touring stand-up comedian? And he loves to make audiences laugh about the joys, and frustrations, of growing older. Watch the clip and, if you’d like Greg to perform at your senior center or senior event, contact him through his website at www.gregschwem.com)

The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is proud to host its annual quilt show during the entire month of October. The exhibit is open during normal hours of operation and there is no charge to see the special exhibit. The beautiful works of art on display include both heirloom quilts and modern quilts. The Cimarron Valley Quilt Guild and Pawnee Bill Quilt Guild members are instrumental in putting together this yearly event.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is located at 1141 Pawnee Bill Road in Pawnee. Hours of operation are Monday, 1 to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 4 p.m. For more information about the quilt show or other programs, please call 918-762-2513 or email pawneebill@okhistory.org. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, occupancy is limited to no more than ten visitors in the museum at one time. We ask that you practice social distancing by staying six feet away from staff and visitors who are not in your party. All visitors, staff and volunteers are required to wear face masks in public areas of all OHS facilities, including the Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum.
The Pawnee Bill Ranch and Museum is a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society. The mission of the Oklahoma Historical Society is to collect, preserve and share the history and culture of the state of Oklahoma and its people. Founded in 1893 by members of the Territorial Press Association, the OHS maintains museums, historic sites and affiliates across the state. Through its research archives, exhibits, educational programs and publications the OHS chronicles the rich history of Oklahoma. For more information about the OHS, please visit www.okhistory.org.

George Salem, M.D., a fellowship-trained gastroenterologist at OU Medical Center Edmond, specializing in the study, diagnosis and treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease will be holding a Doc Talk on the subject from noon to 1 p.m., Thursday, October 8.
The live Zoom event is open to anyone interested in learning more about IBD. The presentation will be followed by a live question and answer session.
There is no cost to participants, however, registration is required. To register, visit http://bit.ly/OUIBD