Tulsa and the rest of Oklahoma officially moved to phase three of reopening Monday, lifting several more restrictions implemented to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
In Tulsa, events can resume without size limits, outdoor park amenities and dog parks can be used again, community centers are reopening, and businesses that were operating by appointment only can start taking walk-in customers.
Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said people must remain vigilant in taking safety precautions like wearing face coverings, practicing social distancing and frequently washing their hands.
"We're continuing to do, really, a nationwide, city-by-city experiment in how we can get as close to life as we knew it pre-pandemic while doing so safely," Bynum said.
Around 1,000 city employees who have been working remotely returned to their workplaces on Monday. City hall visitors will be asked to wear cloth face coverings and will have their temperature checked by security before being allowed inside.
Tulsa Health Department Executive Director Dr. Bruce Dart said the virus is not going away, and the health department is preparing to handle this new normal.
"We're currently in the process of creating a long-term testing strategy so we can really figure out where the penetration is of COVID in our community," Dart said.
That testing strategy should be released in the coming weeks.
