Gov. Kevin Stitt plans not to renew statewide COVID restrictions expiring tomorrow.
Stitt said during a Thursday news conference with good progress on vaccination and new cases and hospitalizations down to early summer levels, he believes a mask requirement in state buildings and 50% capacity limits on certain events are no longer needed.
"You can still — and you’re even encouraged — to wear a mask, depending on your circumstances, and I’ve said from the very beginning, the standard for normal cannot be zero cases. In Oklahoma, the standard for normal is freedom," Stitt said.
The mask requirement has been in place since November, while the capacity limits were implemented in December. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned last week it is too early to relax safeguards against the spread of COVID-19.
Oklahoma State Medical Association President Dr. George Monks said the state has made "tremendous progress."
"But letting up on our efforts to battle COVID now is like a football player spiking the ball at the five-yard line. We are nearing the goal, but we are not there yet," Monks said in a statement.
Stitt said "normal" does not mean zero cases. State health officials are preparing for that scenario by ramping up coronavirus genetic sequencing.
"Our goal is to sequence 10% of the positive COVID samples we receive in the state. Previously, we only had the ability to sequence less than 0.1% of the positive samples in the state. This increased focus on testing and sequencing will improve our current response to COVID-19 and help us plan for future pandemics as well," said Oklahoma Health Care Authority CEO and State Secretary of Health and Mental Health Kevin Corbett.
Oklahoma remains among the top 10 states for new infections and test positivity.
