Mayor G.T. Bynum announced Wednesday he will lift a mask requirement for bar and restaurant employees in the City of Tulsa, effective at midnight on Friday when the city's mask ordinance is set to expire.
The mask ordinance applies to all people 10 or older while they're in public places where physical distancing can't be maintained. Bynum said earlier this month local COVID-19 trends and advice from the Tulsa Health Department supported letting the ordinance expire April 30th, but he planned to continue an executive order for bar and restaurant employees to wear masks at work.
"Upon review, the Tulsa Health Department does not believe local contact tracing data supports leaving a mask order in place for restaurant and bar employees while they are at work once our mask ordinance lapses," Bynum said in a Facebook post on Wednesday.
A civil emergency declaration and a requirement for events with 500 or more people to have a THD-approved safety plan will remain in place.
While the city's mask requirement and Bynum's order for bar and restaurant workers are being lifted, face coverings will still be required on Tulsa Transit buses. A federal order requires face coverings on public transportation
