The Tulsa Health Department recommended Friday the City of Tulsa can let its mask ordinance expire April 30, given current COVID trends.
THD Executive Director Dr. Bruce Dart said new cases and hospitalizations are at levels last seen in June, and more and more people get vaccinated every day.
"We’ll continue to scan the environment, watch the data and make the best recommendations to keep people safe. If that means recommending that we reinstitute our mask mandate, we would do that," Dart said.
Dart said wearing a mask in public is still recommended until upwards of 70% of the county has been vaccinated. But pandemic fatigue seems to be an issue. District Three Councilor Crista Patrick said this week businesses she visits don’t seem worried about requiring masks like they’re supposed to.
"Although those corporate mandates are still in place, they’re not being enforced, at least not where I’m going. I’ve seen more and more people walking around without a mask," Patrick said.
When Tulsa’s mask ordinance expires, so will a requirement events with more than 150 people get a safety plan approved by the health department. Mayor G.T. Bynum said he will leave in place an executive order requiring bar and restaurant workers to wear masks on the job and for events with more than 500 people to have a safety plan.
"Our mask order was put in place to protect the ability of our hospital systems to save lives in Tulsa. It was put in place at the request of local health care systems and public health officials for that purpose. It has served that purpose, and now that hospital capacity is no longer endangered this easing of regulations makes sense," Bynum said in a statement.
Dart and Bynum encourage people to continue following other precautions, like watching their distance from others and washing their hands frequently, as well.
Last week, Tulsa County’s reported seven-day average of new COVID cases was 47, up from 44 the week before. As of Friday evening, 39 people were hospitalized. During a winter surge, the county’s average hit 647, and a record 468 people were hospitalized at one point.
