TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa is going to keep its COVID-19 restrictions in place for at least the next two weeks, according to Mayor G.T. Bynum.
The city held a virtual news conference with Tulsa County officials and the Tulsa Health Department on Wednesday to give an update on virus conditions in the area.
Bynum said his talks with Tulsa City Council and hospital leaders in the area came to the conclusion that the city should hold off on lifting restrictions until they can see how severe the COVID-19 spread was during last week’s Spring Break travel and events.
The mayor said he’ll revisit the idea of any loosening or dropping of restrictions in the city two weeks from last Sunday, which would be April 4.
Bynum says they’ll be relying on health experts and local hospital leaders for guidance on when it’s safe to lift restrictions.
“I think City Council and I would follow their guidance,” Bynum said.
The city’s existing mask ordinance is scheduled to expire on April 30.
A change that will come sooner than that is the way Tulsa County COVID-19 updates are reported.
Tulsa Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday that THD will follow behind the Oklahoma State Department of Health in its reporting strategy, shifting from daily to weekly data reporting.
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Dart said THD would like to continue reporting daily, but they can’t continue their reports without the state’s daily reports. The state did not consult with THD before making its reporting switch.