Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt (R) announced on Thursday that he is lifting remaining restrictions on coronavirus in the state.
Stitt said in a Press conference that he will sign an executive order on Friday, according to which “there will be no statewide restrictions on events and oklahoma”, including removal a requirement that masks be used in state government buildings.
“The default for normal cannot be zero. In Oklahoma, the standard of normality is freedom, ”he said. “As long as I am governor, I will protect the freedom of oklahoma.”
The change comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn against lifting restrictions on COVID-19 simply because cases are decreasing and more people are being vaccinated.
Still, a dozen other states have recently lifted some or all of their restrictions, including Texas, Mississippi and Maryland.
Stitt warned that the coronavirus is not going anywhere anytime soon and encouraged residents to wear masks.
“Let me be clear, COVID is still here … and we still need to do our part. You can still, and are even encouraged, to wear a mask, depending on the circumstances, ”he said.
Stitt never signed a state mask mandate and the state removed most of its restrictions in June.
Lance Frye, the state’s health commissioner, said the state’s seven-day average of coronavirus infections dropped from about 2,200 when the pandemic started to around 800. The state currently has a seven-day average of about 615 cases.