Midwest City mask mandate set to expire
City Manager Tim Lyon speaks during a meeting between city leaders and members of the Black community. (Staff photo by Jeff Harrison)
Midwest City’s face covering mandate will expire tonight at midnight.
The ordinance requires people to wear a mask or face covering while inside a building or space that is open to the public, and when six-feet social distancing is not possible.
The city council extended the mask mandate in October until the positivity rate in Oklahoma County was at 5% or less for two consecutive weeks. The Oklahoma City-County Health Department recommended the ordinance.
City Manager Tim Lyon last week announced that the ordinance was on track to expire. The positivity rate today is 3.5%.
Private businesses and organizations may continue to require face coverings.
The public is encouraged to continue taking precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 including face masks, social distancing and hand washing.
“Just because the ordinance is expiring doesn’t mean we don’t care about the health and safety of our community,” Lyon said.
City officials will continue to monitor COVD-19 infection rates in the county. Any reinstatement of the mask mandate would require action by the city council.
So glad to hear the mask mandate is going to expire tonight at midnight. My husband has COPD and I have a hard time breathing with our masks on. We both had the 2 covid-19 vaccine done so we should be good to go. Do we still need to wear our masks in stores? It’s gotten to the point breathing is so hard.
FINALLY!!!!!
We need the mask mandate. New variants are making a second wave. If someone can not wear a mask or receive the vaccine, let them stay home. When you eventually do come to realize we need masks, please inform people a mask means over the nose. The local hospitals especially is a place you have to have a mask on correctly. Stop being so selfish people.