Gov. Stitt says not to be 'mask shamers,' communities don't want to mask
TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — In his press conference Thursday, Gov. Kevin Stitt said he is not in support of mandating masks and that Oklahomans shouldn't be "mask shamers."
While Stillwater and Norman approve mask mandates, and Tulsa and Oklahoma City will possibly consider them next week, smaller communities don't want mandates.
Lee Owens is a regular at a diner in Sand Springs.
“If you feel you need to wear one you wear one, but don’t push your belief on everybody else because they’re not," Owens said, "Now if the law says we have to, we have to, but as far as another person’s opinion that shouldn’t be affecting people.”
Opinions are divided over masks in Oklahoma, and even Gov. Stitt had something to say about it.
“I’m going to protect the freedoms of Oklahoma and we are not going to mandate in the state of Oklahoma," Stitt said, "We’re not going to be mask shamers either.”
While Tulsa and Oklahoma City consider mandates, Norman and Stillwater already said yes.
Another Sand Springs resident, Danny Juby, said he would wear one, but only if it's necessary.
“I won’t wear one until I’m told I need to wear one to be outside," Juby said.
Smaller communities like Sand Springs are seeing fewer cases. They only have 20 active cases as of Friday, according to the Tulsa Health Department.
“I feel like if I’m gonna go I’m gonna go so I don’t wear one," Owens said.
People in Sand Springs say they're less likely to wear one.
“I feel like whenever I wear the mask I feel like it says, ‘Hey I’m sick don’t come near me,’ and I don’t like to have that persona," Juby said.
The CDC says all people two years of age and older should wear a cloth face covering in public when you're around people who aren't your family and keeping a safe distance is hard to maintain.
