What Do You Think About Lawton Repealing the Mask Mandate?
Yesterday afternoon (03-23-21) the Lawton City Council met and voted to repeal Lawton's mask mandate, effective immediately. You will no longer be required to wear a face mask or covering while indoors at commercial properties, businesses and other locations in town. The same goes for outdoors at city parks and other "open to the public" general use areas within city limits. Of course with this being a highly controversial issue and opinions running from one extreme to the other it's caused a lot of friction and concern among citizens. Some say it's too soon, others say it should have never been mandated.
We are starting to seeing a slow drop in the number of positive cases, hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID-19 in Oklahoma. Our numbers continue to improve and most feel it's due to the availability of the new COVID-19 vaccination. As more and more people get vaccinated we're nearing heard immunity, at least according to some health experts. Even with the vaccine a lot of people are worried it's too soon to do away with face masks and to stop following all the familiar COVID-19 health protocols like social distancing etc. They're worried that if we loosen up even a little another wave will hit, or the variant strains of COVID-19 will take hold. Below is the official press release from the City of Lawton about repealing the mask mandate:
The mask mandate may have been repealed but local and area businesses both private and corporate will have their own policies concerning masks, as mentioned above in the press release. Meaning that while the city itself doesn't require face masks, the business, restaurant, bar or other stores you visit may still require you to wear one to enter. More than likely it'll be a patch work of different places in Lawton that you'll need a mask to go into. Some won't, and others will ask that you wear a mask or covering. That's to be expected. The same goes for people, even with the mask mandate being repealed a lot of people are still going to wear face masks and that's their business, nothing says you can't. So what do you think about the City Council repealing Lawton mask mandate? Take the quick poll below and let us know your thoughts: