Stitt expands and extends executive order to combat COVID-19, lifts restrictions to testing

GOV. STITT ANNOUNCES NEW MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO INCREASE TESTING AND STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 1, 2020)— Governor Kevin Stitt today held a press conference to provide an update on the State’s response to COVID-19 and announce he has issued Seventh Amended Executive Order (EO) 2020-07.

“The best way to slow the curve and stop the spread of COVID-19 is through aggressive testing and tracing, as well as continuing to practice social distancing,” said Gov. Stitt. “I know how much these decisions affect people, but this is the right time to take these steps in order to protect our health care workers, our hospital systems and each other. These next few weeks are critical, and it will take all of us doing our part to stop the spread in Oklahoma.”

Seventh Amended EO 2020-07 extends all of the provisions in Executive Order 2020-07 to April 30th and applies to all 77 counties in Oklahoma.

The amended Executive Order provides for the following statewide measures:

• Closes all businesses not identified as being within a critical infrastructure sector, such as gyms, salons, massage parlors and movie theaters, where counties have community spread effective through April 30.
• Requires restaurants in all 77 counties to provide take-out and delivery options only and closes all bars through April 30.
• Postpones all elective surgeries, minor medical procedures and non-emergency dental procedures until April 30.
• Issues a statewide “Safer at Home” order for adults over the age of 65 and vulnerable individuals with serious underlying medical conditions until April 30.
• Prohibits visitations to nursing homes and long-term care facilities through April 30.
• Limits gatherings to no more than 10 people through April 30.

During the press conference, the governor announced the State has lifted some of the restrictions on who can be tested for COVID-19. The state now has 13,000 COVID-19 test kits available, and Oklahoma State University has opened its lab to process a minimum of 2,300 tests per day.

“Anyone with symptoms of COVID-19, or those who have been in direct contact with someone who has been diagnosed needs to be tested,” said Stitt. “One of the things that will help the modeling is more test results – that’s why it’s so important for our health care providers and our local health departments to test as many people as possible.”

The governor also announced that the state now has six drive-thru testing locations around Oklahoma, including ones that recently opened in Altus, Woodward and Lawton. A comprehensive list of testing sites can be found at coronavirus.health.ok.gov.

In addition, the governor provided an update on the modeling that state epidemiologists and experts from Oklahoma’s research universities are actively working to produce in order to provide accurate data to drive decisions regarding COVID-19.

The main model Governor Stitt talked about today comes from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME). The IHME model has also been frequently referenced by the White House Coronavirus Task Force.

The modeling underway with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and state research universities is still being finalized and the State will work with these institutes to help make them available once they have a final product.

To read Seventh Amended EO 2020-07, click here.

To watch the governor’s full press conference, click here.