Monday, May 17, 2021 - Visitors to the Sequoyah County Courthouse may have already noticed a change in what they are no longer required to wear when they enter the building.
Members of the Board of County Commissioners said Monday that they had recently lifted the order requiring all visitors to wear protective masks. With the number of COVID-19 cases in the Sooner State and the county steadily declining, they said, they felt the time was right to make the move.
In the past 24 hours, the number of active cases in Oklahoma dropped by 219 to a total of 2,135. The total number of cases in Sequoyah County since the pandemic began is 4,120, with 51 deaths
reported.
The City of Sallisaw is no longer requiring masks to be worn at its offices, either, City Manager Keith Skelton said Monday.
The decision to ease restrictions for visitors was followed late last week by a significant policy change by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which now says those fully inoculated against COVID-19 can go without masks and social distancing in public places.
The new CDC policy states that in general, people are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or two weeks after their single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
If you've been fully vaccinated, the CDC now says you can resume activities you did before the pandemic, without wearing a mask or staying 6 feet apart, except where required by federal, state or local regulations.
If you have a condition or are taking medications that weaken your immune system, you may not be fully protected even if you are fully inoculated. Talk to your health-care provider. Even after vaccination, you may need to continue taking all precautions.
Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer
For more news stories stay tuned to The MIX 105.1 or visit www.kxmx.com
