Some Business Owners Cautiously Optimistic As Tulsa Mask Mandate Expected To Expire

Tulsa Mayor G.T Bynum said the city's mask mandate will likely end on April 30. Mayor Bynum said he supports the end of the mandate, if COVID-19 numbers keep trending down.

"It's fun to have people in the store again,” Lambrusco’z owner Nancy Bruce said.

Business has been good recently at Lambrusco'z in Tulsa. Bruce said there's no better time than now to make sure her 22 employees are wearing masks.

"They are face to face with people all day and I feel like we were fortunate that we didn't have COVID at the store,” Bruce said.

She said if the mandate is allowed to expire on April 30, you can expect to see a new sign in front that will only encourage mask wearing, not require it.

“We won't bully people into wearing masks, I know a lot of people have been vaccinated, it's up to them, I will still offer masks, I'll still suggest you wear one,” Bruce said.

If it expires, Mayor G.T. Bynum said it will end the mandate for masks in public places, the spacing requirement in restaurants, and the requirement of safety plans for events with more than 150 people.

However, the executive order requiring all restaurant and bar employees to wear masks at work and requiring an approved safety plan for events of more than 500 people will remain in place.

But not everyone thinks lifting the mandate is a good idea.

"I'm just afraid we will see an increase again,” Jerry Jackson said.

Tulsa resident Jerry Jackson believes April 30th is a little too soon.

"We have been doing it for a long time, I like the thought about hanging on a little longer, I know it's a hassle,” Jackson said.

Mayor Bynum said it's important that all restaurant and bar employees wear masks at work until we reach herd immunity.