THD Director Urges Tulsa To Broaden Mask Mandate To Include Children

The Tulsa Health Department discussed with the City Council on Wednesday about the impact COVID-19 is having on the city, specifically among those under 18.

Doctor Bruce Dart, Executive Director of the Tulsa Health Department, recommended that the city broaden the mask mandate to include children. Dart said children ten and older can spread infection just as well as adults.

The health department said it's also starting to identify outbreaks at schools and universities.

Based on the numbers of positive cases they are seeing, he's recommending lowering the age requirement. 

He said people in Tulsa have been compliant with the mask mandate and if the age requirement is lowered, that could help with the positive cases. 

"I think to assure further compliance, having the mask mandate set down to ten years old I think we will see greater results from that, and hopefully less transmission amongst all of these groups," he said. 

Dart said the health department is also working on getting funding to make rapid testing available in schools.