City of Vinita
The Vinita City Council voted Tuesday night to approve a mandatory mask ordinance similar to the ones adopted by Tulsa, Jenks, and other Green Country municipalities meant to help slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.
According to the Oklahoma State Medical Association, which supports mask mandates on both the local and state levels, Vinita is now one of at least 33 municipalities in the state to have enacted such an ordinance.
Dr. Terry Horton said Vinita's Saint Francis Hospital was struggling under the weight of the pandemic.
"Sometimes when you're watching TV you have a little trouble believing that things are as bad as you hear. I just wanted to make sure that everybody understands that it is as bad as you hear," Horton said.