OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – Over 1,200 Oklahomans are calling upon Gov. Kevin Stitt to extend and expand his executive orders to protect state residents during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Save Our State, a grassroots group with more than 53,000 members in their Facebook group, will send a letter to Stitt “urging immediate expansion and extension of his executive orders to protect the lives of every Oklahoman as the state nears its projected peak in the coronavirus crisis,” according to a news release issued by the group.
The letter will include signatures from over 1,200 state residents who want Stitt to extend and expand his executive orders.
Stitt, on Wednesday, extended his ‘Safer At Home’ order until May 6, but that extension only pertains to the most vulnerable populations in the state, including elderly residents and community members who have compromised immune systems.
Save Our State members say the parameters of the extension are not sufficient to protect all Oklahomans.
“Yesterday, while the governor did extend his recommendation for those over the age of 65 or with underlying health conditions to remain at home for a few more days, he failed to commit to both extending this executive order to include ALL Oklahomans and extending the closure of non-essential businesses past April 30th,” the news release states. “The IMHE model the Governor cited during his press conference shows that the state will hit its peak between April 26th and May 6th. To rescind his executive orders in the middle of the peak of this wave of the COVID crisis in our state would prove disastrous.”
IHME data indicates that Oklahoma could experience a dramatic rise in the number of deaths related to COVID-19.
The IHME graph predicted last week that Oklahoma would see 697 deaths related to the virus by August 4.
That August 4 projection now stands at 929 deaths.
“Simply put, we can and must do more to save lives before our peak date hits,” Save Our State members said in the news release.
Members of Save Our State said in the news release that they recognize the severe economic strain that the crisis is placing on residents across the state.
“In times of crisis, however, Oklahomans have always banded together to lift one another up; and we will do that again now,” the organization said. “We can recover jobs and re-strengthen our economy. We cannot recover lives.”
The letter is still open to gather signatures, and the group will host a virtual rally at 8:30 p.m. on their Facebook page.
Continued Coronavirus Coverage