The afternoon of March 24, Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt issued a new version of his prior Executive Order (the "Fourth Amended" version) addressing the COVID-19 outbreak in Oklahoma. In this version, which you can find here, Governor Stitt imposes the first real restrictions on Oklahomans in ¶¶ 17-21.
Paragraph 17 directs "vulnerable individuals" - defined as people "with serious underlying medical conditions" and any adult over 65 - to stay in their homes UNLESS:
a) They are working in a "critical infrastructure sector" as defined by the US Department of Homeland Security in this document, or
b) They are on an "essential errand" - "those errands which are critical to everyday life and includes obtaining medication, groceries, gasoline, and visiting medical providers."
This prohibition applies statewide, and lasts through April 24, 2020 (thirty days from issuance of the Order).
Paragraph 18 directs that all "elective surgeries, minor medical procedures, and non-emergency dental procedures" be postponed beyond April 7, 2020. This provision also applies statewide.
Paragraph 19 prohibits "social gatherings" of more than 10 people. "Social gatherings" are not defined, and businesses within the "critical infrastructure sector" are directed to "take all reasonable steps to comply with this Order and protect their employees, workers, and patrons." From that language, it would appear that the Governor intends "social gatherings" to include work. Also of note is that it does not require non-"critical" businesses to do anything; at a guess, this appears to be a case of poor draftsmanship. In any event, whatever this prohibits applies statewide, and lasts through April 24, 2020.
Paragraph 21 prohibits visitors at "nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and retirement homes." This provision applies statewide thru April 24, 2020.
Finally, Paragraph 20 requires the closing of "all businesses not identified as being within a critical infrastructure sector" within a county identified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health on its website as having COVID-19 cases (currently 19 counties, listed here, but this list will undoubtedly grow) until April 16, 2020. The list of "critical" businesses is too lengthy to reproduce here; refer to the document linked above if you need to know. The way this provision is written, its reach will expand automatically upon confirmation of COVID-19 infections in each county.
So that's what happened today. Tune in tomorrow for (no doubt) further developments.
Paragraph 17 directs "vulnerable individuals" - defined as people "with serious underlying medical conditions" and any adult over 65 - to stay in their homes UNLESS:
a) They are working in a "critical infrastructure sector" as defined by the US Department of Homeland Security in this document, or
b) They are on an "essential errand" - "those errands which are critical to everyday life and includes obtaining medication, groceries, gasoline, and visiting medical providers."
This prohibition applies statewide, and lasts through April 24, 2020 (thirty days from issuance of the Order).
Paragraph 18 directs that all "elective surgeries, minor medical procedures, and non-emergency dental procedures" be postponed beyond April 7, 2020. This provision also applies statewide.
Paragraph 19 prohibits "social gatherings" of more than 10 people. "Social gatherings" are not defined, and businesses within the "critical infrastructure sector" are directed to "take all reasonable steps to comply with this Order and protect their employees, workers, and patrons." From that language, it would appear that the Governor intends "social gatherings" to include work. Also of note is that it does not require non-"critical" businesses to do anything; at a guess, this appears to be a case of poor draftsmanship. In any event, whatever this prohibits applies statewide, and lasts through April 24, 2020.
Paragraph 21 prohibits visitors at "nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and retirement homes." This provision applies statewide thru April 24, 2020.
Finally, Paragraph 20 requires the closing of "all businesses not identified as being within a critical infrastructure sector" within a county identified by the Oklahoma State Department of Health on its website as having COVID-19 cases (currently 19 counties, listed here, but this list will undoubtedly grow) until April 16, 2020. The list of "critical" businesses is too lengthy to reproduce here; refer to the document linked above if you need to know. The way this provision is written, its reach will expand automatically upon confirmation of COVID-19 infections in each county.
So that's what happened today. Tune in tomorrow for (no doubt) further developments.
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