Credit NIAID-RML Despite rapidly rising numbers of new COVID-19 infections, the City of Tulsa’s mitigation working group is not moving toward reimplementing a mask mandate. City Councilor Kara Joy McKee said there have been calls for that from the community. Right now, the city is going to focus on messaging and other actions that support the Tulsa Health Department’s work to to increase vaccination rates. Currently, 53% of county residents are fully vaccinated. "There was some real concern from some members of the working group that though masks work and we want everyone to properly wear them in crowds and indoors, as [THD Executive Director Dr. Bruce] Dart told us last week, we need increased vaccinations to get that big help that's essential to getting a grip on the Delta variant that is, frankly, whupping our butts, right?" McKee said.