It was disappointing that Gov. Kevin Stitt did not mention the COVID-19 crisis in his State of the State address Thursday at a Tulsa Regional Chamber event.
The pandemic is the biggest threat facing Oklahoma; hospitalizations are growing along with the infection rate and deaths. This must be a high priority for our leaders.
This comes a day after the Tulsa City Council passed a watered-down and toothless resolution that encourages mask wearing. Even that is more than what most Oklahoma municipal officials are doing.
The contrast is educators stepping up to lead aggressively in the charge against the virus.
The same day as Stitt’s address, State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister opened a State Board of Education meeting by noting the COVID-related deaths of an eighth grader and a teacher in the state. She used that moment to encourage vaccinations and other prevention tools.
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Also, Tulsa Public Schools is implementing a mask requirement for staff and students in defiance of a new state law.
Three traditional school districts, four Oklahoma City-area charter schools, a tribally operated charter school and a campus of Lawton Public Schools implemented mask requirements. The districts may be in conflict with Senate Bill 658, which bans school mask mandates.
School officials are rightly choosing the safety of students and staff over following the law.
Make no mistake: Oklahoma is back in the thick of this pandemic. The backslide shows in all the data points.
This time around, the highly infectious delta variant is circulating, and children are being affected more drastically.
Right now, the state has the highest test positivity rate in the U.S., fourth highest in COVID-19 hospitalizations and 13th for new cases per capita.
As of Thursday, the three-day average showed 1,578 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, with 419 in intensive care. Of those, 66 were children, a steadily growing number since July.
Hospital officials have been holding regular press conferences begging the public to get vaccinated. Health care institutions are overwhelmed, some putting off nonemergency care and rerouting patients to out-of-state hospitals.
Stitt has not held a press conference about COVID-19 since March. We expected him to include an update in his address with a plan or encouragement for Oklahomans.
The state cannot thrive as long as the pandemic remains a worsening threat, and we need leaders to make this Oklahoma’s No. 1 concern.
Related video: State of the State Tulsa Regional Chamber luncheon
Gov. Kevin Stitt gives a State of the State address at the Tulsa Regional Chamber's luncheon
