Convoy Rolls Through Oklahoma City to Protest COVID-19 Mandates

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)— A group of truck drivers called “The People’s Convoy,” trekked through Oklahoma City on Sunday.

The convoy started in Adelanto, California on Wednesday and is making its way to the Washington D.C. area with the mission to peacefully protest against COVID-19 mandates, as well as ending the state of emergency declared in 2020.

“The last 23 months of the COVID-19 pandemic have been a rough road for all Americans to travel: spiritually, emotionally, physically, and — not least — financially,” said The People’s Convoy in a press release. “With the advent of the vaccine and workable therapeutic agents… it is now time to re-open the country.”

As the convoy came through the metro Sunday, Oklahoman’s lined the highways in support.

“We live in America, we have the freedom to do what we want. We have medical freedom, and nothing should come in the way of that,” said Scott Spivey, a convoy supporter.

David Barnes, another supporter, told KFOR “the convoy is just basically a statement of people that are uniting across the country.” He added he was there to “support our freedom and the Constitution.”

CDC to significantly loosen pandemic mask guidelines Friday
On Friday, the CDC eased its guidelines. The new guidelines say 70% of the U.S. population is in counties where the coronavirus is considered to be posing a low or medium threat to hospitals. Therefore, people living there don’t need to wear a mask indoors.

The agency is still advising that people, including schoolchildren, wear masks where the risk of COVID-19 is high. That’s the situation in about 37% of U.S. counties, where about 28% of Americans reside.

Oklahoma State Medical Association President, Mary Clarke, sent KFOR a statement saying in part, “though many of the mandates have been halted, COVID is not over. It’s still crucial for people to be COVID-aware, continue to be vaccinated, wear masks in crowded areas – especially if they are at risk of severe infection – and wash hands frequently.”

The total number of COVID-related deaths in the United States is approaching one-million since the pandemic began nearly two years ago.