Commissioner of Health Dr. Lance Frye issued the following statement regarding Oklahoma surpassing 10,000 provisional deaths due to COVID-19:
 “We are sorry to report that as of today, we have lost over 10,000 Oklahomans to COVID-19. This count represents the lives of our friends, neighbors and loved ones, and any number of deaths will always be too many.
 We have the tools in our hands right now to prevent further loss of life. As more transmissible variants, such as the Delta variant, emerge, we urge Oklahomans to remain vigilant about protecting themselves from this deadly virus.
 Safe and effective vaccines are readily available to help prevent instances of severe illness and death. We encourage all eligible individuals to get vaccinated as soon as possible, especially as we approach the holiday season, a time when there is increased risk of transmission in our communities.
 We also encourage the use of other mitigation efforts, such as the 3 W’s, to protect yourself, particularly in crowded indoor environments.
 If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, please seek out testing to protect your close contacts.”