OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An emergency rule by Gov. Kevin Stitt allows Oklahoma hospitals to renovate conference rooms and other areas to care for COVID-19 patients, the state's health commissioner said Friday.

The rule is not an emergency declaration, which would allow state schools to implement mask mandates, said Dr. Lance Frye, adding he is not convinced one is needed.

"We strictly looked at what do we need to respond (to the virus surge) and is there anything that was ... accomplished before in our emergency declaration that we can't do now," Frye said.

"We are good where we are right now as f...