Gov. Kristi Noem (R) has cited the choice to wear a mask as a “personal decision.”
South Dakota is currently leading the U.S. in COVID-19 outbreaks, with a daily positivity rate of about 12.2 percent and hitting a record high of 1,821 new cases on Nov. 12 alone — both indicators of the rampant virus outbreak in the state.
Despite the severity of the outbreak, state leadership has still declined to implement a mandatory mask requirement. Instead, the state has “encouraged” South Dakotans to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines and use a mask while in public.
Evidence of masks being effective at preventing COVID-19 transmission has steadily grown over the course of the pandemic, prompting the CDC to formally recommend wearing masks.
Still, Gov. Kirsti Noem (R) has not issued a mandatory mask order, and The Associated Press reports she has no intention to change course. Spokesperson Maggie Seidel told reporters that the public health protocols adopted by some states are broadly ineffective.
“The facts are simple: mask mandates, harsh lockdowns, massive testing and contact tracing haven’t worked – in the United States or abroad,” Seidel reportedly wrote in an email.
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South Dakota governor refuses to mandate masks despite record-breaking coronavirus spike https://t.co/9h0bvSo8zc pic.twitter.com/fRu5Z0S2cq
— The Hill (@thehill) November 23, 2020
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