Not to worry, South Dakota is standing firm on no need for a mandate.

I [www.washingtonpost.com]

BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum ordered a statewide mask mandate and imposed several business restrictions late Friday in an effort to contain the spread of the coronavirus that has stressed the state’s hospital capacity.

The Republican governor’s executive order comes after increased pressure from doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to require face coverings. The directive goes into effect Saturday and will last until Dec. 13.

Burgum said in a statement that doctors and nurses “need our help, and they need it now.”

The mandate requires residents to wear face coverings in indoor businesses and indoor public settings, as well as outdoor public settings where physical distancing isn’t possible.

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Failure to comply with the mandate is an infraction, with a penalty of up to $1,000, though it’s not clear how the order will be enforced.

Burgum also directed all bars and restaurants to limit capacity to 50%, and closed all in-person service between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Large-scale venues also are limited to 25% capacity.

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One in every 81 people in North Dakota have tested positive for the virus in the past week.

The number of North Dakota patients currently hospitalized was 293 on Friday, down one from Thursday. There were 1,354 new recoveries reported, bringing the total number to 49,409 since the pandemic began.

There were only nine staffed intensive care beds and 160 staffed inpatient beds available in the state on Friday.

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Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.

It's almost like living off the grid, were it not for oilfield and USAF income -- the entire state would be off the grid.

My home state. Back then, it was also red, but quietly, rationally red, often choosing Dems for senators and other statewide offices.

Now it seems to have gone bonkers, off-the-rails, denying-reality, Trumpian red.

Read the other day, it was only a brief mention in a larger story, that the nursing shortage in N.D. is so acute they are being asked to show up for work so long as they are “only” asymptotic with Covid.

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deckeda
Read the other day, it was only a brief mention in a larger story, that the nursing shortage in N.D. is so acute they are being asked to show up for work so long as they are “only” asymptotic with Covid.

Absolutely true. It’s just nutz.

if you are going to name ND then include SD in the list of unreasonable, thoughtless governors.

ymmv

stay well.

rob

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pdq

Quote
deckeda
Read the other day, it was only a brief mention in a larger story, that the nursing shortage in N.D. is so acute they are being asked to show up for work so long as they are “only” asymptotic with Covid.

Absolutely true. It’s just nutz.

Asked? I thought they were told to do it.

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