Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken.
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO.com) — Sioux Falls mayor Paul TenHaken said he is not considering a mask mandate despite a surge of coronavirus cases in the area.
The mayor said on KELO’s The Greg Belfrage Show a mandate would “fracture this community and create a firestorm around the politicization of masks that we just quite simply don’t need right now.”
South Dakota’s COVID-19 test positivity rate is No. 1 in the nation, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center. Sioux Falls hospitals are particularly important since the bulk of coronavirus patients sent there come from other cities.
TenHaken said cases in Sioux Falls and across South Dakota were “absolutely surging,” adding “it’s why you’ve been hearing me preach the last week or two [for] really enhanced diligence.”
TenHaken said South Dakota’s hands-off approach to the pandemic means “there are some things we have to do differently. And that means doubling down on messaging, really putting the onus on individuals, and saying, ‘Hey, this is great, don’t you enjoy this great state we live in? That comes with a little bit of responsibility for you as a citizen to help us maintain this great environment that we enjoy.”
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