South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told Fox News on Friday that states shouldn’t “lay down mandates” to protect against the spread of the coronavirus during the ongoing pandemic.
"I think what we did here in South Dakota is really remarkable because we gave people their freedom," Noem told “Fox & Friends” in an interview. "We let the businesses stay open, we let people go to work, we told them to be smart, and we also asked them to be personally responsible. And, we're seeing benefits of that each and every day in South Dakota."
South Dakota has reported 7,694 cases of the coronavirus, with 757 hospitalizations, in a state with roughly 884,000 residents.
"We did, in fact, we, according to the national experts, did everything wrong," she added. "We did what the people on the ground saw. We aggressively addressed those situations, and came out better for it.
"So, I really think the people of South Dakota stepped up. They did the right thing and they trusted me. I trusted them and they made the right decision.”
Noem added, "Trust your people. Don't lay down mandates that are going to hinder the ability that they need to really get through this difficult time.
"Trust them, give them the facts, let them make decisions that are right for their families,"
Theodore Bunker ✉
Theodore Bunker, a Newsmax writer, has more than a decade covering news, media, and politics.
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