[2] The state did not utilize mitigation strategies such as stay-at-home orders or mandating face masks in public spaces, with Governor of South Dakota Kristi Noem citing a desire to respect residents' personal freedoms and responsibilities, and disputing studies demonstrating their efficacy.
In October 2020, amid record cases and hospitalizations in the state, Noem told her Legislature that she had received praise from a "prominent national reporter" for not imposing a lockdown.
The absence of state-wide action has faced criticism from local officials, and prompted health orders to be issued at the municipal level instead of statewide.
The first major outbreak in the state was centered upon at Smithfield Foods processing plant in Sioux Falls in April 2020, causing Minnehaha County to have over 3,000 confirmed cases alone by May 11.
[1] On March 10, 2020, Governor Kristi Noem's office announced the first four cases, and one death in a man in his 60s with underlying health conditions; all patients had recently traveled outside South Dakota.
Noem downplayed the possibility that the event could lead to new outbreaks, arguing that the state "[hasn't] even come close to reaching the capacity of the amount of people that we can take care of.
[13] Although the rally itself was classified by infectious disease professor Carlos del Rio as being of a relatively lower risk due to it being an outdoor event, concerns were raised that attendees would engage in indoor gatherings at bars and restaurants, and that travelers could potentially export COVID-19 cases back to their home states.
[16] Footage of a concert at Buffalo Chip Campground as part of the festivities showed wide defiance of mask-wearing and social distancing, and Smash Mouth lead singer Steve Harwell telling the audience to "fuck that COVID shit".
[17][18] Public health notices were issued regarding possible exposures at a bar and a tattoo parlor in Sturgis, and a restaurant in Hill City, recommending that visitors monitor for symptoms.
[23][24] The Sturgis Rally and other public events, including concerts at the Sioux Empire Fair, the return to school, and exposures at local businesses, resulted in a surge of new COVID-19 cases in South Dakota.
Noem also criticized media outlets for reporting on the study, describing it as a "fiction" based on "incredibly faulty assumptions that do not reflect the actual facts and data here in South Dakota.
[38] By December 7, the state's seven-day average had begun to decline, with South Dakota ranking third behind Rhode Island and Minnesota in new cases per-capita nationwide.
[40] On December 21, Avera Health reported that South Dakota had the highest mortality rate of all U.S. states over the past week, second-highest test positivity, and was 14th in new hospitalizations.
[43][44] An executive order was issued to encourage social distancing, remote work, and following the CDC guideline of capping enclosed spaces to 10 people at a time.
[45] On April 6, Noem ordered vulnerable residents of Lincoln and Minnehaha counties who are 65 years of age or older or have a chronic condition to stay home until further notice.
[49] In late-April 2020, Noem unveiled a "Back to Normal plan", which contains guidance for migrating from the previous recommendations in areas where the rate of new cases had lessened.
[55] During a special session of the South Dakota Legislature on October 5, Noem stated that a "very prominent national reporter" had praised her for "[standing] against" lockdowns and proving they were "useless".
"; Noem replied, thanking Trump for giving her government "the flexibility to respect Freedom and personal responsibility", and arguing that they made decisions "based on science, facts, and data".
[57] On December 7, 2020, Noem published an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal, which defended and addressed criticism of her approach by comparing South Dakota to larger states with stricter mitigation measures.
[38] She also stated that despite having mandated masks in June, New Jersey "still has had the most deaths in the country per capita", and that "over the last two weeks of November, its hospitalizations increased by 34 percent, a six-month high".
[38] In regards to New Jersey, Blake noted that the state had the highest mortality rate per-capita overall, but that the majority of these deaths took place in the early stage of the pandemic prior to the mask mandate.
[74][75] On May 8, Governor Noem sent letters to the two tribes' leaders, declaring the checkpoints illegal for "interfering with or regulating traffic on US and state highways" without permission, and threatening a federal lawsuit if not removed.
[82] Since August 26, the South Dakota Department of Health has released case numbers for universities on a weekly basis, including data for individual schools.