Brookings City Council Has Voted To Extend COVID Restrictions

With over 25,000 residents Brookings is the 4th largest city in South Dakota. COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations have been rising at an alarming rate in the state.

On Tuesday night, the Brookings City Council voted to extend COVID-19 pandemic restrictions hoping to slow the spread of the virus.

Dakota News Now says the regulations in Brookings will continue for another 60 days. The restrictions include a mandate requiring masks to be worn in all indoor businesses and public spaces where social distancing is not possible.

On Tuesday it was announced that Sioux Falls City Councilor Curt Soehl will be bringing a mask mandate before the council for consideration. Sioux Falls and Minnehaha county have seen substantial Community Spread of COVID-19 for many consecutive days.

Even though South Dakota Gov. Kristin Noem has not endorsed the wearing of masks to help prevent the spread of the virus, a new “Mask Up South Dakota” campaign has started up in the state.

According to Avera.org the organizations that support the #maskupsodak effort include:

• AARP South Dakota
• Associated School Boards of South Dakota
• South Dakota State Medical Assn.
• Monument HealthCare
• Avera Health
• Sanford Health
• American Cancer Society
• American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
• Black Hills District Medical Society
• Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD)
• District 7 Medical Society (Sioux falls & surrounding communities)
• Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce
• Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board
• Huron District Medical Society
• Humphreys Forum: A Collaboration of Sioux Falls Infectious Disease Physicians
• Immunize South Dakota
• Mitchell District Medical Society
• Pierre District Medical Society
• School Administrators of South Dakota
• South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians
• South Dakota Academy of Ophthalmology
• South Dakota Chamber of Commerce
• South Dakota Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
• South Dakota Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians
• South Dakota Chapter, American College of Physicians
• South Dakota Chapter, American College of Surgeons
• South Dakota Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• South Dakota Pathology Society
• South Dakota Pharmacy Association
• South Dakota Psychiatric Association
• South Dakota Public Health Association
• South Dakota Nurses Association
• South Dakota Section, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• South Dakota Society of Anesthesiologists
• Yankton District Medical Society