South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem Coronavirus Town Hall

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R), along with other state officials, participated in a town hall on South Dakota Public Broadcasting, taking questions on the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Several topics were discussed, including the state’s mitigation efforts, the medical equipment needed for the state, the impact the virus has had on their economy, and the state being used for hydroxychloroquine trials. They also discussed the coronavirus outbreak at the Smithfield meatpacking plant, in which 518 employees tested positive, as well as 126 close contacts of those employees who also tested positive for the virus. When asked about a statewide “stay-at-home” order, Governor Noem said that she was looking at the data, but “it just hasn’t been an appropriate move for South Dakota.” close