Noem, a Republican who opposed mask mandates and many pandemic-related restrictions, paid tribute after Fox presenter Laura Ingraham favorably compared South Dakota’s health and economic performance to that of stricter New York. and controlled by Democrats. Ingraham then asked Noem why the media criticized her.
Noem said, “You know, Laura, I really think this is about control. They used fear, in the last year, to control people.” Noem continued that since “science” made it clear that it was impossible to stop the virus completely, just to slow it down and protect “vulnerable” people, she decided to “allow people to be flexible – take care of their families and still put food on the table. “
“This was a unique approach that, for our people, really worked well. We had tragedies and losses, but we also got over it better than almost any other state. And I think the media hates that,” Noem said. “Because it’s really a testament to what Republicans believe, what conservatives believe.”
It is true that South Dakota fared better than virtually all other states in an important economic measure – its seasonally adjusted December unemployment rate of 3.0% was compared to the best in the country – but Noem did not specify on Fox that this she was talking.
In addition, of course, no state is really “satisfied” with the pandemic. Although Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are all on the
decline in the USA, they are falling at record levels. On Wednesday, South Dakota reported three new deaths from coronavirus, 209 new cases and a total of 133 people currently hospitalized with the virus.
Noem’s comments discouraged Dr. Nancy Babbitt, a primary care physician in Rapid City, South Dakota. Babbitt told CNN that it is “medically painful” to see the governor celebrate her economic-focused decisions without explaining that these decisions caused “real pain and suffering” due to additional infections and additional deaths.
Noem supported some restrictions limited to the pandemic in 2020. But she has generally been a vocal opponent of restrictions and mandates, gaining the attention of the national media – and generating some speculation about the possibility of running for president in 2024 – in defending “freedom” “and” personal responsibility “.
Noem also endorsed large meetings without social distance. The coronavirus crisis in the fall of South Dakota came after the massive annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August, which Noem supported during the pandemic.
The numbers
South Dakota had 12,280 cases of coronavirus per 100,000 people on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins data – meaning that about 1 in 8 state residents were known to have the virus. (As in other states and countries, the actual number may be substantially higher.) North Dakota, with 12,851 cases per 100,000 population, was the only state with a worse per capita number; New York – which is much more populous and experienced its first major outbreak when the virus was least known – had 7,423 cases per 100,000 people.
South Dakota had 201 coronavirus deaths per 100,000 people on Thursday – meaning that about 1 in 500 people in the state died from the virus. Only New Jersey (244 deaths per 100,000 people), New York (227), Massachusetts (213), Mississippi (208) and Rhode Island (207) performed worse with this measure.
South Dakota had relatively few cases and deaths in the first half of 2020, when some other states, including New York, were already mired in a crisis. But South Dakota then had a massive autumn outbreak, with new cases peaking in November and new deaths in early December.
Noem spokesman Ian Fury told CNN that South Dakota experienced its pandemic peak in the fall and has since seen a huge improvement in its numbers, while the situation in other states has worsened since the fall. Given the difference at the time of each state’s outbreak, Fury said, it is difficult to make an “apples to apples” comparison at this time.
Fair enough – it is absolutely possible that South Dakota’s performance vis-à-vis other states will look slightly better in, say, three or six months. But there is simply no good argument now that South Dakota overcame the pandemic better, from a health standpoint, than virtually any other state.
So what was Noem bragging about at Fox? Fury said the governor’s comments were not only about public health, but also about the economy and the state budget.
Fury cited the state’s low unemployment rate that actually declined in 2020, the fact that the state has a fiscal surplus while some states that have imposed stricter restrictions are facing fiscal difficulties, and the fact that South Dakota is seeing an influx from residents of other states.
Fury also mentioned that South Dakota has been a national leader in how quickly it vaccinated residents against the virus, a fact that President Joe Biden’s government did
recognized.
Still, Noem did not explain at Fox that she was talking specifically about how well South Dakota fared in terms of financial measures or its pace of vaccination. She simply made a general statement that South Dakota fared better than any other state in overcoming the pandemic. This is a highly incomplete account of the state’s history.
