South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, another Republican, said the infection rate has slowed in her state with only voluntary safety measures in place, the AP reported.
“South Dakota is not New York City,” Noem told reporters Wednesday, according to the Argus Leader of Sioux Falls. “The calls to apply a one-size-fits-all approach is herd mentality, it’s not leadership.”
Even in a time of crisis, Americans’ personal freedoms were paramount, she added.
“The people themselves are primarily responsible for their safety," Noem said. "They are the ones that are entrusted with expansive freedoms. They're free to exercise their rights to work, to worship, and to play. Or to even stay at home, or to conduct social distancing.”