COVID-19 Task Force Added But No Rollback of Reopening In North Dakota

BISMARCK, N.D. — North Dakota leaders are looking at Cass County as an example of how a COVID-19 Task Force can help turn rising case numbers around.

Gov. Doug Burgum announcing a task force, similar to one in Cass, will be set up for Burleigh and Morton Counties where cases are skyrocketing.

“I saw some videos of bars at 1 a.m. this last Saturday night that got sent around on Snapchat,” said Burgum.

“You know there was not social distancing going on there was not nobody was wearing masks that’s a place where this could happen. People in Burleigh-Morton could say lets be really strict about social distancing for the next two weeks, you’d see a change in the numbers.”

The governor sharing a snapshot of a crowded party on the river in Bismarck-Mandan over the 4th as an example of not following social distancing rules.

Burgum is still against a statewide mask mandate and he is also not looking at closing bars and restaurants like they are doing in some states to curb the number of virus cases.

He is indicating that he does not plan to use executive powers to cancel the high school football season due to COVID-19.

Burgum says it will be up to local school officials to put into place safety measures including wearing face masks.