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Burgum: Statewide mask mandate to be lifted Monday

Gov. Doug Burgum said Friday that he will allow a statewide mask mandate and occupancy limits for bars, banquets, and events to expire as of 8 a.m. Monday.

Burgum said he is lifting the mandates because the numbers of cases of the new coronavirus have declined in recent weeks.

Burgum said local requirements for mask wearing in schools, businesses, and local government buildings could still remain in effect, as decisions will be made by each jurisdiction. The occupancy limits will become guidelines rather than requirements.

Burgum urged people to continue exercising “personal responsibility” regarding when to wear a mask if it is not possible to remain at a distance and to take other precautions against the transmission of the virus.

Burgum had announced the mandates Nov. 14 in response to a surge in coronavirus cases and deaths in the state.

As of Friday, there were 1,675 active cases in the state and 1,373 deaths from the new coronavirus. Some 92,551 people in the state have had the virus at some point and have recovered. That amounts to about 1 in 600 North Dakotans who have died of the virus.

The disease has been a major killer worldwide, with some two million dead of the virus around the world. Nearly 400,000 people in the United States have thus far died of the virus and cases are surging in other parts of the country. Some of those who have recovered have experienced lingering, sometimes debilitating, health conditions. Burgum also noted that a more contagious variant of the virus is in Minnesota and is likely now also in North Dakota. President-elect Joe Biden announced a proposed ambitious aid package to combat the virus along with ramping up production and delivery of vaccines across the country, though supply is currently limited.

Vaccinations against the virus have begun and thus far 52,955 first doses of the vaccine have been administered out of 76,275 that the state has received. Vaccine is limited and people are being vaccinated by priority group. Health care workers who worked directly with coronavirus patients were immunized first and people in nursing homes came next. Some health care providers in the state are now vaccinating people who are 75 or older, which could take up to a month. People will be vaccinated according to priority group, which has been determined based on whether they live in a group facility, their age, and health conditions.

Doctors have said the vaccine is safe and serious complications have been very rare. However, people who are vaccinated are still advised to take precautions like wearing masks, social distancing and quarantines for the time being. It will take time for immunity to build after receiving the vaccine. People who have already had the coronavirus are advised to get the vaccine.

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