Fargo, North Dakota, mayor clashes with governor over whether the state should require people to wear face masks as COVID-19 cases multiply in the state

- Several cities in North Dakota have enacted mask mandates as COVID-19 cases in the state continue to rise.
- The state’s governor has encouraged mask use but stopped short of enacting requirements, despite calls from some mayors.
- North Dakota was the first state to surpass 100 cases per 100,000 residents.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
COVID-19 cases in North Dakota continue to surge and while different cities have chosen to enact face mask requirements, Gov. Doug Burgum has been hesitant to order a statewide mandate.
In October, the city of Fargo mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney enacted a citywide rule instructing everyone in the city to don a mask indoors and outdoors if they are with people who are not members of their own household. While there is no punishment for ignoring that requirement, Mahoney says he said people are cooperating with the mandate.
“We found great compliance. So what’s happened is the businesses now kind of blame the mayor for saying you got to wear a mask in their business so they don’t really irritate their client,” Mahoney told Business Insider. “It’s more that, well, the mayor says you got to do it, so you gotta do it.”
Currently, …continued .
[Source: Business Insider]