Organizations Join Behind Mask Up South Dakota

Organizations Join Behind ‘Mask Up South Dakota’

A group of organizations in South Dakota have joined to recommend and promote masking as COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations surge throughout the state and wider region.

Behind a simple message of “Mask Up South Dakota” and a hash tag of #MaskUpSoDak, these organizations include the South Dakota State Medical Association (SDSMA), Monument Health based in Rapid City, Avera Health and Sanford Health based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota Nurses Association (SDNA), South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO), South Dakota Municipal League, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce, Associated School Boards of South Dakota, and School Administrators of South Dakota and the Great Plains Tribal Leaders Health Board.

This group supports keeping South Dakota open, and the safest way to do that is to practice good hygiene, social distancing and wearing masks. This group is not seeking a mask mandate from government, but rather is calling on South Dakotans to help manage health care resources and workforce so our state’s health systems can help those who need to be hospitalized.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has affirmed that wearing masks can help communities slow the spread of COVID-19 when worn consistently and correctly by a majority of people in public settings. Masks are most effective when used along with other preventive measures, including social distancing, frequent handwashing, and cleaning and disinfecting.

Increased cases and hospitalizations place a greater burden on health care facilities and health care workers, and is taking a toll on individuals, families and workplaces.

This group is asking South Dakota residents for a renewed and greater commitment to follow a list of preventive practices recommended by the CDC:

Wear a mask to cover your mouth and nose when around others.
Practice social distancing – put six feet of space (two arm lengths) between yourself and people who don’t live in your household.
Practice good hand hygiene – wash hands often and use hand sanitizer.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
Stay home when you’re sick or have been exposed to the virus (except to get medical care).
Cover your cough and sneezes.
Monitor your health daily and watch for symptoms such as fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

In addition to the group of organizations listed above, these organizations also support this effort:

AARP South Dakota
Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce
American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Black Hills District Medical Society
Black Hills District of the South Dakota Dental Association
Brookings Health System
Community HealthCare Association of the Dakotas (CHAD)
District 7 Medical Society (Sioux falls & surrounding communities)
Humphreys Forum: A Collaboration of Sioux Falls Infectious Disease Physicians
Huron District Medical Society
Immunize South Dakota
Mitchell District Medical Society
Pierre District Medical Society
Prairie Lakes Healthcare System
South Dakota Academy of Family Physicians
South Dakota Academy of Ophthalmology
South Dakota Association of Nurse Anesthetists
South Dakota Chapter, American Academy of Pediatrics
South Dakota Chapter, American College of Emergency Physicians
South Dakota Chapter, American College of Physicians
South Dakota Chapter, American College of Surgeons
South Dakota Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
South Dakota Emergency Nurses Association
South Dakota Health Care Association
South Dakota Pathology Society
South Dakota Pharmacists Association
South Dakota Psychiatric Association
South Dakota Public Health Association
South Dakota Section, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
South Dakota Society of Anesthesiologists
South Dakota Society for Respiratory Care
Southeastern District of the South Dakota Dental Association
Southern District of the South Dakota Dental Association

Yankton District Medical Society