BISMARCK — North Dakota’s statewide mask mandate will expire at 8 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 18, as COVID-19 cases continue to drop in the state.
Medical professionals have widely credited North Dakota’s mask mandate with reducing the spread of COVID-19 in the state, but Gov. Doug Burgum said on Friday, Jan. 15, he believes “personal responsibility” can carry North Dakota through the rest of the pandemic.
The Republican governor said the state still strongly encourages residents to wear masks in public, noting that “the science doesn’t change when the mandate goes away.” Burgum also acknowledged that residents should continue to comply with local mask mandates, like one that Fargo leaders recently extended until mid-February.