Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) sits next to President Donald Trump and Gov. of South Dakota Kristi Noem. Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images
As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country, many of the hardest-hit states are declining to take meaningful action to slow the spread, the New York Times reports.
The big picture: Governors, particularly Republicans, are resisting the kinds of restrictions that experts say are necessary to mitigate the virus.
- In South Dakota, Gov. Kristi Noem has written that "there is no way to stop the virus." In North Dakota, Gov. Doug Burgum said that when it comes to saving lives, "it's not a job for government, this is a job for everybody."
- Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has talked up the need for personal responsibility, and Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy told NYT that "there comes a point where people just say, 'I still have to live. I still have to work. I still have to have contact with my family.'"
The other side: Top White House coronavirus advisor Deborah Birx "sounded alarms Monday about a new and deadly phase in the health crisis, pleading with top administration officials for 'much more aggressive action,' even as President Trump continues to assure rallygoers the nation is 'rounding the turn' on the pandemic," WashPost reports.