South Dakota gov says 'we will not be social distancing' at July 3 celebration at Mount Rushmore

WASHINGTON — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem says the thousands of people who attend the July 3 celebration for Independence Day at Mount Rushmore with President Donald Trump will not be required to practice social distancing despite an increase in coronavirus cases across the country.

"We will have a large event at July 3rd. We told those folks that have concerns that they can stay home, but those who want to come and join us, we'll be giving out free face masks, if they choose to wear one. But we will not be social distancing," Noem, a Republican, said in an interview Monday night on Fox News' "The Ingraham Angle."

State officials have told the people of South Dakota "to focus on personal responsibility," said Noem, adding, "Every one of them has the opportunity to make a decision that they're comfortable with."

Trump is expected to attend the celebration and deliver remarks at the event, a day before the July Fourth holiday. Mount Rushmore is located within a national park in Keystone, S.D. The event will happen amid a surge in coronavirus infections across the U.S., which has caused some states including Texas to pull back on their plans to further reopen.

A website detailing information for the July 3 event says that "attendance will be limited" through an online lottery that occurred in June "to around 7,500 participants."

White the website for the celebration makes no mention of social distancing or providing face masks, the National Park Service says, "We ask the public to be our partner in adopting social distancing practices when visiting parks."

From the beginning of the pandemic, health and government officials have encouraged Americans to practice social distancing at a minimum of 6 feet. Officials have also been urging people to wear facial coverings to prevent further transmission of COVID-19.

On South Dakota’s Department of Health website, it says that in order to avoid the illness, people should "avoid close contact with people...stay at home as much as possible," and "put distance between yourself and other people.” It also says, “everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public."

Trump, for his part, has declined to wear a face mask throughout the pandemic. As of Sunday, there have been more than 2.5 million positive cases in the U.S. and a death toll of 126,332, according to NBC News' tally.