“Don’t Put Words In My Mouth”; Kristi Noem Pummels Reporter Into Silence For Asking About “Double Mask Mandates”

South Dakota GOP Governor Kristi Noem pummeled a reporter on Thursday afternoon for asking her about a double mask mandate.

Speaking at a press briefing, Noem slammed the idea of implementing a mandate that would require people to wear a second mask.

“That’s not what America’s about; that’s not what South Dakota is about,” she said.

This bizarre and laughable idea started a few weeks ago when federal health officials began suggesting that people wear a second mask to stop the spread of COVID-19.

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Noem also smacked the CDC for their changing positions, saying: “I choose to rely on science and data and facts. And masks can work in certain situations if you’re wearing the right kind and if you’re doing it appropriately, but I’m not going to mandate it.”

At the briefing, a reporter asked, “You’ve been resistant to implement mask mandates; you’re skeptical of their efficacy —”

Noem fired back, “I never said that, Joe. Don’t put words in my mouth. What I’ve said is the appropriate mask at the appropriate time, utilized correctly and kept sanitary can make a difference, but I also don’t believe it’s my role to mandate that people wear a mask. I’ve left, for the entire year, it up to personal responsibility to make the best decision for them and their families, and I’ll continue to do that.”

The reporter speculated, “So now that the CDC is recommending two masks —”

Noem interjected, “Well, the CDC has changed their recommendations many, many, many times. In fact, we’ve seen the CDC change their recommendations based on political pressure in the past. I choose to rely on science and data and facts. And masks can work in certain situations if you’re wearing the right kind and if you’re doing it appropriately, but I’m not going to mandate it. It’s not an argument over whether masks work or if they don’t work; I’ve never argued that.”

“What I argue is the mandate,” Noem stated. “I think the mandate is inappropriate, for someone to come in and mandate that somebody wear a mask. And I think it’s inappropriate for us to shame people who choose not to wear a mask. That’s not what America’s about; that’s not what South Dakota is about.

“So no double mask mandate in South Dakota?” the reporter queried.

Noem answered, “Not coming in South Dakota. So I will not be doing that. That’s for sure.”

WATCH:

There won't be a double mask mandate in South Dakota. pic.twitter.com/rXqi9eXt0W

— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) February 18, 2021

Even the pro-Biden mainstream media has been pushing the double mask theories.

The Washington Post reported on February 10:

Federal health officials Wednesday urged Americans to consider wearing two masks as one of several strategies to better protect themselves against the threat of more contagious variants of the coronavirus. Two methods substantially boost fit and protection, according to a CDC report and updated guidance on its website. One is wearing a cloth mask over a disposable surgical mask.

The second is improving the fit of a single surgical mask by knotting the ear loops and tucking in the sides close to the face to prevent air from leaking out around the edges and to form a closer fit.

The latest CDC guidelines recommend:

Improve Mask FitandFiltration by Wearing Two Masks (Wearing a “Double Mask”)

Wearing a second mask on top of a first mask (to create a “double mask”) can:

• Improve fit by pressing the inner mask closer to the face, thereby reducing the amount of air that leaks around the edges of the masks.
• Improve filtration by adding more layers of material to reduce the number of respiratory droplets containing the virus that come through the masks.

One way to do this is to wear a medical procedure mask underneath a cloth mask. A recent study conducted in a laboratory found that this “double mask” combination provided much better protection to the wearer and to others as compared with a cloth mask by itself or a medical procedure mask by itself.

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At this rate, the media and CDC may suggest three, four, or even five masks.