WalletHub ranks South Dakota as state with fewest COVID-19 restrictions

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South Dakota was named as the state with fewest coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) restrictions among others in the United States, according to the updated ranking by personal-finance website WalletHub.

Based on the list released on Monday, October 5, South Dakota was followed by Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, and Iowa.

Meanwhile, the states with the most coronavirus restrictions are Hawaii, followed by California, Massachusetts, Maine, and New Jersey.

In an email, WalletHub said it compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 17 key metrics, including travel restrictions, state-wide school restart, and the reopening of restaurants and bars.

WalletHub has data set that range from whether the state implements any penalties for those who do not comply with COVID-19 legislation to whether it has required the use of face masks in public and health checks at restaurants.

Explaining how South Dakota became the top state with fewest COVID-19 restrictions, WalletHub analyst Jill Gonzalez said South Dakota is “one of just five states that have not taken any action on face coverings in public, and one of 15 states that have no limits on large gatherings.”

She added that South Dakota does not impose penalties or enforcement to those who do not follow the COVID-19 regulations and that it is “one of only 16 states where non-essential businesses are fully open.”

Gonzalez believes that states should strictly enforce their COVID-19 restrictions, adding that if there are no penalties for non-compliance, people would likely ignore the protocols.

“Fines are a good deterrent to make sure Americans follow COVID-19 restrictions, and enforcement will also minimize the need for citizens to play the police,” she said.

She also added that those states that have seen increases in the number of COVID-19-related deaths in their area should pause their reopening plans and implement extra preventative measures against the virus.

“It may be necessary to reinstitute lockdowns in some places at a micro level, in small communities that are experiencing especially high death and hospitalization rates,” Gonzalez said.