North Dakota governor OKs having nurses infected with coronavirus keep working

In this April 10, 2020, file photo, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum speaks at the state Capitol in Bismarck, N.D. North Dakota and South Dakota have the nation’s worst rate of coronavirus deaths per capita in the last 30 days. Despite advances in treating coronavirus patients, hundreds more people in the Dakotas have died in recent weeks than during any other time of the pandemic. (Mike McCleary/The Bismarck Tribune via AP, File)

by: Associated Press

Posted: Nov 12, 2020 / 08:52 AM PST

Updated: Nov 12, 2020 / 08:52 AM PST

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The North Dakota Nurses Association says it doesn’t support a move to allow health care workers who have tested positive for the coronavirus but don’t have symptoms to remain on the job.

Gov. Doug Burgum supports the idea to ease stress both on hospitals and medical personnel amid skyrocketing coronavirus cases in North Dakota. Burgum says hospital administrators asked for the action and interim State Health Officer Dirk Wilke amended an order to allow it to take effect.

The nurses’ association says guidance from the CDC says the decision should be left to the positive nurse whether to work. The association says other measures, such as mask wearing, should be used to reduce the demand on the health care system before implementing this strategy.

Burgum, a Republican, has not supported a statewide mask mandate. Instead, he’s stressed personal responsibility.

North Dakota has the highest number of new coronavirus cases per capita in the nation, according to Johns Hopkins data, with one in every 83 residents testing positive in the past week.