SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Entering the fifth week of the COVID-19 emergency response, Mayor Paul TenHaken said the city of Sioux Falls is ramping up mitigation practices this week.

On Monday, TenHaken announced a ‘Safer at Home’ executive proclamation for people in Sioux Falls. The proclamation gives an outline of expectations for residents and businesses to focus on social distancing.

TenHaken said homes should designate one shopper per household. Kids should not be brought along to stores if possible and people returning to Sioux Falls from travel should self quarantine.

The proclamation also asks people in Sioux Falls who are over 2-years-old and without breathing problems to wear cloth masks when in public. It also calls for businesses to limit the number of people in stores to 20% of occupancy, similar to what Walmart has issued for stores nationwide.

If you don’t follow the rules, you aren’t going to be arrested. They can’t be enforced. They’re just recommendations.

TenHaken also announce the city council will look at more COVID-19 measures at its next meeting.

Earlier on Monday, TenHaken and more than 160 other city and county leaders signed a letter calling for Gov. Kristi Noem to declare a public health emergency so local leaders could have more power to respond to the fluid situation.

Positive cases of COVID-19 increased to 104 in Minnehaha County and 23 in Lincoln County over the weekend. There have been 22 combined recoveries in the two counties. New numbers will be released before noon on Monday by the state health department.

TenHaken said city leaders are closely watching the metric of “case doubling rate.”

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