Chris Cuomo to Sioux Falls: ‘We’re here to help.’

CNN host Chris Cuomo offered help to Sioux Falls in securing needed personal protective equipment in the days ahead during an interview with Mayor Paul TenHaken.

Cuomo, who has been broadcasting from his basement after testing positive for COVID-19, interviewed TenHaken about the outbreak of cases at Smithfield Foods and the mayor’s desire for a stay at home order.

TenHaken was asked about how his opinion differs from Gov. Kristi Noem, who said today she will not put a stay at home order in place for Minnehaha and Lincoln counties.

“The density of our state is really in my two counties. A blanket shelter in place or stay at home order for our state does not make sense,” TenHaken said. “What I am seeing is based on the hotbed of cases in our city. We have a doubling rate of every four days for the past 18 days.”

TenHaken also addressed asking Smithfield to temporarily shut down.

“It’s gut-wrenching the effect on people who work there, the economy, the upstream and downstream supply chain,” he said.

Cuomo asked if the city had any needs as far as capacity to address the coming surge.

“It’s a little bit of a calm before the storm,” TenHaken said. “We’re kind of waiting for our surge. We’re in the first inning of that … It’s not a curve. It’s a spike and we need to get on top of that.”

Cuomo, whose brother is New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, said he would be giving TenHaken his contact information in case the city finds there’s a shortage of masks, gowns, gloves, foot coverings or other personal protective equipment.

“If you get in a PPE hole and you want to find fast resources, I’ll help you network through New York state and some of the other high volume states,” Cuomo said.

“We’re here to help. If I can get you guys resources, we’re all brothers and sisters in this.”

The interview is the latest in a series of national news reports about South Dakota’s approach to COVID-19 and the Smithfield hot spot.

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Chris Cuomo to Sioux Falls: ‘We’re here to help.’

CNN host Chris Cuomo offered help to Sioux Falls in securing needed personal protective equipment in the days ahead during an interview with Mayor Paul TenHaken.

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