Prairie Public NewsRoom
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Burgum: Businesses will be re-opened slowly, when the time comes

There remains a lot of uncertainty about when businesses closed because of the coronavirus will be able to re-open.

But Gov. Doug Burgum said perhaps more important than when -- is how.

Burgum said businesses had to be closed quickly because of the pandemic. But he told reporters a key will be to open things up slowly.

"That's so we don't end up creating an unforecasted spike, because suddenly we're 'back to normal,'" Burgum said, "We won't have normal -- we will have a new normal."

Burgum said when bars and restaurants re-open, there will likely be some occupancy limits at first, but easing over time.

"I've compared it to turning on a spigot," Burgum said. "We shut it down hard. But when we open it up, we will have to open it slowly, and see what results from that."

Burgum said he hopes to put a team together to come up with a re-opening strategy.

Related Content