Gov. Kristi Noem: COVID and South Dakota one year later -- what guided our approach from Day One

But today, I want to talk about the tragedies that South Dakota didn't have.

Because we let South Dakota kids learn in the classroom, our children didn't fall behind in their education like we've seen happen in so many states. Because we didn't shut our state down, our businesses weathered the virus better than any state in the country. And because we balanced fighting the virus with maintaining social, economic, and mental health, South Dakota didn't see an increase in suicide rates.

South Dakota schools are no different than schools everywhere else in America. But we approached the pandemic differently. Our priority was the students; their well-being; their education. And when it was time to go back to school in the fall, we put our kids in the classroom.

Teachers, parents, and the students themselves were of one mind: to make things work for our children. And the best way to do that was to get them back in the classroom. Together, we got it done, and our kids have been in school since the fall.

In January 2020, I declared South Dakota "Open for Business." If we're being honest, COVID-19 put that declaration to the ultimate test, but we successfully responded to the virus without compromising that promise.

I never ordered a single business to close. In fact, I never even defined what an "essential business" was because I have no authority to declare someone's livelihood "unessential."

Early indications are that South Dakota did not see an increase in suicides in 2020. This is a figure that we will continue to watch closely, both in our state and nationally, as we gauge the impact of lockdowns on public health, including social and mental health.

Through it all, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to fight the virus while allowing the flexibility for families and small businesses to grow and thrive. That's how we've approached this virus since day one, and it's how we will continue to face challenges for as long as I am governor of this great state.