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Sturgis motorcycle rally draws thousands of bikers despite coronavirus fears

  

Category:  News & Politics

Via:  perrie-halpern  •  4 years ago  •  114 comments

By:   NBC News and The Associated Press

Sturgis motorcycle rally draws thousands of bikers despite coronavirus fears
Thousands of bikers arrived in Sturgis, South Dakota, on Friday for the start of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally despite concerns from residents that the 10-day gathering could lead to an upswing in coronavirus cases.

S E E D E D   C O N T E N T



Thousands of bikers poured into the small city of Sturgis, South Dakota, on Friday for the start of the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, despite concerns among residents that the 10-day gathering could spread the coronavirus.

The rally, which has been happening since 1938, expects to draw 250,000 people from around the country in what could be one of the largest public gatherings in the U.S. since the start of the coronavirus outbreak.

Some bikers at the event said that while they will take precautions against the virus, they didn't let it stop them from coming.

"We'll take precautions and, you know, hopefully, everyone will be respectful," one biker told NBC's "TODAY." "We take it seriously but, no, no reservations. We're glad to be here."

Another said you just have to be careful. "You can't not live life."

Those attending the rally are encouraged, but not required, to wear face masks. The governor of South Dakota has never issued a stay-at-home order or mask mandate for the state.

STURGIS, SD - AUGUST 07: Motorcyclists drive down Main Street during the 80th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally on Aug. 7, 2020 in Sturgis, S.D.Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images Let our news meet your inbox. The news and stories that matters, delivered weekday mornings. Sign Up

One attendee, Stephen Sample, said he rode his bike from Arizona for the event.

"I don't want to die, but I don't want to be cooped up all my life either," the 66-year-old said.

Sample said he does have concerns about catching the virus and will try to avoid indoor bars and venues, where he feels there is a greater risk.

"I think we're all willing to take a chance," he said.

Rallygoers Bill Sudkamp and his wife were also taking precautions.

The couple, who were each wearing a face mask, said they will avoid bars, and that they see it as inevitable that infections would spread in bars and at concert venues.

"It looked like South Dakota was plateauing mostly," Sudkamp said of coronavirus cases in the state. "It will be interesting to see what it looks like in two weeks."

That prospect of coronavirus infections possibly rising from the rally has worried some residents of this city of 7,000 in the western part of the state.

As of Saturday morning, South Dakota reported a total of 9,371 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 144 deaths, according to the state Department of Health website.

"I think it's pretty selfish that the powers that be didn't stop this," resident Nate Nelson told "TODAY" about the rally.

City Manager Daniel Ainslie said officials had their hands tied. "We can't block off the entrances to our community, and so on a daily basis we're getting hundreds of thousands of people saying, 'It doesn't matter what happens, we're coming to your town.'"

One week after the rally, residents of Sturgis will be able to take the coronavirus test free of charge, "TODAY" reported.

The Associated Press


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Account Deleted
Freshman Silent
1  Account Deleted    4 years ago

It's a good thing we don't even pretend to do contact tracing.

Can you imagine - "Who have you been in contact with in the past 5 days?"

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Account Deleted @1    4 years ago

I know exactly who and when I have been in contact with.  I keep a log.  I realize that not everyone will do that, but as I have basically become a recluse and only go out when absolutely necessary, it really hasn't been difficult.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
1.2.1  Bob Nelson  replied to  Paula Bartholomew @1.2    4 years ago

Why don't you simply use the tracing app that the government has put at our disposition?

   ...   ...   oh, wait...

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2.3  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Bob Nelson @1.2.1    4 years ago

I don't trust aps so I am doing it old school....paper trail.

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
1.2.4  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Kathleen @1.2.2    4 years ago

The rare times I do go to a store, I try to at least get the first names of any clerks I interact with.

 
 
 
Greg Jones
Professor Participates
1.3  Greg Jones  replied to  Account Deleted @1    4 years ago

Contact tracing is unworkable in a society that is constantly on the move and mostly anonymous to each other.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
1.3.1  Bob Nelson  replied to  Greg Jones @1.3    4 years ago
Contact tracing is unworkable...

There's nothing to be done! Covid is a fatality! Everyone is going to be infected, and we might as well all accept it...

"It is what it is!"

 
 
 
PJ
Masters Quiet
1.4  PJ  replied to  Account Deleted @1    4 years ago

The venue requires those who attend to register, including vendors.  I think there will be a way to do contact tracing but I don't think that's the biggest issue here.  The biggest issue is that we have a large faction of Americans who don't care if they murder other Americans as long as they get to do what they want to do........ride motorcycles, go to the beach, party at someone's house, get their nails done, or protest.  

The messaging war on this virus has been hijacked and politicized.  

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
1.4.1  Bob Nelson  replied to  PJ @1.4    4 years ago
The biggest issue is that we have a large faction of Americans who don't care if they murder other Americans as long as they get to do what they want to do........ride motorcycles, go to the beach, party at someone's house, get their nails done, or protest.

     jrSmiley_81_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
PJ
Masters Quiet
1.4.3  PJ  replied to    4 years ago

Go back and re-read my post or maybe enable your text to speech reader if you're having trouble.  

 
 
 
Kavika
Professor Principal
2  Kavika     4 years ago

Since most of the bikers are from out of state if they contact the virus in Sturgis they'll be bringing back to their home town. 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
2.1  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Kavika @2    4 years ago

As if they care if they do.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
2.2  Sparty On  replied to  Kavika @2    4 years ago

Not that unusual.    Sturgis is hardly an outlier.  

In my county in Michigan this summer out of state plates have outnumbered Michigan plates 2 or 3 to one and many of those Michigan plates come from bigger city hot spots.

None of it makes any sense to me.    I try to stay away from that nonsense as much as possible.    People are just too selfish to stay home for a summer.    Pretty much across the board. 

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
2.2.2  Sparty On  replied to    4 years ago

Understood but that is not what I’m talking about.    Most are vacationers in these parts.    Their shit gets shut down so they come here.    It’s pretty messed up really.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
2.2.4  Sparty On  replied to    4 years ago

I feel ya, saw my dad for the first time in five months Friday.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
3  Bob Nelson    4 years ago

Trump's June 20 Tulsa Rally was a bust - only six thousand people in a venue for fifteen thousand. But still... six thousand people, shouting... spewing into the air. There was a spike in Covid-19 cases in Tulsa a week later. Since the government has done nothing to implement tracing, we cannot KNOW that the spike is due to the Rally, but hey!

So now we have a 250-thousand-person rally. What could possibly go wrong?

How many more deaths, so a bunch of morons can demonstrate just how stupid and egotistical they are?

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1  Sparty On  replied to  Bob Nelson @3    4 years ago
How many more deaths, so a bunch of morons can demonstrate just how stupid and egotistical they are?

Good point.    

Perhaps you can put in a good word for the protestors and rioters to say home as well.

Thx

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.1.1  Ender  replied to  Sparty On @3.1    4 years ago

Sorry but people that are protesting injustice, that see no other recourse or even like the people protesting what happened in Beirut are nothing like people gathering for a party.

I say this as I wouldn't go to either one yet there is a difference.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1.2  Sparty On  replied to  Ender @3.1.1    4 years ago

Don't be sorry ...... rioting and looting accomplishes little positive for civilized society.     Especially if you happen to be an innocent being rioted on or looted.   Funny thing is, those shitbirds never "protest" in the winter because they are too big of pussies to come out in the cold.

They are are total wastes of hydrogen, oxygen and a few other trace elements.

Total  

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.1.3  Ender  replied to  Sparty On @3.1.2    4 years ago

I guess the about 100 arrests at this 'rally' are proof of their commitment to peace.

Nothing beats hundreds of drunk bikers on the streets.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.1.4  Texan1211  replied to  Ender @3.1.3    4 years ago

Gee, have you heard the damage estimates in Sturgis because of these drunk bikers? If you know what it is, we can compare it to say, Portland?

 
 
 
Just Jim NC TttH
Professor Principal
3.1.5  Just Jim NC TttH  replied to  Texan1211 @3.1.4    4 years ago

84 arrests.............for driving under the influence. 

226 citations...........no details.

Damages????? probably next to none. Bikers aren't into shitting in their own "cages".

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
3.1.6  Tacos!  replied to  Ender @3.1.3    4 years ago
I guess the about 100 arrests at this 'rally' are proof of their commitment to peace.

What makes you think they aren't peaceful? Any reports of looting? Arson? Assault? I doubt you'll find much of that.

Most of them are probably either drunk (while driving) or in possession of illegal drugs.

 
 
 
Texan1211
Professor Principal
3.1.7  Texan1211  replied to  Just Jim NC TttH @3.1.5    4 years ago

I don't think Ender knows who attends Sturgis.

It isn't motorcycle gangs going there for the most part, but enthusiasts, collectors, doctors, lawyers, accountants, teachers, etc.

Sure, it is a party, and lots of folks getting drunk. Bet the murder rate is lower than it was for that little ragtag group who took over several blocks of a city!

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.1.8  Ender  replied to  Tacos! @3.1.6    4 years ago

I am just laughing at the rules of the game. It seems to be ok to malign one group yet not the other.

Yet as I pointed out to begin with, trying to compare the two is ridiculous in itself.

One is a big party where the other is not.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1.9  Sparty On  replied to  Ender @3.1.3    4 years ago
Nothing beats hundreds of drunk bikers on the streets.

Hmmmmm ..... i haven't heard about any rioting or looting in Sturgis ..... did i miss something?

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
3.1.10  Ender  replied to  Sparty On @3.1.9    4 years ago

Considering you seem to think all the protesters are rioters and looters, I would say yes.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1.11  Sparty On  replied to  Ender @3.1.10    4 years ago
Considering you seem to think all the protesters are rioters and looters,

Wrong!

Show me where i said that or stop trying to put words in my mouth

 
 
 
Trout Giggles
Professor Principal
3.1.12  Trout Giggles  replied to  Sparty On @3.1.11    4 years ago

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
3.1.13  Sparty On  replied to  Trout Giggles @3.1.12    4 years ago

I thought you put me on ignore?   I guess not eh?

That said, another miss for you.   I never said all protestors are rioters or looters because i don't think they are.   I think people who riot and loot, are rioters and looters.

Hope that finally clears it up for my fan club .....

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
4  JohnRussell    4 years ago

These 250,000 people don't care if they infect 25,000,000. Its that simple. 

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
4.1  Bob Nelson  replied to  JohnRussell @4    4 years ago

Exactly.

 
 
 
JohnRussell
Professor Principal
4.1.1  JohnRussell  replied to  Bob Nelson @4.1    4 years ago

Let's face it , many of them have as much as said so. They are not really interested in preventing the spread of the virus. It is not something that they feel concerns them. 

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
4.1.2  Bob Nelson  replied to  JohnRussell @4.1.1    4 years ago

But... but... but...

Our Leaders have been so ardent in stressing the importance of protecting each other...

   ...   ...   right?

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
4.1.3  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  JohnRussell @4.1.1    4 years ago

Anyone who attended, gets sick, and dies from CV should have to wear that stupid assed tee shirt "I SURVIVED CORONA IN STURGIS" when buried.

 
 
 
Tacos!
Professor Guide
7  Tacos!    4 years ago

I did Sturgis some years ago, and it was a lot of fun.

Based on that experience and what I know of the area, it’s hard to be too judgmental of them over this. By that, I mean I won’t accuse them of being greedy.

It’s a tiny town of about 7,000, swelling to sometimes 100 times that amount for the rally. It’s not like Daytona, where they have other stuff going on year round. The rally in Sturgis is like their whole economy. Nothing else goes on there for 355 days and then the bikers come. I imagine the whole town would go broke if they didn’t have the rally, diminished though it is for this year. I’m not sure what else to tell them to do. I hope they do what they can to minimize spread of the virus, but I kind of doubt we’ll see much in that regard.

On the bright side, at least most of it is outside. That should help a little.

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
8  charger 383    4 years ago

Why should people who have already had it and tested clear have to wear masks?   

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1  sandy-2021492  replied to  charger 383 @8    4 years ago

Because they can be clear one day and infected the next.

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
8.1.1  charger 383  replied to  sandy-2021492 @8.1    4 years ago

Last I heard you can't get it again

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.2  sandy-2021492  replied to  charger 383 @8.1.1    4 years ago

There have been cases of repeat occurrences of disease, although it is unclear whether they are new infections or reactivation of the initial infection.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.3  sandy-2021492  replied to  sandy-2021492 @8.1.2    4 years ago

I kinda sorta wished I'd caught it while my office was closed down.  Would have been a lot more convenient.  Then I started reading about recurrences, and thought "nah".

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
8.1.4  Sparty On  replied to  sandy-2021492 @8.1.3    4 years ago

Frankly I find it difficult to believe we don’t have those answers yet five plus months into it.

I hope that isn’t willful.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.5  sandy-2021492  replied to  Sparty On @8.1.4    4 years ago
Frankly I find it difficult to believe we don’t have those answers yet five plus months into it.

I think it's been a matter of difficulty keeping up with a rapidly expanding knowledge base, combined with limitations in testing ability.  Here 11 patients who experience a recurrence were followed through both occurrences.

To me, the fact that healthcare workers without comorbidities who had previously recovered returned to work with Covid-19 patients, and were therefore re-exposed, came down it again, raises some red flags.  It does not bode well for herd immunity via infection.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.7  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

Possibly not.  Immunity to the coronaviruses that cause the common cold doesn't seem to last long, and it may be the same with this one.  It may also be that it enters a latent phase, something like chicken pox or herpes, and can reactivate later.  I don't know if we have yet seen enough recurrences, and have been able to discern between new infections or reactivations, to be sure if it's one, the other, or both going on.

I believe one pharmaceutical company is working on a vaccine that results in cell-mediated immunity, as well as antibody production, and is having some promising results, but I also believe it's early days on that.

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
8.1.8  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to    4 years ago

There is no such thing as a normal virus. Each behaves in their own way, yet most we have a vaccine for. The mumps, measles, and polio are all in the same class of virus as this COVID and we have vaccines for them. 

 
 
 
Perrie Halpern R.A.
Professor Principal
8.1.11  seeder  Perrie Halpern R.A.  replied to    4 years ago

As Sandy pointed out, we don't know if they are getting it again. Mono seems to go away and so does pneumonia and then seems to come back, but it really hasn't gone away.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.15  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

Anyone who gets fever blisters can tell you that the herpes virus responsible for them can come back repeatedly throughout life.  Some people can go for months or years between outbreaks, but a time of stress or a bit too much sun exposure causes a reactivation.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.17  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

No, there's not.

Going back to earlier in the thread, I think this is a good reason why someone who has tested negative, and perhaps even someone who has had the virus, should still consider wearing a mask in a crowd, like the one at Sturgis.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.19  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

I get it.  I wear a KN95 mask and cover gown all day.  I've closed my waiting room, and we take patients' temps when they arrive.  Any symptoms of Covid, and we reschedule.  The checkout counter and door handles are disinfected after every patient, and we make sure patients don't encounter each other in the hallways.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.21  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

Better to give up your clothes and your lunch than your health.  Glad you stayed safe.

I also have two employees who take care of elderly mothers in poor health.  We have to be careful for their sake.  I recently benched one employee for a week because she'd possibly been exposed through her husband, but it fortunately turned out to be a false alarm.  He tested negative.  Also better safe than sorry.

 
 
 
sandy-2021492
Professor Expert
8.1.23  sandy-2021492  replied to    4 years ago

I'm sorry to hear that.  It has to be hard for him and you both.

 
 
 
Ender
Professor Principal
8.1.25  Ender  replied to    4 years ago

My Uncle has cancer and diabetes now on top of it. Not doing well. He went into diabetic shock and my Aunt had to call an ambulance. They revived him yet he refused to go to hospital. Happened again and they took him to hospital.

He was pissed and said he would rather die at home than alone in a hospital room.

I can kinda understand that in a way yet that would not be easy for my Aunt.

Strange times.

 
 
 
Bob Nelson
Professor Guide
8.1.26  Bob Nelson  replied to  sandy-2021492 @8.1.5    4 years ago

You make an important point.

Covid-19 is new to medical science. Everything must be learned from zero.

Practitioners have done marvels: they have discovered treatments that have cut the mortality rate to under 1%. (It was as high as 5% when Wuhan doctors were just beginning.)

Vaccine research is both encouraging and discouraging. It appears that a vaccine will be developed within a few months... but no one knows what immunity it will bring (how sure? how long?).

People are accustomed to relative certainty from science. We have no certainty with Covid-19. The public is observing as scientists discover.

We're not used to this!

 
 
 
Sister Mary Agnes Ample Bottom
Professor Guide
8.1.28  Sister Mary Agnes Ample Bottom  replied to  charger 383 @8.1.1    4 years ago
Last I heard you can't get it again

I can assure you...that's bullshit.

 
 
 
bccrane
Freshman Silent
8.1.30  bccrane  replied to  Sister Mary Agnes Ample Bottom @8.1.28    4 years ago

So far, there has not been one recorded case of reinfection according to Dr. Agus on CBS.  We were told that immunity would only last 3 to 6 months, it's now been 10 since this started last November.  The instances that they thought were re-occurrences were actually people who didn't fully recover and relapsed.

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
8.1.31  Sparty On  replied to  bccrane @8.1.30    4 years ago

Can you "assure us" of that?

jrSmiley_18_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
bccrane
Freshman Silent
8.1.33  bccrane  replied to    4 years ago

There have been people hospitalized with this for as much as two months, which means, in some, it hangs in there even it they're asymptomatic, the thing about being asymptomatic is your body isn't doing the usual things to fight a virus which is what the coughing, sneezing, runny nose, etc. are.

Well at least this "talking head" tried to cover himself after stating that (because him stating that meant the fear factor from this virus would be lessened), he then went on to say, to keep the fear of it alive, that when reinfections start occurring the people would be far more worse off than the first time they had it. 

 
 
 
Paula Bartholomew
Professor Participates
8.1.35  Paula Bartholomew  replied to  Perrie Halpern R.A. @8.1.11    4 years ago

 so does pneumonia 

As someone who has had it 5 times in spite of getting a shot each year, you are correct.

 
 
 
MsAubrey (aka Ahyoka)
Junior Guide
8.1.36  MsAubrey (aka Ahyoka)  replied to  sandy-2021492 @8.1.7    4 years ago
It may also be that it enters a latent phase, something like chicken pox or herpes, and can reactivate later.

And that is why I think that an antiviral may be helpful, but people don't understand that any medication that ends in "vir" is an antiviral. It's not simply pushing a more expensive medication for experimentation... it was designed for viruses! That's why the medical community wants to use Remdesivir for C19, but with our president jrSmiley_80_smiley_image.gif pushing hydroxychloroquine and insisting that it's effective [which is still not proven], people don't want the more expensive antiviral! jrSmiley_78_smiley_image.gif

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
9  charger 383    4 years ago

If I had gone to Dr in April with what I went just before New Years they would have told me to quarantine myself, instead of just giving me cough syrup at first and then having to go back 3 more times.  I felt bad and mostly stayed home for 2 weeks .I had every symptom on the list.  5 days before I felt bad I was around several people who had just returned from a trip to China,   

 

 
 
 
Sparty On
Professor Principal
9.1  Sparty On  replied to  charger 383 @9    4 years ago

Have you been tested for COVID?

 
 
 
charger 383
Professor Silent
9.1.1  charger 383  replied to  Sparty On @9.1    4 years ago

Twice, both negative  

 
 

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