Thousands to Flock to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Minnesota State Fair Despite Delta Variant's Continued Spread

Big summer crowds are gathering across America once again, despite the pandemic. State and county fairs are attracting millions of people, and over the next three weeks, 24 state fairs will take place, with many not requiring vaccinations.

One of the biggest is in Minnesota and gets under way on Aug. 26. There are currently no plans to require masks. 

“We're in close contact with state health departments and whatever the latest CDC guidelines are. They're always a big part of what we do,” State Fair General Manager Jerry Hammer said.

At the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota, 700,000 bikers are expected to attend. A nearby hospital is preparing for an influx of coronavirus cases.

KOTA-TV reporter Miranda O'Bryan told Inside Edition canceling was not an option.   

“The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is huge for the economics of Sturgis, you know, that brings in tons and tons of money. That money doesn't just go to infrastructure like fixing a road building, they're using that money to grow their community as well,” she said. 

COVID-19 is also striking out at the youngest among us, including an 11-month-old girl who suffered seizures. She was airlifted from LBJ Hospital in Houston to a pediatric hospital 150 miles away because five other pediatric hospitals in the  area had no room for her. 

An alarming 72,000 COVID-19 cases in children have been reported in the last week alone, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported Tuesday, according to CNN.

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