If people are worried about the new Delta variant and the increase in COVID-19 cases starting to pop up in some states across the country, someone better tell the gang out in Sturgis because business has been booming at the rally so far this year.

Dr. Fauci's super-spreader warning be dammed, I guess. Reports say this is the busiest the Sturgis Rally has been in a number of years.

Dakota News Now reports rally officials are expecting to see nearly 700,000 people make their way into the Sturgis area this summer for the 10-day motorcycle event, which officially kicked off last Friday (August 6).

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700,000 rally-goers. Wow! That is a whole lot of bandannas, leather jackets and tube tops in one place.

Rally goers are definitely not holding back due to the fear of COVID this year...

As Kool & the Gang would say, "There's a party going on right here, a celebration to last throughout the years."

It sounds like the party out west is keeping the law enforcement communities in both the city of Sturgis and Meade County on their toes as well. Reports say the calls over the first few days of the rally are up dramatically over the past few years.

According to Dakota News Now, officers have issued 207 violations for open containers of alcohol as of Monday (August 9).

There have been a few recent changes made to the rally...

Attendees wishing to  drink wine and beer in certain downtown areas of Sturgis need a special souvenir cup to do so.

Also, new this year, the South Dakota Department of Health is providing free over-the-counter antigen COVID-19 test kits to any rally goer who requests one. Test results are typically back to a person within a 15 minute period.

As of Monday (August 9), there has only been one reported fatality. Along with a total of sixteen different injury related-accidents, according to the Sturgis Rally Tally.

Source: Dakota News Now