Health officials continue to urge South Dakotans to get vaccinated. They also want to address any concerns the public may have.
Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon joined Avera Health, Monument Health, and Sanford Health Tuesday for a joint press conference about COVID-19 vaccination efforts in the state. More than half of South Dakotans have received at least one vaccine does. That’s over 317,000 people.
Malsam-Rysdon says the state is doing well with their vaccine rollout, but they haven’t reached their goal yet.
“Well, we want to see at least 70% of people aged 60 and older vaccinated and we've got a ways to go to get there. Now that we have adequate supply, which again early on was one of the concerns, there's no reason to hesitate.”
She says the more people that are vaccinated, the quicker life can return to normal.
Josh Clayton is the states epidemiologist. He says that while federal officials halted the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine last week, that should not be a deterrent to get vaccinated.
“Zero cases of the blood clots CBST have been identified in the state. No severe adverse reactions from any COVID-19 vaccine have been identified among recipients in South Dakota.”
One concern raised was the possible effects of the vaccine on pregnant women. Dr. Heather Spies is an OB/GYN at Sanford Health in Sioux Falls. She says it’s perfectly safe.
“The medical data shows that the COVID-19 vaccine does not affect fertility in women. There have also been new studies showing promise that women who are vaccinated during their pregnancies are passing antibodies to their babies in utero and also to their babies in their breast milk. So not only is the vaccine going to help protect mom, but it is also going to add a layer of protection from COVID-19 for her baby.”
Health officials say they want to do their best to answer any questions or concerns the public may have. But ultimately the message was clear, get vaccinated as soon as possible.
All South Dakotans ages 16 and older are now eligible to get vaccinated.