Governor Kristi Noem confirms she is fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In a speech to the Watertown Rotary Club on Thursday, Noem said she received her second dose of the Pfizer vaccine earlier this week.
Noem was asked if she ever contracted COVID-19. She said no.
“Which was kind of remarkable because I went to 17 different states campaigning for the President. So, I was interacting with thousands and thousands of people all the time, I never did get sick. I took my vitamin D and I exercised every day and tried to sleep. And I got my antibody testing about a month ago, still, no antibodies.”
Noem told Rotary members she hopes Americans can start listening to each other.
“I think we're seeing a lot of division in this country over whether somebody chooses to get the vaccine or doesn't whether somebody chooses to wear a mask or doesn't. And we need to get over ourselves and start talking to people we've quit talking to. And I think if anybody could show them how to do that it would be South Dakota.”
South Dakota initially had one of the highest rates of vaccinations in the country. Now more vaccination hesitation is showing up in the state’s rural residents. Health officials say that could prolong the pandemic.