COVID-19

During the pandemic, South Dakotans haven’t had to look for work while receiving unemployment benefits. 

But that could change by August. 

In The Moment … June 3, 2020 Show 830 Hour 2

Being elected mayor of any city brings challenges but who could have predicted being that mayor during a pandemic followed by large peaceful protests calling for police reform paired with unrest and looting? Paul TenHaken is the mayor of Sioux Falls and is experiencing just that. He joins us today with insight as to how leading South Dakota's largest city given the circumstances has been.

In The Moment … June 3, 2020 Show 830 Hour 2

COVID-19, protests, civil unrest, and election results. Just another typical week in South Dakota! Well, not really, and that's why we've called in the Dakota Political Junkies. We welcome Jon Schaff, professor of Political Science at Northern State University in Aberdeen, and Tom Dempster, former assistant majority leader of the South Dakota State Senate. Hello, Tom.

The SDPB News Podcast is where we bring you South Dakota's top news and politics headlines from the past 24 hours.

Each day, SDPB's journalism team works to bring you pertinent news coverage. We then compile those stories into one neatly formatted daily podcast so that you can stay informed. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify today.

The coronavirus pandemic could be a pivotal moment for the beef industry, because it’s shining a new light on old problems. 

One of those problems is a lack of competition in beef processing. Four big companies control more than 80 percent of the industry. It’s called “packer concentration,” and it's been a sore subject with ranchers for more than 100 years. 

In The Moment … June 1, 2020 Show 828 Hour 2

South Dakota's U.S. Congressman Dusty Johnson joins us next. He's been working to alleviate the challenges COVID-19 has brought to the meat supply chain. Today we start out by discussing the protests across the America.

Find us on: Apple, Spotify, and Google Play

In The Moment … May 29, 2020 Show 827 Hour 1

The top doctor at Sanford Health says South Dakota will continue a pilot study of the drug hydroxychloroquine, but the drug will not go to people who are sick with COVID-19. 

Instead, researchers will look at the drug’s ability to prevent or lessen the severity of the disease. 

In The Moment … May 28, 2020 Show 826 Hour 1

Each Thursday night, On Call with the Prairie Doc® can be seen on SDPB TV at 7 central 6 mountain. Tonight's episode takes a look at "Finding Balance in a World with Covid-19." Dr. Andrew Ellsworth is with Avera Medical Group in Brookings and is one of the Prairie Doc® physicians. He joins us with a preview.

In The Moment … May 28, 2020 Show 826 Hour 1

A record number of South Dakotans have already mailed in their votes for the state primary election. Primary day is Tuesday, June 2. Because of the threat of COVID-19, people who have never considered the prospect of early voting are weighing their options. SDPB's Kevin Woster joins us for an update. You can find his reporting at sdpb.org/woster. 

Mosquito Season is nearly upon us. The good news? You can’t get COVID from Mosquitoes.

“There is currently zero evidence that suggests you can get COVID-19 from a mosquito bite,” says Amanda Bachmann.

Amanda Bachmann is the Pesticide Education and Urban Entomology Field Specialist for SDSU Extension. West Nile Virus is transmitted to humans by mosquitoes, Bachmann says extensive research into other corona viruses, like SARS have researchers saying COVID-19 cannot be transmitted by mosquitoes or other insects.

In The Moment … May 27, 2020 Show 825 Hour 1

The spread of Sars-CoV-2 has caused shortages of some medications, which has many wondering about the supply chain for pharmaceuticals. Tom Johnson, Pharm.D., is assistant vice president of hospital pharmacy for Avera Health. He joins us with an update on those shortages and on the availability of medications like Remdesivir and hydroxychloroquine. Those two medications are being studied for their potential to ease the symptoms of the most severe COVID-19 cases. 

In The Moment … May 26, 2020 Show 824 Hour 1

While the coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc in the world, medical professionals and scientists learn more and more every day. Each week, we have brought local doctors on this show and have asked them what do we know this week? Dr. Shankar Kurra is Vice President of Medical Affairs at Monument Health, he joins us with more.

The nation's unemployment rate is around 15%, “2020 Homeless Count” numbers are in, Rapid City sees an uptick in COVID-19 cases, tribes maintain sovereignty regarding their checkpoints, and CFAP provides up to $16 billion in direct payments to deliver relief to America's farmers and ranchers.  

In The Moment … May 21, 2020 Show 822 Hour 1

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic there are immigrant families who don't have access to either state or federal or federal support. A fundraising effort called the Emergency Relief Fund for Immigrants in South Dakota aims to provide short term financial assistance to these families and individuals. Nancy Reynoza is the executive director of Que Pasa Sioux Falls. Taneeza Islam is the director for South Dakota Voices for Peace both are a part of The South Dakota Dream Coalition which is behind this fund.

In The Moment … May 21, 2020 Show 822 Hour 1

State health officials say the majority of COVID-19 cases connected to the Smithfield meatpacking plant in Sioux Falls have recovered. Meanwhile, other meatpacking plants in the state are seeing cases among employees.

Smithfield was the largest cluster of COVID-19 cases in the nation in mid-April. In total, 841 employees and 245 of their close contacts tested positive. Two employees died.

As of Wednesday, state epidemiologist Josh Clayton says all of the close contacts have recovered. Ten Smithfield employees still have active cases of the coronavirus. 

In The Moment … May 19, 2020 Show 820 Hour 2

In The Moment … May 18, 2020 Show 819 Hour 2

The coronavirus pandemic began a couple of months ago and as time passes by, our health professionals are learning more and more. We've been talking with local medical professionals to tell us what we know now that we didn't know let's say last week. Dr. Kevin Post is chief medical officer with the Avera Medical Group.

Health reporting on SDPB is supported by Monument Health of Rapid City

Unlike many careers, COVID-19 did not change the way farmers and ranchers do their jobs. What the pandemic did change was how much they get paid. 

“You know, being out here on the farm, it’s kind of the definition of social distancing. Thing is, at this time of year, I don’t go to town anyway. We are calving and planting.”

It’s calving season on Scott Kolousek’s farm. But instead of feeling joy with each new life, the Wessington Springs, South Dakota cow/calf producer says he’s anxious.

Unemployment benefits paid to South Dakotans have totaled $87.8 million since the pandemic began affecting the state’s economy in mid-March. 

That’s according to Marcia Hultman, the head of the state Department of Labor and Regulation. 

“Eight weeks ago it was like a light switch was flipped, and claims instantly – and to a degree never before seen – began to hit our system,” Hultman said. 

The South Dakota Department of Health is organizing mass COVID-19 testing of all nursing home and assisted-living residents and employees. Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon says that’s the first of several vulnerable populations the state is targeting over the next several weeks. 

Malsam-Rysdon says the mass testing will start next week with nursing homes and attached assisted living facilities in communities with significant spread of COVID-19. She admits it’s a tall order.

The state public health lab is organizing mass COVID-19 testing in nursing homes over the next month—starting in communities with substantial spread of the virus.

Long-term care facilities in the state face two overwhelming challenges. Their residents are some of the most vulnerable to COVID-19. In fact, more than half of the state’s COVID fatalities are older patients.   The pandemic is also exacerbating existing financial challenges.      

Nursing homes in the state have had to turn away visitors for more than two months as a precaution against spreading coronavirus. It’s an emotional strain on residents, but staff are finding creative ways to keep spirits up during the pandemic.

One home in Selby is using music and social media to encourage residents and their families.

In The Moment … May 11, 2020 Show 814 Hour 2

An emergency shelter in the Rapid City Civic Center is up and running for sick homeless people.

It’s designed to handle a potential COVID-19 outbreak among the homeless population and offer care during the pandemic.

The Civic Center’s Rushmore Hall is transformed into a three-tiered emergency shelter.  Jeremy Walla with the Pennington County Emergency Operations Center gives a tour. The facility is complete with beds and laundry service.  

In The Moment … May 8, 2020 Show 813 Hour 2

As Americans reach for a sense of normalcy during the pandemic, scientists and medical professionals search for the kind of insight and solutions that could create breakthroughs large and small in the fight against the novel coronavirus.  Kevin Post is chief medical officer with the Avera Medical Group. He joins us with an update on research and clinical trials. 

The state’s largest city joins others loosening pandemic-related business restrictions. Beginning Friday, Sioux Falls will replace a 10-customer limit with new guidelines. 

The new ordinance allows theaters and other entertainment venues to admit 50% of their legal occupancy inside at a time. Smaller audiences are designed to allow space for social distancing. Bars and restaurants can open at full capacity, but with limitations. No more than six adults in each group, and each group must be six feet apart.

In The Moment … May 7, 2020 Show 812 Hour 2

How has the coronavirus affected your current relationship at home? Perhaps both are working from home and are spending more time under one roof together than before. We are now forced to connect with loved ones in ways that we certainly aren't used to. Michele Clodfelder is a licensed professional counselor with Mental Health for Black Hills psychology. She joins us today with a therapeutic look at love inside a pandemic.