State's vaccine allocation to increase

South Dakota is going to be receiving more COVID-19 vaccine doses in the coming weeks, the Department of Health said Wednesday.

The state will start to receive about 12,800 weekly doses next week, said Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon, up from the previous weeks’ 11,000 doses.

The increase comes after the federal government changed distribution strategies and increased shipments to states, rather than keeping vials in reserve for second doses.

South Dakota has been a nationwide leader in terms of vaccine distribution.

Epidemiologist Joshua Clayton said South Dakota has had about 117,725 doses allocated to the state. As of noon Tuesday, about 82,000 doses had been administered and just over 60,000 people had received at least their first dose. Roughly 24,000 people have received both doses of either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine. This does not include tribal vaccination distribution, which is being handled by the Indian Health Service.

Most South Dakotans who have been eligible for the vaccine have opted to receive it. About 65% of health care workers offered the vaccine have taken it, and at least 95% of nursing home residents have received the vaccine.

Malsam-Rysdon credited the vaccine roll-out to early planning and statewide partnerships.

“It’s been a lot about preparation and not panicking,” she said in a weekly conference call with reporters Wednesday.

Priority groups including those over 80, those in congregate living settings (such as long-term care, nursing homes and prisons) and people receiving cancer treatment are the primary focus for this phase distribution, Malsam-Rysdon said.

As more doses become available, the state will decrease age eligibility by five-year increments, Malsam-Rysdon said.

The second half of the current priority population group, 1D, includes teachers and other school staff, funeral service workers and people with two or more underlying medical conditions under the age of 65.

Eligibility for the final priority population group, 1E, is estimated to begin in mid-April. That group includes fire service personnel and other critical infrastructure employees. The general public is not expected to be eligible until May at the earliest.

The state will also update its charts predicting when the vaccine will be available to certain priority populations and the general public.

Those who are considered priority populations 1A through 1C (front-line healthcare workers, long-term care residents, law enforcement) who initially declined to take the vaccine can still receive one, Malsam-Rysdon said.

Even as vaccine roll-out and a downward trend of cases continue, Clayton encouraged residents to still avoid crowds, practice social distancing, wear a mask and wash their hands.