Health officials expect 22,400 vaccines for medical staff

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s initial allotments of coronavirus vaccine will be quickly spent on immunizing frontline medical workers. Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon says the state is expecting enough vaccine for over 22,000 people to arrive in the coming weeks.

An estimated 19,000 health care workers who tend to COVID-19 hospital wards and longer-term care facilities will be offered a vaccine. Next, about 11,000 people in elderly care facilities will be prioritized. After the initial shipments, the state is expecting a slowdown in supply, meaning vaccines won’t be widely available for the general public until April or May.