SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - The COVID-19 vaccine has arrived in the state where medical personnel will begin to administer the doses, the South Dakota Department of Health said Monday.
The Pfizer vaccine will be given to Avera Health in Sioux Falls and Monument Health in Rapid City Monday. Sanford Health was due to receive its initial doses on Tuesday, DOH said.
The state is expected to get about 7,800 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for emergency use last Friday. The vaccine requires two doses administered about three weeks apart.
An estimated 19,000 health care workers in COVID-19 units are first in line to get the vaccine followed by about 11,000 people in long term care facilities.
The general population likely won’t be receiving the vaccine until spring, DOH said.
State health officials on Monday confirmed the lowest number of positive tests in more than two months with 316, raising the total cases to 91,354 since the start of the pandemic. Numbers posted after the weekend tend to be lower because of lag time.
No deaths were reported in the last day.
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