PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - Fire service personnel and critical infrastructure workers in South Dakota will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning Monday.
Health officials say the critical infrastructure sectors include water and wastewater, energy, finance, food service, food and agriculture, legal, manufacturing, shelter and housing, transportation and logistics, information technology and communications.
South Dakota is still one of the nation’s leaders in vaccinations, according to Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon, adding that the state should be ahead of President Joe Biden’s timeline to ensure all Americans have access to the vaccine by May 1.
If the state continues to receive the same or increased allocations of vaccine, all South Dakotans can expect to be eligible before that date, Malsam-Rysdon said.
While some states have plans to open up vaccinations to all populations, South Dakota will continue with its vaccination plan as laid out and work through the pre-established priority groups, the Rapid City Journal reported.
At least 35% of South Dakotans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine from either a state or federal entity.
More pharmacies, including Walgreens, have started offering COVID vaccines in the state as a part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program for a total of 65 locations.
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