South Dakota hits halfway mark for vaccine-eligible people

April 12, 2021

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Half of South Dakota’s population age 16 and over has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Health officials opened vaccine eligibility to anyone over age 16 on Monday.

Nearly 300,000 in total have received at least a single dose of the vaccine, and about 70% of those people have completed their vaccinations.

However, Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon warns that there has been a 75% jump in COVID-19 infections among people in their 20s over the last six weeks.

The state reported 2,413 people with active infections, including 238 new cases.

There are 102 people in the hospital with COVID-19.