At the start of the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine in South Dakota, each health care system had their own system of how they dispersed their allotted doses to their patients. Avera, Sanford, Horizon, etc. all had their own system, while also following the state guidelines, such as inoculating the frontline healthcare workers and elderly over the age of 80 first, then going to the long-term care residents, regardless of age, and so on. 

The South Dakota Department of Health’s (SDDOH) website states that starting on Monday, Feb. 8, South Dakota is currently in Phase 1D. This includes vaccines for persons over the age of 65, starting with people 75 and over and going down in age in five-year increments as the vaccine becomes available in each county. Phase 1D also includes high-risk patients, who are dialysis patients, post-transplant patients and active cancer patients. This phase also includes high-risk residents in congregate settings, residents in licensed independent living facilities and residents of licensed group homes.

Sanborn County has been provided the necessary vaccines for each phase. All the residents and staff at the Prairie View Healthcare Center have been vaccinated, and all the employees of the Woonsocket Community Health Center (WCHC) have also been vaccinated. However, not every resident of the county who is over 80 years old has been given the vaccine, but that is being addressed as the vaccine becomes available and patients make it known that they haven’t received the vaccine, yet. 

The WCHC is a Horizon Healthcare facility, and they have been dispersing vaccines as they get them to their regular patients according to the DOH guidelines listed above. The WCHC has been receiving their vaccines from the Huron Regional Medical Center when they have them available. Availability changes from week to week. According to the SDDOH website, “Due to limited allocation of the vaccine, the South Dakota Department of Health will use COVID-19 infection rates and will follow recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices to guide which counties will receive the vaccine first.” So, the lesser populated counties, such as Sanborn County, may have to wait for vaccines to get here, but the state and the local healthcare facilities are doing the best they can to get the vaccines dispensed correctly and efficiently to those most vulnerable to the virus.

Currently, the WCHC is contacting their regular patients who fit into the current phase to receive the vaccine, when the clinic has vaccine doses to give out. However, if a resident of Sanborn County fits into the current phase and would like to receive the vaccine in Woonsocket, they can call the WCHC and be put on a list for when additional vaccine doses are available. According to the staff at the WCHC, that is the current plan for dispersal of the vaccine at their facility, but the dispersal plan from Horizon changes often, so that may not be the case from day to day or week to week, but it never hurts to call to see if you are eligible.

…Read on in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!

Feeding South Dakota and the Sanborn County Food Pantry want to inform Sanborn County residents that the Food Giveaway will be held at the Santel west garage (south of the Santel building) on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at 4:30 p.m. (until gone). A drive through format will be utilized. Each family is allowed one box only. For any questions call 796-4516.

The Food Giveaway provides free food to families in need. The free food includes assorted frozen and fresh produce, frozen meats, assorted breads, and assorted canned and boxed items.

Feeding South Dakota is a statewide organization with locations in Pierre, Rapid City and Sioux Falls. Their mission is to eliminate hunger in South Dakota. For more information or to donate to support food giveaways, please visit feedingsouthdakota.org.

Sanborn County has hired Craig Bennett to take over the position of Sanborn County Veterans Service Officer. Bennett is currently the Davison County Veterans Services Officer, and he will remain in that position as well.

With 22 years of military service in the United States Navy, Bennett is very familiar with services that veterans may need and are entitled to for serving the country. One of those benefits deals with veterans’ health benefits and their care in their community. There is a home-based primary care provider who is employed through Veterans Affairs who will do home visits for eligible veterans.

Bennett also works with veterans and their compensation and pension benefits. The compensation side of things deals with service-connected issues, such as things that occurred during a veteran’s active duty. One such issue is what is now known as a Blue-Water Vietnam vet benefit. Any veteran who served within 12 miles of Vietnam could be eligible for the agent orange benefits now.

Bennett also works with the pension program that is available for war-time veterans, their spouses, or widows/widowers. He also helps with burial benefits. He orders the markers for the burial site, and he helps with financial burial benefits if the veteran is eligible.

An important service that Bennett provides through his office is a transportation service for any veteran who needs a ride to the VA Hospital in Sioux Falls. He only asks for at least a three-day notice, and the veteran has to get their own ride to and from Mitchell. 

…Read on and see a photo in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!