COVID Vaccine Clinics Are Underway

COVID Vaccine Clinics Are Underway

Covid Vaccine Clinics Are Underway

Aberdeen hospitals began administering COVID-19 vaccines in December 2020. Tess Moeller, COVID vaccine coordinator and vice president of operations at Avera St. Luke’s, said vaccine distribution is directed by the CDC and South Dakota Department of Health. 

“Area hospitals are simply a vehicle to get the vaccine to the folks that need it and have been prioritized by the DOH.” 

The DOH released a timeline for who can receive the vaccine and when. Aberdeen area residents can visit www.avera.org/covid-vaccine or www.sanfordhealth.org to stay up to date on eligibility phases and get the latest instructions for receiving the vaccine in town. 

Sanford and Avera both started by administering a COVID vaccine by Moderna. It is a two-part shot with 28 days between doses. Moeller said they can’t confirm if it will be a yearly vaccine, as research is still ongoing. According to the CDC, “Based on evidence from clinical trials, the Moderna vaccine was 94.1% effective at preventing laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 illness in people who received two doses who had no evidence of being previously infected.” 

There are no out-of-pocket costs to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. Moeller added, “We highly recommend getting vaccinated and trust the vaccine’s safety and effectiveness very much.”

For the most current updates on the COVID vaccine in South Dakota, visit doh.sd.gov. 

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