South Dakota health officials warn of COVID-19 vaccine ‘misinformation’ circulating in state | The Globe

Kim Malsam-Rysdon, the state health secretary, said the department is aware of a variety of incorrect information about the vaccines from untrustworthy sources, and is trying to correct misinformation wherever it finds it.

“We know that vaccines work, but unfortunately we have seen misinformation campaigns pop up, whether online, by mail, or other methods,” she said. “We will continue to do our work to counter fear over facts.”

Posts on social media are a particularly problem, including a lot of individual “I heard this” posts, Malsam-Rysdon said, Also there have been posts incorrectly blaming the vaccine for various things, despite both testing and monitoring showing there are very few risks and adverse affects of the vaccine, she said.

Malsam-Rysdon said the department also came across a mailer asserting a lot of incorrect information and conspiracy claims about the vaccine.

While she didn’t provide more detail about the mailer, multiple Yankton residents have reported to Forum News Service they had recently received a flyer from an Iowa organization making inaccurate claims and citing conspiracy theories about COVID-19 vaccines.

“It’s normal for people to have questions, but to be fearful is not normal,” Malsam-Rysdon said. “So we really want people to get information from trusted sources, including the state Department of Health, the federal CDC, and we encourage people to talk to their medical provider and get the facts.”

State health officials and hospital leaders called a press conference last week to specifically address various questions and inaccurate claims about COVID-19 vaccines, including its risks and availability.

South Dakota has continued to do well in rolling out the COVID-19 vaccine, with the Department of Health reporting 54% of those age 16 and older in the state have gotten at least an initial vaccine shot, while 44% are fully vaccinated.

But health officials have said they’re concerned some South Dakotans, especially younger residents, might not get vaccinated. The number of newly vaccinated appears to have slowed in recent weeks despite widespread availability.

And while South Dakota continues to be a leader among states in the percentage of its population that is fully vaccinated, according to a New York Times tracker, the percentage of those who have gotten at least one shot is middle of the pack, indicating the state has slipped to average in new vaccinations.

The following are the state Department of Health COVID-19 case rates, deaths, hospitalizations and vaccinations as of Wednesday. Because all data is preliminary, some numbers and totals may change from one day to the next.

Statewide case rates

• NEW CASES: 170 (seven-day daily average: 149)
• TOTAL ACTIVE CASES: 1,789
• TOTAL CASES: 122,398
• TOTAL RECOVERED: 118,647
• DAILY TEST POSITIVITY RATE: 8.9%

Hospitalizations, deaths

• NEW HOSPITALIZATIONS: 9

• ACTIVE HOSPITALIZATIONS: 103

• TOTAL HOSPITALIZATIONS: 7,337

• DEATHS, NEWLY REPORTED: 1

• TOTAL DEATHS: 1,962

Vaccinations

• INITIAL DOSE ADMINISTERED (IF 2-DOSE VACCINE): 309,931, total: 54.3% of population*

• FULLY VACCINATED: 266,658: 44.4% of population

*(Vaccine dose count based on state distribution. Population percentage includes vaccines given to South Dakota residents through federal programs, including IHS and VA)

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