BROOKINGS – Nurse Practitioner April Schneider and Volunteer Medical Assistant Nancy Scholl patiently wait for the next person to vaccinate at the April 22 community vaccination center held at Swiftel Center.
Attendance for the event was low, according to the Brookings County Pandemic Planning & Coordination Committee, which has put on a total of five first-dose vaccination centers to date. Of 1,500 Moderna vaccine doses made available, close to 300 were dispensed.
The local drop in vaccine demand parallels what is being seen around South Dakota and the nation. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, vaccine hesitancy is more common among young people, rural and low-income residents, those with lower education levels, and some religious and political groups. Vaccine hesitancy among certain groups may allow the COVID-19 pandemic to linger as herd immunity levels of 80 to 85 percent vaccination rates fail to be reached.
In Brookings County, as of Saturday, only 37.3% of the total population has been vaccinated. Of those ages 16 and older, 46.2% of the population has been vaccinated.
Individuals 16 years of age and older interested in receiving their vaccination may schedule appointments with local clinics and pharmacies. A list of local vaccination opportunities can also be found online at brookingshealth.org/Vaccine.
