Your health: COVID-19 information & resources
VACCINATION | UPDATES | MULITIPLE LANGUAGE RESOURCES | COMMUNITY LEVELS | CDC
Prevention Actions for All COVID-19 Community Levels
In addition to basic health and hygiene practices, like handwashing, some prevention actions are recommended at all COVID-19 Community Levels, including:
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Following Recommendations for What to Do If You Have Been Exposed
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Seeking Treatment If You Have COVID-19 and Are at High Risk of Getting Very Sick
- Avoiding Contact with People Who Have Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
Resources & Information
RELEASED 08-11-2022: CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk (CDC)
Answers to Tough Questions about Public Health (Public Health Communications Collaborative)
Use and Care of Masks (CDC)
What You Need to Know About Variants (CDC)
Pregnant Women and New Parents
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Pregnant and Recently Pregnant Women at Increased Risk for Severe Illness (CDC)
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Pregnant? Take These Steps to Protect Yourself and Baby from COVID (CDC)
Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations
COVID-19 Community Level
Check your COVID-19 Community Level - If you or your family member are at high risk for severe illness, wear a mask or respirator with greater protection in public indoor spaces if you are in an area with a high COVID-19 Community Level. Talk with your healthcare provider about wearing a mask in a medium COVID-19 Community Level.
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COVID-19 Community Level and COVID-19 Prevention - Find recommended prevention measures based on COVID-19 Community Levels.
COVID-19 Preventive Medication
Evusheld is an investigational medicine that can help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may be eligible for Evusheld if you:
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Are moderately or severely immunocompromised and may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination OR have a history of severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and
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Do not currently have COVID-19 and have not recently had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and
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Are an adult or adolescent ages 12 years and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg).
Evusheld contains two different antibodies that can help prevent COVID-19. It must be given by your healthcare provider before exposure to COVID-19.
Talk to your healthcare provider to find out if this option is right for you. Even if you receive Evusheld, taking multiple prevention steps, such as wearing a well-fitting mask or respirator and avoiding crowded places, can provide additional layers of protection from COVID-19.
Treatment Available
If you test positive and are an older adult or someone who is at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, treatment may be available. Contact a healthcare provider right away after a positive test to determine if you are eligible, even if your symptoms are mild right now. You can also visit a Test to Treat location and, if eligible, receive a prescription from a provider. Don't delay: Treatment must be started within the first few days to be effective.
COVID-19 Treatments and Medications
For people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 infection, medications are available that can reduce the chances of severe illness and death. Other medications can help reduce symptoms and help manage the illness.
People who are more likely to get very sick include older adults (ages 50 years or more, with risk increasing with older age), people who are unvaccinated, and people with certain medical conditions, such as a weakened immune system.
Being vaccinated makes you much less likely to get very sick. Still, some vaccinated people, especially those ages 65 years or older or who have other risk factors for severe disease, may benefit from treatment if they get COVID-19. A healthcare provider will help decide which treatment, if any, is right for each individual.
The FDA has issued emergency use authorizations (EUA) for certain antiviral medications and monoclonal antibodies to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 in people who are more likely to get very sick. Learn more.
Symptoms of COVID-19
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
When to Isolate
Regardless of vaccination status, you should isolate from others when you have COVID-19. You should also isolate if you are sick and suspect that you have COVID-19 but do not yet have test results. If your results are positive, follow the full isolation recommendations found here. If your results are negative, you can end your isolation.
CDC streamlines COVID-19 guidance to help the public better protect themselves and understand their risk
RELEASED 08-11-2022
Key Guidance - view CDC's news release with all of the updates
Recommending that instead of quarantining if you were exposed to COVID-19, you wear a high-quality mask for 10 days and get tested on day 5.
Recommending that if you test positive for COVID-19, you stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. You are likely most infectious during these first 5 days. Wear a high-quality mask when you must be around others at home and in public.
If after 5 days you are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of medication, and your symptoms are improving, or you never had symptoms, you may end isolation after day 5.
Regardless of when you end isolation, avoid being around people who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 until at least day 11.
You should wear a high-quality mask through day 10.
Recommending that if you had moderate illness (if you experienced shortness of breath or had difficulty breathing) or severe illness (you were hospitalized) due to COVID-19 or you have a weakened immune system, you need to isolate through day 10.
- Clarifying that after you have ended isolation, if your COVID-19 symptoms worsen, restart your isolation at day 0. Talk to a healthcare provider if you have questions about your symptoms or when to end isolation.
Resources & Information
UPDATED! Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19 (CDC)
Symptoms Guidance (CDC)
10 Ways to Manage Respiratory Symptoms at Home | Spanish | Karen | Somali | Nepali (CDC)
What To Do If You Are Sick | Spanish (CDC)
Testing Guidance (CDC)
Got Symptoms? Get Tested. (flyer)
Travel During COVID-19 (CDC)
Multi-Language Testing Resources - translated instructions for at-home tests, conversation guides, fact sheets and more. (NRC-RIM)
Find Federally Qualified Health Centers in South Dakota - community-based primary care services in underserved areas providing care on a sliding fee scale based on ability to pay.
WeCanDoThis.HHS.gov - COVID-19 Public Education Materials
COVID.gov - Find COVID-19 guidance and resources to protect you, your family, and your community
Learn about COVID-19 Treatment options
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The COVID-19 Test To Treat Initiative quickly connects eligible individuals who are at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 to appropriate treatments.
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Evusheld is an investigational medicine that can help protect you from getting COVID-19. You may be eligible for Evusheld if you:
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Are moderately or severely immunocompromised and may not mount an adequate immune response to COVID-19 vaccination OR have a history of severe allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines, and
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Do not currently have COVID-19 and have not recently had close contact with someone with COVID-19, and
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Are an adult or adolescent ages 12 years and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg).
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Treatment Locator (HHS)
Monoclonal Antibody Treatments
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an Emergency Use Authorization to allow the use of monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of mild to moderate symptoms of COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients.
View South Dakota Monoclonal Antibody Treatment flyer
What are monoclonal antibodies? Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the antibodies created by your immune system to fight off harmful viruses. Bamlanivimab + etesevimab and casirivimab + imdevimab are monoclonal antibodies that are specifically designed to protect against severe COVID-19 infection. The antibodies bind to the spike protein of the COVID-19 virus to stop the virus from entering your cells and continuing the infection.
- Who can get this treatment? Antibody treatment can be used by people with mild to moderate COVID-19 who:
- Test positive for SARS-CoV-2;
- Are within 10 days of the start of their symptoms;
- Are age 12 or older and weigh at least 88 pounds; and
- Are at high risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 infection or of needing to be admitted to a hospital because of COVID-19. Examples of chronic medical conditions include:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Diabetes
- Immunosuppressive disease
- Currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment
- Having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 (overweight or obese)
- Pregnancy
- Aged 65 years and older
- Cardiovascular disease (including congenital heart disease) or hypertension
- Chronic lung diseases (e.g., chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], asthma [moderate-to-severe], interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension)
- Sickle cell disease
- Neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., cerebral palsy) or other complex conditions (e.g., genetic or metabolic syndromes and severe congenital abnormalities)
- Having a medical-related technological dependence (e.g, tracheostomy, gastrostomy, or positive pressure ventilation [not related to COVID-19])
Individuals who meet high risk criteria and test positive should contact their primary care physician about a referral for antibody treatment within three days of a positive test result and no later than 10 days after symptom onset.
Treatment for COVID-19 available in many parts of the state. Check with your health care provider about the use of monoclonal antibodies or an antiviral.
These medications will be available at no cost to patients, although health care facilities may charge for administering the medicine.
Avera Health
Monument Health
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Sanford Health
Independent Hospitals
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For Parents
Talking to Children About COVID-19 (Coronavirus) A Parent Resource (NASP)
Coronavirus Explained! (for kids) - (CDC video)
Helping Children Cope During and After a Disaster: A Resource for Parents and Caregivers (CDC)
Tools for Supporting Emotional Wellbeing in Children and Youth (NASEM)
Children's Mental Health (CDC)
For Adults
Stress and Coping (CDC)
Coping With Stress During Infectious Disease Outbreaks (SAMHSA)
605strong.com (SD Dept. of Social Services)
Everyone plays a part in getting through the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have fully recovered from COVID-19, you may be able to help patients currently fighting the infection by donating your plasma, also known as convalescent plasma. Because you fought the infection, your plasma now contains COVID-19 antibodies. These antibodies provided one way for your immune system to fight the virus when you were sick, so your plasma may be able to help others fight off the disease.
To become a convalescent plasma donor, individuals should contact their physician or visit the websites below for more information:
Individuals or family members who are interested in acquiring a donation for a family member should contact their clinician for more information.
What is MIS-C?
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a condition where different body parts can become inflamed, including the heart, lungs, kidneys, brain, skin, eyes, or gastrointestinal organs. Children with MIS-C may have a fever and various symptoms, including abdominal (gut) pain, vomiting, diarrhea, neck pain, rash, bloodshot eyes, or feeling extra tired. We do not yet know what causes MIS-C. However, many children with MIS-C had the virus that causes COVID-19, or had been around someone with COVID-19. More information is available on CDC’s website.
MIS-C in South Dakota
Total Cases: 6
Locations: 3 from East River; 3 from West River
Sex of Cases: 3 female; 3 male
Age of Cases: 6 in the 0-17 year age group
Outcomes: 6 (100%) hospitalized; Zero (0%) died