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WEBSITE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Kim Malsam-Rysdon, Secretary of Health

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Your health: COVID-19 information & resources

Vaccination Information
Precautions to Avoid Illness | Quarantine, Isolation, & Self-Monitoring
NEW! Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics | Behavioral Health
Multiple Language Resources | Plasma Donation
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C) | CDC Website

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Precautions to avoid illness

Clean hands often. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands. Avoid Close Contact.  Avoid close contact with people. Stay at home as much as possible, except to run essential errands or to seek medical attention. Put distance between yourself and other people. Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread the virus. Wear a cloth face cover. Everyone should wear a cloth face cover when they have to go out in public, for example to the grocery store or to pick up other necessities.  The cloth face cover is meant to protect other people in case you are infected.  Do NOT use a facemask meant for a healthcare worker.  Continue to keep about 6 feet between yourself and others. The cloth face cover is not a substitute for social distancing.cover coughs & Sneezes.  If you are in a private setting and do not have on your cloth face covering, remember to always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.  Throw used tissues in the trash.  Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. clean and disinfect.  Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.  If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus.

What can you do?

Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations:

South Dakota’s healthcare system is prepared to identify and treat cases of COVID-19.

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Quarantine, Isolation, and Self-Monitoring

COVID-19 Screening Tool. This tool can help you understand what to do next about COVD-19. Click to Start Your Screening. Developed by CDC, White House, and FEMA. If you develop symptoms:

Quarantine, Isolation, and Self-Monitoring:

Modification to CDC Quarantine Guidelines:

  • CDC recommends 14 days of quarantine from the day of last exposure to a person with COVID-19. The quarantine period is the length of the incubation period (or how long it may take a person to become ill with COVID-19) for COVID-19.
  • Based on evolving knowledge of COVID-19, CDC was able to provide alternatives that use additional information, specifically a close contact’s development of symptoms and testing for COVID-19, to decrease the length of quarantine.
  • CDC has provided two alternatives that have been adopted by SD-DOH:
    • Release from quarantine after 7 days
      • Assumes the person in quarantine:
        • Has remained asymptomatic (has no symptoms)
        • Has a negative molecular or rapid antigen test that was collected on Day 5 or later, after their last contact with a person with COVID-19 (i.e., Day 5 of their quarantine or later)
        • Continues to monitor their symptoms for the remainder of the 14 day period and will stay at home and seek testing if they become sick
    • Release from quarantine after 10 days
      • Assumes the person in quarantine:
        • Has remained asymptomatic (has no symptoms)
        • Is not tested on Day 5 or later of quarantine
        • Continues to monitor their symptoms for the remainder of the 14 day period and will stay at home and seek testing if they become sick

Return to Work Request Letter

If the Department of Health has contacted you regarding your status as a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or if you have tested positive for COVID-19 you may request an employer letter. This is for individuals only – employers may not request a letter for their employee(s).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Guidance:
CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. Visit the CDC website for more information.

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.

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COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics

In November, 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.

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 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.

  • 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
    • Are currently receiving immunosuppressive treatment
    • Having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35

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 is limited at this time. Check with your health care provider about the use of monoclonal antibodies (bamlanivimab or casirivimab/imdevimab) or an antiviral (remdesiver).

These medications will be available at no cost to patients, although health care facilities may charge for administering the medicine.

COVID-19 Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutics Locations:

  • Sanford Aberdeen Medical Center – Aberdeen
  • Douglas County Medical Center – Armour
  • Community Memorial Hospital – Burke
  • Sanford Canton-Inwood Medical Center – Canton
  • Sanford Chamberlain Medical Center – Chamberlain
  • Sanford Clear Lake Medical Center – Clear Lake
  • Sanford USD Medical Center – Sioux Falls
  • Sanford Vermillion Medical Center – Vermillion
  • Pioneer Memorial Hospital – Viborg
  • Sanford Webster Medical Center – Webster
  • Winner Regional Hospital – Winner

Resources:

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Behavioral Health

605Strong.com - COVID-19: Talk. Support. Help.For Parents

For Adults

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COVID-19 Plasma Donation

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.

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Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS-C)

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

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