Health

College campuses across South Dakota have a mostly back-to-normal feel so far this academic year, but the COVID-19 pandemic remains a top concern for many students, faculty and staff. University leaders want students to experience a typical collegiate year with indoor and outdoor pep rallies, sporting events and group study

Even as COVID-19 infections and deaths are rising once again in South Dakota, resistance to getting vaccinated remains entrenched among some state residents, and the political divide over whether to get vaccinated shows no signs of narrowing. Two new sets of polling data on vaccine-hesitancy rates and reasons have raised

Many Americans, including adults and children in South Dakota, have gained weight since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and that has healthcare experts worried about the potential for long-term negative physical and mental health implications. The extended stress experienced since early 2020 is seriously affecting mental and physical health,

At a time when they are needed most, South Dakota is facing a shortage of nurses that healthcare professionals worry could negatively affect patient care at hospitals across the state. The nursing shortage has been ongoing for years but worsened during the pandemic. High stress, long hours and fear of

South Dakotans bought far more alcohol and tobacco than usual during the COVID-19 pandemic, and some healthcare professionals are concerned that residents who consumed more of the unhealthy products could suffer long-term physical and mental health consequences. Health experts say the pandemic brought on social isolation, job loss, grief and

A temporary halt to abortions in 2020 at the only clinic in South Dakota where the procedures take place led to a big drop in abortions performed in the state last year, but it did not prevent women who wanted to terminate their pregnancies from doing so elsewhere. During the

Back-to-school plans for this fall are taking shape in South Dakota and — so far, at least — it looks like most teaching will take place in person and masks and COVID-19 vaccinations will be optional for students, teachers and staff. But safety protocols could change quickly as public school officials keep