Health

Compared to other Great Plains states, South Dakota is off to a slow start in getting children ages 5-11 vaccinated against the coronavirus. With child vaccines available for nearly a month, so far only about one in 20 eligible South Dakota children aged 5-11 has received a dose of the

Finding a safe, affordable and accessible nursing home or assisted-living center for sick or elderly South Dakotans has become more difficult in recent years but is getting harder than ever due to a shortage of facility workers and financial losses suffered amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The labor shortage affecting businesses

After a year and a half of attending college during unprecedented times, it has been welcome to return to a more normal school year at South Dakota State University. From fully in-person instruction, to full capacity events such as football games and student organization events, to unrestricted access to dining

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