*Website updated April 15, 2021 at 11:45 a.m.
Starting Monday, April 5th, the SD Department of Health has opened up vaccination to all South Dakotans 16 years and older. We are no longer using the Vaccine Waitlist.
**Please note**
- A minimum of 14 days is recommended before receiving another vaccine.
- If you received the monoclonal antibody infusion wait 90 days from administration of the infusion before receiving the vaccine.
- If you are 16-17 y/o you can only schedule at the Rapid City location. Additionally, you need to bring a parent with you to your appointment
- CDC and FDA recommended a pause in the use of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine due to reports of adverse events.
For Monument Health locations:
Schedule with MyChart Schedule as a Guest
Or call the Nurse Triage Line to schedule: 605-755-1350
For Fall River:
Schedule in Fall River
Or call 605-745-8910 option #9
For Philip:
Schedule in Philip
Or call 605-859-2566
Frequently Asked Questions
COVID-19 Vaccine
The COVID-19 vaccine is safe to get 14 days AFTER or 14 days BEFORE any other vaccinations.
Patients who have had the monoclonal antibody infusion should wait 90 days from administration of the infusion before receiving the vaccine.
Once vaccinated, you will not test positive for COVID-19, because the vaccine does not contain the virus. However, if you develop a COVID-19 infection before your body creates sufficient antibodies, then you will test positive. The vaccine itself does not interfere with PCR or Rapid tests at Monument Health.
Yes. You are not protected until you develop antibodies to the coronavirus.
The vaccine Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines have been shown to be 95 percent effective two weeks after the second dose. So even if you have been vaccinated, there is still a 5 percent chance of infection. The good news is that if you are unlucky to be in that 5 percent, the disease will be mild. You should recover with minimal symptoms and no lasting damage.
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine was approximately 77% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 14 days after vaccination and 85% effective in preventing severe/critical COVID-19 occurring at least 28 days after vaccination.
All three COVID-19 Vaccines are 100 percent protective in preventing severe COVID-19.
The best evidence we have points to at least 8 months. According to Pfizer-BioNtech, their vaccine provides immunity for up to two years. Moderna recently said its vaccine should offer immunity for at least a year. The research is ongoing.
Two independent advisory committees (ACIP and the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee [VRBPAC]) review vaccine safety data. ACIP also monitors post-market safety and effectiveness data for new vaccines. For COVID-19, ACIP has formed a separate Vaccine Safety Technical (VaST) Subgroup to provide timely evaluation of vaccine safety, both pre- and post-licensure. See more on COVID-19 Vaccine Safety.
Early data on the vaccines show mild and temporary side effects like headache, fatigue and mild fever, which are all common signs that show a vaccine is working to help you build immunity. Injection site reactions my include pain, redness of the skin and swelling.
There is a recommended 15 minute observation period after each vaccination to be sure any potential adverse reactions are addressed.
The Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines are two-dose series vaccines and are not interchangeable. It’s important that you schedule your second dose while getting your first dose because your booster must be from the same manufacturer. The second dose must be given 21 days after the first shot for Pfizer and 28 days for Moderna.
The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine is a single dose.
There are no known contraindications to someone who has had the virus receiving the vaccine. We just ask from a prioritization perspective that those who may already have some immunity defer to a later date to receive their immunization. As supplies become available, everyone should get vaccinated.
People with COVID-19 who have symptoms should wait to be vaccinated until they have recovered from their illness and have met the criteria for discontinuing isolation; those without symptoms should also wait until they meet the criteria before getting vaccinated. This guidance also applies to people who get COVID-19 before getting their second dose of vaccine.
This Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 Vaccines was developed using mRNA and does not interact with DNA in any way – it is quickly broken down in the cell, never enters the nucleus and thus won’t cause long-term effects. See more on the CDC website.
Rumors of infertility have been shared on social media, but these are unfounded and not plausible. Here’s more on fertility.
A flu vaccine will not protect you from getting COVID-19, but it can prevent you from getting the flu at the same time as COVID-19. This can keep you from having a more severe illness. It’s possible that flu viruses and the COVID-19 virus will both be spreading during that time. That means that getting a flu vaccine will be more important than ever.
Yes, all vaccines are being provided by the federal government or allocated from state supply.
At this time, there is no out-of-pocket cost to patients for the vaccine. Private insurance companies and government programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program will fully cover the cost.
