South Dakota, a state that weathered months of criticism from the media and Democrats for how it handled the COVID-19 epidemic, has become a model for vaccine distribution while other states struggle.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, South Dakota is the third-most successful state in administering its provided coronavirus vaccines, following West Virginia and neighboring North Dakota. South Dakota has given 5.73 doses per 1,000 people, for a total of 51,000 total doses administered.
In comparison, states with some of the harshest COVID-19 lockdown policies are significantly lagging behind. California has administered just 2.26 doses per 1,000 people (less than half of South Dakota), while Minnesota has given 2.93 doses per 1,000 people.
One state health official who spoke to the Washington Examiner (but asked to remain unnamed) credited the state’s cooperation with local healthcare providers and streamlining communication between the government and those tasked with administering the vaccine.
“We just don’t have the same kind of bureaucracy here, I guess,” the individual said. “We’re small, sure, but we knew what to do.”
South Dakota’s rate of inoculating its residents far exceeds the national average, which currently hovers around 3.5 doses per 1,000 people. The state has also used a significantly higher percentage of its allocated vaccines at 57.4%.
California, in contrast, has used only 25.9% of its administered vaccines, meaning that the state still has nearly 2.5 million vaccines sitting in various hospitals and healthcare facilities. New York City, which is lagging behind the state, has administered 33.8% of its vaccines and has over 500,000 still waiting in storage.
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem became a lightning rod for attacks this spring and summer after she vowed to never shut down state businesses or implement strict social distancing rules. An ally of President Trump, Noem said that her state would prize personal decision-making over mask mandates and other laws to limit the spread of the virus.
“I took an oath when I was in Congress, obviously, to uphold the constitution of the United States,” she told Fox News in April. “I believe in our freedoms and liberties. What I’ve seen across the country is so many people give up their liberties for just a little bit of security, and they don’t have to do that.”
That hands-off policy came with significant drawbacks, her critics say. For months, South Dakota’s positivity and death rates from the virus were some of the worst in the country. At one point in December, South Dakota’s COVID-19 fatality rate was 1 for every 19,000 residents, meaning that if the state’s fatality rate was extrapolated nationwide, the country could be seeing tens of thousands, if not more, deaths a day. The state’s COVID-19 death toll currently sits at 1,614.
Since the late fall and winter spike, South Dakota has seen its cases steadily drop. On Wednesday, the state recorded 452 new positive tests, compared to a 30-day high of 905 on Dec. 16. What accounts for the drop-off, public officials aren’t sure, although when vaccines were first cleared by the Food and Drug Administration in December, South Dakota was briefly the No. 1 state in administering doses.
South Dakota has also administered more vaccines than other states with larger populations. At 50,712 doses given out so far, the state has inoculated more residents than Delaware despite having nearly 100,000 fewer residents.
Although a clear red-versus-blue-state divide has yet to emerge in the efficiency of vaccine distribution, South Dakota has been credited with avoiding any new sweeping government policies to vaccinate its residents. Whereas governors such as Andrew Cuomo of New York have implemented strict regulations on how and who can receive a vaccine, Noem has opted to use existing delivery methods.
“South Dakota is a leader in vaccination efforts because of our people. We’ve empowered them to make the best decision for themselves, their family, and their businesses by providing them with timely and accurate health information as it becomes available,” South Dakota Secretary of Health Kim Malsam-Rysdon told the Washington Examiner. “We’ve also leveraged our strategic partnerships throughout the state, and we are proud of their nonstop work to get shots in arms. Preparation, not panic, has been our guiding force since day one.”
Rather than create a whole new distribution channel for vaccines, for example, vaccines can be transported with other medications to hospitals. In New York, some hospitals have complained about a vaccine shortage as healthcare providers remain uncertain about when the latest doses will arrive.
Those shortages have come at the same time that many medical providers have been forced to throw out unused doses because of strict rules dictating who can receive a vaccine. Cuomo has since loosened guidelines on who can be eligible to receive a vaccine, acknowledging shortcomings in the initial rollout.
South Dakota, however, used electronic health records to identify individuals who qualify for the vaccine in order to avoid any unnecessary storage. If a South Dakota resident qualified, they were immediately notified by the state and given directions on how to receive a vaccine.
Noem has championed her state’s progress as evidence of an alternative model of tackling the pandemic, and she has repeatedly pointed to the state’s very low unemployment rate of 3.5% in comparison to the national average of 6.7%.
“As we look towards the year ahead … I am also excited to report there is a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to COVID-19,” Noem said during her State of the State address on Monday. “South Dakota is leading the nation when it comes to dispersing the vaccine. As of today, tens of thousands across the state have already received their first dose of the vaccine.”
