Vaccination roll out in South Dakota is moving forward, with new categories of eligible South Dakotans being announced regularly. Still, systemic barriers exist across the state that prevent many people from accessing both accurate vaccine information and the vaccine itself.
- Undocumented people must confront fears of ICE, law enforcement, and being labeled a “public charge.”
- Homebound South Dakotans facing mobility issues cannot travel to vaccination sites.
- People with limited or zero internet access cannot find readily available information on vaccine eligibility or register online for vaccine appointments.
- Those with jobs or childcare responsibilities do not have the flexibility to accept same-day vaccine appointments.
- Working class, rural, and impoverished communities who do not frequently go to the doctor, and therefore are not in healthcare provider records, receive little to no communication on vaccine eligibility.