This day will forever be marked as the day Watertown received the  COVID vaccine.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has worked with the South Dakota Department of Health for several months in preparation of the vaccine and will begin dispersing the vaccine throughout the region during phase 1.  Even though vaccinations began this week, it is essential that all people continue to engage in social distancing, wear a mask, and practice good hand hygiene as we continue our efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID. 

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is part of the Northern Plains Network, a network of independent health systems in South Dakota. The vaccine was dispersed to some members of the Network to increase the reach of the vaccine in South Dakota. These members include Brookings Health System, Huron Regional Medical Center, and Madison Regional Health System. Prairie Lakes is also working with long term care and assisted living facilities in Codington Country to vaccinate their employees during this initial phase.

At Prairie Lakes, staff was asked to complete a survey if they would like to receive the first round of vaccination. This information helped us complete our plan and collect contact information. Eligible staff members were contacted directly to schedule a specific time to receive the vaccine. Prairie Lakes strongly encourage employees to get the vaccine and offered it first to employees at the most risk of being exposed to the virus.

During the next phases Prairie Lakes will vaccinate more staff members, other front-line healthcare workers, EMS, and other designated groups.  At the same time, long-term care residents will be vaccinated through their facilities’ pharmacy partners. 

Frequently Asked Questions:

 Is it safe?

The vaccine followed thorough and additional safety protocols managed by the FDA.

COVID-19 Vaccine Safety: 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.

Enhanced Safety Monitoring for COVID-19 Vaccines: In addition to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) and other systems routinely used by CDC and FDA to monitor vaccine safety, CDC is adding further monitoring programs for COVID-19 vaccines. Data on vaccinated healthcare workers will be collected through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system. The Vaccine Safety Assessment for Essential Workers (V-SAFE) program, a smartphone-based active surveillance system, will collect text- or web-based health checks from early vaccine recipients who volunteer to report for 6 weeks post-vaccination. Any clinically important event(s) reported by the vaccine recipient will be followed up and a VAERS report will be submitted, as appropriate.

Are the guidelines now relaxed?

It is vital to keep following guidelines. The best way to prevent COVID-19 spread is still by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and washing your hands frequently.

Why can’t I have the vaccine right now when others are receiving it?

Unfortunately, at this time, there is not enough vaccine for everyone who is requesting it. We are following best practice guidelines to distribute the vaccine to those who are most at risk, including those living in long-term care facilities. It is our hope to have enough vaccine for everyone requesting it during the spring of next year. The best way to prevent COVID-19 is by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing and washing your hands frequently.

If I’ve had COVID-19, do I need a vaccination?

Yes, we are recommending all employees and community members to get the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they have recovered from a previous COVID-19 infection, once it is available to their group.

According to the CDC, there is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this.

Does the flu shot increase my chance of getting COVID?

The flu shot does not increase your chance of getting COVID-19. It actually decreases your chance of getting sick. 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. While it’s not possible to say with certainty what will happen in the fall and winter, CDC believes it’s likely that flu viruses and the virus that causes COVID-19 will both be spreading during that time. That means that getting a flu vaccine will be more important than ever.

How were groups allocated?

The vaccine is sent in limited doses. Vaccination priority lists have been made based on job duties and risk of COVID exposure. This means identified front line workers had access to the vaccine first and then as more vaccine arrives we will continue to vaccinate staff and others according to our eligibility criteria.

Read more FAQs from the Department of Health  Read about COVID vaccine benefits

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System (PLHS) and Sodexo, the provider of nutritional and environmental services at PLHS, are pleased to announce Marty Young is the new Environmental Services Manager.

The Environmental Services Manger oversees the operations of housekeeping, custodial, and laundry services. Young is a graduate of Watertown High School and Lake Area Technical College. He has over 20 years of customer service experience. During his free time, Young spends time with his grandkids and enjoys golfing and fishing.

 “My goal is to provide dependable service at Prairie Lakes during these challenging times of the pandemic and for years to come,” said Young. “I am grateful for this opportunity to lead my team and serve patients and staff.”

Everyone Can Make the Holidays Safer

Gatherings with family and friends are fun but can increase the chances of getting or spreading COVID-19 or the flu. If you plan on hosting friends and family, follow these tips to make your holiday safer.

Hosting a Gathering:

• Limit the number of guests.
• Have conversations with guests ahead of time to set expectations for celebrating together.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and items between use.
• Improve ventilation with fans and by setting your furnace on continuous circulation.
• Limit the number of people in food preparation areas.
• Wear a mask, and have paper bags for guests to safely store masks while eating.
• Have guests bring their own food and drink.
• If sharing food, have one person serve food and use single-use options, like plastic utensils.

The safest way to celebrate this year is with people in your household. If you do plan to spend time with people outside your household, please take these steps:

Wear a mask

• Wear a mask with two or more layers to stop the spread of COVID-19.
• Wear the mask over your nose and mouth and secure it under your chin.
• Make sure the mask fits snugly against the sides of your face.

Stay at least 6 feet away from others who do not live with you

• Remember that some people without symptoms may be able to spread COVID-19 or flu.
• Keeping 6 feet (about 2 arm lengths) from others is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Wash your hands

• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• Keep hand sanitizer with you and use it when you are unable to wash your hands.
• Use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

This is reliable information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Learn more holiday tips: Read Holiday Celebrations & Small Gatherings

As the number of COVID cases continues to climb across South Dakota, healthcare providers have remained on the frontlines dealing with the terrible effects the pandemic has left on family and friends.

As of Monday afternoon, there were 18,139 active cases of COVID within the state, many of those cases have required medical treatment of some kind. 

The South Dakota Department of Health reported that as of Monday, 560 patients were hospitalized statewide with the virus. Almost 3,700 patients have been hospitalized throughout the pandemic. That is a number that has severely burdened the healthcare systems nationwide.  Prairie Lakes Healthcare System in Watertown is no exception.  Prairie Lakes Healthcare President and CEO, K.C. DeBoer says the hospital, during the last month, has been exceptionally busy as they work to treat their large number of patients…

Listen to K.C.'s comments on KXLG