With the first shipments of COVID 19 vaccines expected to arrive in the Yankton community next week, local health officials are urging people to get inoculated against the coronavirus as soon as vaccines are available to the general public.
Vice-President of Quality for Avera Health Dr. David Basel says clinical trials have shown that the two vaccines currently in use have effectiveness rates well in excess of ninety percent.
Basel says those same clinical trials demonstrated the vaccines high level of safety.
Basel says while it is impossible for a person to contract COVID 19 from receiving the vaccine, it is not unusual to experience some minor symptoms as the vaccine interacts with the individual’s immune system.
Officials say the first vaccines will be provided to frontline medical personnel, it is likely that vaccines will not be available to the general public until sometime next spring.
