Administrative changes blamed for drop in vaccination rates in South Dakota

Recent changes to the South Dakota Department of Health’s Community Health Services and the Women, Infants, and Children program have resulted in counties losing community health nurses. This has led to a decline in vaccination rates. Social media users are applauding the decline in vaccination rates and expressing concerns about vaccine safety.

Risk level: Low

Recommendation: While conversations about vaccination rates are unlikely to arise in a clinical setting, news coverage of these events may provide a platform for vaccine opponents. This alert is provided for informational purposes for doctors and other health care providers in South Dakota.