South Dakota Tops 300 Confirmed Cases of COVID-19
South Dakota has surpassed 300 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and two more people have died.
On Tuesday Department of Health officials reported 32 new cases. The state total is now 320. That total includes 98 people who have fully recovered, and six people who died.
Most of the new cases are in Minnehaha County, which now has 165 total cases. Other counties with new cases include Brookings, Codington, Lincoln and Lyman.
Yankton Pharmacy Employee Tests Positive
An employee at the Yankton Walmart Pharmacy has tested positive for COVID-19 and may have exposed customers. The state’s Department of Health says the employee worked two days in late March while able to transmit the disease.
The department says anyone who visited the pharmacy between 10 a-m and 7p-m on March 25th should monitor themselves for symptoms through April 8th. Anyone who visited the pharmacy on March 30th between 10 a-m and 2 p-m should monitor themselves through April 13th.
COVID-19 symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People should call their healthcare provider if they develop symptoms.
Noem Says Revenue Losses Will Present a Hurdle for the State Budget
Governor Kristi Noem says revenue losses from the COVID-19 outbreak will present a huge hurdle for the state. Noem says later this month the state will get federal money from a Congressional package. However the governor says the state cannot use that money to replace lost revenue.
“Which is obviously how the state of South Dakota has been dramatically impacted,” Noem says. “We are a state of low taxes, low regulation. Our main funding source at the state level is sales tax, and every business has literally been shuttered just because of lack of economic activity. Very few dollars are flowing into the state.”
Noem says she’s anticipating federal guidance on how to use those dollars. The governor wants some flexibility to keep vital state programs running.
Governor Declares April 8 a Statewide Day of Prayer
Governor Kristi Noem is declaring Wednesday a statewide day of prayer.
In a press conference, Noem expressed thanks to healthcare providers and others who are working to slow the spread of coronavirus in the state.
“But also another weapon that we have that many of us during this week of holy week rely on is the power of prayer. for many South Dakotans, Holy Week is a special time of year for many of us. And also those of the Jewish faith start to recognize and celebrate Passover on the evening of Wednesday, April 8th. Therefore I’m issuing an executive proclamation declaring April 8th, 2020, as a day of prayer.”
The governor encourages praying for comfort for those who’ve lost loved ones to COVID-19 and for success in fighting the disease.
Student Counseling Moves Online
South Dakota campuses are teaching courses online in response to the novel coronavirus. College counselors and psychologists are trying to address the anxiety parents and students face in light of these changes.
Kari Oyen is an assistant professor of School Psychology at the University of South Dakota. Oyen says children will look at their parent's reactions to stressful environments, to learn how they should respond.
“Now, the thing that’s really interesting about kids is that sometimes their responses are different than what we would expect for other aged people. So instead of being verbal about their concerns we might see things like temper tantrums. We might also see things like extra clingy – you know, not really wanting you to leave the room – some of those kinds of things. Sometimes as kids get older – like adolescents and teenagers – you might see more withdrawal behavior, kind of that irritability.”
Oyen says added responsibilities on parents who are trying to help their kids, can create a more stressful household. She says it’s important for parents to pace themselves and set reasonable goals.