Call Ahead!
with COVID-19 Symptoms or Exposure
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, call your local healthcare provider before you visit.
Symptoms
People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus , including:
Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Visit the CDC COVID-19 Symptom Information page for more.
Additional Resources
What is COVID-19?
It is a respiratory illness that first surfaced in late 2019. It can spread from person to person. Risk of infection is higher in people who are in close proximity to people with COVID-19 such as health care workers or household members.
Simple tips to stop the spread of COVID-19
Wash your hands often with soap and water
Cover your cough or sneeze
Keep your distance - at least 6 feet
Stay home when you are sick
Refrain from touching your face
Clean and disinfect often
What do I do if I get sick?
The symptoms of COVID-19 can vary from mild to severe respiratory illness. Follow the CDC guidelines if you are sick. About 80% of patients who have COVID-19 can be treated at home. The rate of patients who experience serious complications is only slightly higher than that of seasonal flu.
Vaccination of Group 1c Continues
Group 1c Includes: Other Healthcare Workers (Laboratory and Clinic Staff), Public Health Workers, Emergency Medical Services, Law Enforcement and Correctional Officers.
The second round of vaccinations will be held during scheduled vaccination clinics through February for this group. The last opportunity for this group to get their first vaccination shot will be January 28, 2021.
Vaccination of Group 1d Has Started
Group 1d Includes: Individuals age 80 or older, high-risk patients: post-transplant, active cancer and dialysis, high-risk residents in congregate settings such as licensed independent living facilities and residents of licensed group homes.
We are working with five clinics in Huron on the plan to prioritize this phase. These clinics include: Huron Clinic, New Life Clinic, Tschetter & Holm Clinic, HRMC Physicians Clinic and Horizon Health Care (James Valley Community Health Center). Staff at these clinics are currently reviewing their patient records to determine which patients fall into this priority.
If you are eligible to be in this group, you will be contacted directly by your provider. Please be patient as there are no guarantees on the amount of doses that will be recieved each week. With limited availability and limited shelf life, not everyone within the group will be contacted at the same time. We appreciate your patience!
For those patients who do not have a primary care provider at one of the clinics in Huron listed above, Dr. Christopher Bronson, a board-certified internist at HRMC Physicians Clinic is willing to order the vaccination and the patient will be notified of their scheduled time. For continuity of care, the patient will be offered the opportunity to establish care with Dr. Bronson, but it will not be a requirement to receive the shot.
We are currently working with school officials in Beadle and Sanborn counties to develop a plan for teachers, other school staff and daycare providers. Tentatively, the plan is to distribute the doses to the schools and have the vaccination take place on school property. Again, patience is appreciated because of weekly allocations of vaccine, we are not certain of the exact timing.
If you do not fall into either Group 1c or 1d, click here for a COVID-19 Vaccine Timeline from the South Dakota Department of Health.
We will continue to update this page as the priority groups and any other information regarding the vaccine changes.
Call the 211 Helpline with any other questions or visit the Helpline Center .
(*last updated 1/22/2021)
COVID-19 Vaccination FAQ
How many doses will South Dakota recieve?
The federal government provides vaccine doses to states based on population. Huron Regional Medical Center is part of the Northern Plains Health Network, an independent group of hospitals, and doses of the vaccine are distributed through this network and administered on a local level. A detailed map can be found here: COVID-19 Vaccine Providers
When will I be able to get vaccinated?
We are currently working with the South Dakota Department of Health to get enough vaccines to our area. At this time there is not enough vaccine for everyone who is requesting it, so we are following State guidelines to distribute to those who are most at risk. The vaccine arrives at each healthcare facility in limited increments and has a limited shelf life. That means that not everyone who is within each group approved by the Department of Health will be contacted at the same time. Please be patient! Refer to the COVID-19 Vaccine Timeline for more detail on the expected vaccine availablity in South Dakota.
Will I need two doses?
Yes. The vaccines that are on the market now will require two doses to be effective.
Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine?
No. None of the COVID-19 vaccines currently available use the live virus that causes COVID-19. However, an individual could experience symptoms, such as fever, after getting the vaccine as the body builds immunity. It typically takes a few weeks for the body to build immunity after vaccination. That means it is possible that a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or after vaccination and get sick as the vaccine has not had enough time to provide protection.
What are the side effects?
Typical side effects may include some soreness and/or redness at the injection site, low grade fever, headache, muscle pain, chills or nausea. .
Now that there is a vaccine available, do we still need to follow current guidelines?
Yes. The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is by wearing a mask, social distancing and washing your hands frequently. We must stay dilligent until there is enough vaccine available to the public. Continue to follow CDC Guidelines .
Visit the South Dakota Department of Health FAQ page for additonal information.
Coronavirus Information
What if I have additional questions?
The Huron community has a call center to help respond to questions and offer information about the COVID-19, possible symptoms, patient screening for testing and resources. The call center can be reached at (605) 353-6214 for testing. If a representative is not readily available, callers should leave a message, which the call center will return.
All other COVID-19 inquiries should be directed to your primary care provider clinic, visit the SD Department of Health FAQ page or by calling 211 to reach the Helpline Center .
What if I need to get tested?
The Beadle County Unified Task Force has set up processes for testing at a location that limits exposure. The Task Force works with the South Dakota Department of Health, which is the entity that determines which patients are tested. Testing at the test site is by appointment only. Clinics within the community also offer COVID-19 testing.
IMPORTANT : The test is only available to individuals who have been screened by a healthcare provider and referred for the test. When reporting to your local clinic, CALL AHEAD before arriving to conduct this screening process, which will protect patients and staff.
Based on the severity of your symptoms, your provider may ask you to stay home and isolate yourself. Please follow these recommendations from the CDC .
If COVID-19 testing is ordered by the healthcare provider, the healthcare provider must contact the call center directly to request the test for you. After receiving your patient information and an order from the healthcare provider, the call center will contact you to schedule an appointment to be tested. The healthcare provider, the SD DOH or designated HRMC staff will then contact the patient directly with the results.
Does HRMC Charge for COVID-19 Testing?
HRMC does not charge the patient for diagnostic testing costs for COVID-19 when the collection is analyzed at HRMC or at the SD DOH laboratory. Though there is no charge for the actual COVID-19 diagnostic lab test, hospital charges do apply if the test is performed at HRMC.