>>> THIS MORNING IN OUR SERIES
"VACCINATING AMERICA" WE ARE
LOOKING AT ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES IN MAKING SURE PEOPLE
ACROSS THE COUNTRY HAVE
SOMETHINGACCESS
TO THE VACCINE AND IT’S GETTING
TO PEOPLE IN RURAL AREAS.
>> IT’S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO THIS
POINT.
DASH A BURNS JUST GOT BACK FROM
SOUTH DAKOTA.
SHE FOLLOWED A MAN HUNDREDS OF
MILES AS HE DELIVERED DOSES OF
THE VACCINE TO SOME OF THE
COMMUNITIES THERE.
GOOD MORNING.
>> Reporter: HEY, KRISTEN AND
PETER, GOOD MORNING.
RURAL AREAS ACROSS THE MORNING
FOLKS OFTEN HAVE TO TRAVEL LONG
DISTANCE TO GET HEALTH CARE.
WHEN IT COMES TO RURAL VACCINE
ROLLOUT, SOUTH DAKOTA HAS DONE
BETTER THAN MOST THANKS AT LEAST
IN PART TO A CURE YOUR SYSTEM
THAT’S BEEN THE PONY EXPRESS OF
MEDICAL DELIVERIES THERE EVEN
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT’S AN EPIC TASK CONSIDERING
BUN DESCRIBED THE STATE AS
BEYOND RURAL, SAYING IT’S
FRONTIER.
CORY DIETRICH IS ABOUT TO HEAD
OFF ON A VERY LONG JOURNEY TO
DELIVER VACCINES TO RURAL
COMMUNITIES ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA.
>> OURERRITORY IS VAST.
WEATHER IS A HUGE CONCERN.
>> Reporter: THE ROUTE?
425 MILES, FIVE STOPS.
>> ARE A SMALL TOWN IN CENTRAL
SOUTH DAKOTA IS THE TOWN I GREW
UP IN.
THE VACCINES GOING THERE ARE
GOING TO END UP IN THE ARMS OF
PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN MY WHOLE
LIFE.
>> Reporter: HE WORKS FOR AN
SANFORD HEALTH, ONE OF THE THREE
MAIN HEALTH SYSTEMS LEADING THE
CHARGE IN VACCINATING THE STATE.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO SOUTH
DAKOTA HAD SOME OF THE WORST
COVID DEATH RATES IN THE WORLD.
BUT NOW IT’S AMONG THE TOP
STATES FOR VACCINATIONS PER
CAPITA.
NO SMALL FEAT FOR A RURAL STATE
WITH A LOT OF WIDE OPEN SPACES.
OUR FIRST STOP CHAMBERLAIN WAS
DEVASTATED BY THE VIRUS.
HOW HARD WAS IT TO SEE THE
IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON YOUR
FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS HERE?
>> IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT.
TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS IN THE
E.R., THE CLINIC WHO HAD COVID,
SEEING THEM GO TO SIOUX FALLS
AND SOME NOT COMING BACK.
>> Reporter: 20% OF THE U.S.
POPULATION LIVES IN RURAL AREAS.
RESIDENTS ARE AT ESPECIALLY HIGH
RISK FOR COVID-19 BECAUSE THE
POPULATION IS OLDER WITH HIGHER
RATES OF CHRONIC DISEASE AND
POVERTY.
DEATH RATES IN THESE AREAS ARE
NOW EXCEEDING THOSE IN URBAN
AREAS.
SO VACCINE DELIVERIES CAN TRULY
BE A LIFE SAVER.
>> PEOPLE CAN COME TO THE
HOMETOWN CLINIC AND GET THE
VACCINE.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO DRIVE
HUNDREDS OF MILES ROUND TRIP
TWICE.
>> Reporter: THE TRIP IS NOT AN
EASY ONE.
WE HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING CORY
ACROSS THE MASSIVE STRETCH OF
LAND THAT SANFORD COVERS.
IT’S NEGATIVE 18 DEGREES TODAY.
WE HAVE HAD ICE AND SNOW ON THE
ROAD, WINDY CONDITIONS.
BUT CORY’S TEAM, THEY DO THIS
EVERY SINGLE DAY.
>> BIG HUG!
>> Reporter: A WARM WELCOME FROM
CORY’S FAMILY WHEN HE SHOWED UP
BACK HOME.
POPULATION 426.
>> VERY PROUD OF OUR SON.
CAN YOU TELL?
>> Reporter: BUT THEY ARE NOT
THE ONLY ONES HAPPY TO SEE HIM.
>> WE DIDN’T THINK WE WOULD GET
VACCINE TO THE SUMMER.
>> Reporter: HOW SOON ARE THE
SHOTS GOING INTO ARMS?
>> TOMORROW.
>> Reporter: LIKE MANY
FACILITIES IN RURAL DWRRS, THESE
VAC DOSES NEED TO BE USED
QUICKLY BECAUSE THEY DON’T HAVE
COLD STORAGE.
>> WE HAVE SEEN YOU DELIVER 500
VACCINES TO A PLACE LIKE
CHAMBERLAIN AND THEN 20 DOSES TO
A PLACE LIKE PRESHO.
TO SOME THAT MAY IN THE SEEM
LIKE A LOT.
>> 20 DOSES THAT MATTER TO 20
PEOPLE HERE.
IT MATTERS TO THOSE PEOPLE, SO
THAT’S WHY IT MATTERS FOR US.
>> Reporter: AND, GUYS, IT’S NOT
JUST CORY.
THERE ARE MANY ROUTES AND MANY
COURIERS.
SANFORD DELIVERED 3,200 DOSES
THIS WEEK TO 17 RURAL SITES IN
SOUTH DAKOTA.
THEY WILL DO IT AGAIN NEXT WEEK.
THEY SAY THEY COULD DO MUCH MORE
IF THEY HAD MORE SUPPLY.
KRISTEN, PETER.
>> WHAT A FANTASTIC PIECE.
WE APPRECIATE THE MILES YOU
TRAVELED TO BRING THAT TO US.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT OPEN ROAD,