Sara Stadem | Editor
With the help of Lewis Drug out of Sioux Falls, the Tri-Valley School District was able to help their staff get a little closer to normalcy.
Lewis Drug held a shot clinic at the Tri-Valley School District on Friday, March 12, for any staff members that wanted to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, according to superintendent Dr. Mike Lodmel. The only stipulations, according to Dr. Lodmel, was a staff member could not have been treated for COVID-19 with an infusion of monoclonal antibody or COVID convalescent plasma in the last 90 days or had any vaccination in the last 14 days.
When asked what prompted the Tri-Valley School District to do this for their staff, Dr. Lodmel said, “We have intended to do this for quite a bit of time. It was just a matter of when the vaccine became available.”
Lewis Drug Director of Pharmacy Operations and parent of Tri-Valley School District Kaylee Amundson explained once Lewis Drug was able to do the vaccines, she reached out to the school.
“I spoke to the superintendent, Dr. Lodmel, and told him we would be able to help the school out. I explained we could come out on sight and asked if he would want this and he, of course, said absolutely!”
Dr. Lodmel explained the vaccine was optional for the Tri-Valley staff and there was no cost to the staff or the school district. “About sixty percent of the staff got the vaccine. Some of the staff had already gotten it on their own, individually prior,” Dr. Lodmel said.
Amundson further explained the COVID-19 vaccine is free to everyone that wants to be vaccinated. “There is no direct cost to patients whether they have health insurance or not and we would never charge a facility to come on sight for something like this,” Amundson said.
Lewis Drug sent out three pharmacists to administer the shot, Allison Bruscher, Kenton Welbig and Nick Elgersma, with Bruscher and Welbig being Tri-Valley alumni. Lewis Drug also had a technician assist with any paperwork and to watch over those that were vaccinated to make sure everything was okay.
Each Tri-Valley staff member had the option between the two different vaccines – either the Moderna vaccine or the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, according to Dr. Lodmel. Any staff member that chose the Moderna vaccine will be receiving their second shot on April 9.
The shot clinic went very smoothly Amundson said. “Tri-Valley didn’t have school on Friday so it was really easy. We didn’t have to coordinate any subs or anything; nothing to worry about overseeing students while getting this done,” Amundson said. She continued, “I have no doubt that April 9 will go just as smoothly even while we are in succession as our staff can handle it… and I say we because I have kids that go to Tri-Valley!”
Kindergarten teacher Ashley Zenk received her first dose of the vaccine at the shot clinic on Friday. “It was an exciting, nervous and relieved feeling all in one,” Zenk stated.
“Many staff were very appreciative of the opportunity to get the vaccine,” Dr. Lodmel said.
Zenk added, “I think it is great that our district made it easily available for us to receive the vaccine. It was nice not having to drive into a clinic.” She continued, “I think the vaccination clinic went very well. It was a very streamlined process and nice to see a Tri-Valley grad or two help administer the shots.”
Head Custodian Randy Rice also took part in the shot clinic and stated, “I think it says quite a bit about Tri-Valley School District to put something like this on for us. I feel very lucky and fortunate to work here!”
Amundson explained South Dakota Lewis Drug (34 stores) have gone in and done 20 schools or so since able to provide the vaccine. Amundson concluded, “We just feel so lucky to be able to give the COVID-19 vaccine and to be able to provide it to the educators.”
Dr. Lodmel concluded, “We really appreciate Lewis Drug for allowing us this opportunity.”