CVS Health will begin administering COVID-19 vaccines in pharmacies in South Carolina on February 11.
Seventeen CVS pharmacies – including some in Aiken, Anderson, Clemson, Columbia, Greenville, Myrtle Beach, Summerville and Sumter – will offer vaccines to those who meet state criteria.
Appointments are required and will be available for reservation as early as February 9, as stores receive shipments of the vaccine, according to a press release from the company.
Patients can register in advance online, using the CVS Pharmacy app or by calling 800-746-7287.
CVS Health initially plans to administer 15,300 total doses in the state of Palmetto and expand to more locations and offer additional consultations as more vaccines become available, the statement said.
In addition to offering vaccines at local pharmacies, CVS Health will continue to vaccinate residents and employees at more than 682 long-term institutions in the state.
The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control has reported that more than 430,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have so far been administered in the state.
On Tuesday, the state recorded 1,554 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 32 new deaths. Almost 9 percent of the tests were positive.
DHEC has changed the way it reports the percentage of positive tests. The number is now calculated by dividing all positive COVID-19 tests by the total number of all COVID-19 tests and multiplying the result by 100.
Previously, DHEC calculated the percentage of positive tests using a “person over person” method.
“It is important that people understand that, although the positive percentage appears as a lower number under the new way of calculating the rate, COVID-19 continues to spread at a high level in our state,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell. “That smaller number is based solely on the change in the way we calculate the rate. “
The agency said the public will notice a big drop in the positive percentage number with the change. But that does not mean that the level of dissemination in the community has decreased.
State figures
New cases reported: 1,554.
Total cases in SC: 400,472 confirmed, 47,432 probable.
New reported deaths: 32 confirmed, 4 likely.
Total deaths in SC: 6,599 confirmed, 719 probable.
Percentage of ICU beds occupied: 75.9 percent.
How does SC rank in vaccines administered by 100,000 people? 32 on Monday, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most affected areas
The three counties with the highest level of cases for their populations are Pickens and Greenville in Upstate and Dillon County in Pee Dee, according to DHEC.
What about the tri-county?
Charleston County announced 130 new cases on Tuesday, while Berkeley counted 67 and Dorchester saw 52.
Hospitalizations
Of the 1,832 patients with COVID-19 admitted to Tuesday, 1,345 were in the ICU and 641 were using ventilators.
What do the experts say?
Health experts continue to urge Southern Carolinians to wear masks or other facial covers, observe the physical distance of at least 6 feet from other people, avoid crowds and wash their hands.
Anyone who believes they have been exposed to the virus or are developing symptoms should be tested. DHEC also advises people to get the COVID-19 vaccine when possible.
