Now that the governor has opened vaccine appointments for the next phase of eligibility at launch, thousands of people in South Carolina can schedule a vaccine.
Almost a year after the first COVID-19 cases were reported in South Carolina, Governor Henry McMaster said on the morning of March 2 that he would move the state to the next phase starting on March 8.
“We are now in a position to make the majority of Southern Carolinians eligible for the vaccine,” said McMaster.
Here’s what you need to know about whether you qualify now and how to get an appointment:
Who is eligible?
Up to this point, only health professionals and people aged 65 and over have been eligible to schedule a vaccination appointment in South Carolina. With the March 2 announcement, many more people qualify, including essential workers, anyone aged 55 and over. years or more with certain underlying health conditions.
In making his announcement, McMaster opened eligibility for more than half the state.
The governor outlined the underlying health conditions that would make any adult eligible from March 8: obesity, organ transplantation, cancer, chronic kidney disease, lung disease, Down syndrome, hypertension, pregnancy and sickle cell disease. He noted that qualifications are not limited to these conditions.
People with special needs are also eligible now, said McMaster, if those deficiencies put the individual at greater risk of contracting COVID-19.
Essential workers include all educators in the state, as well as people who work with daycare centers. People working in law enforcement, manufacturing, hospitality, transportation, services, agribusiness or local and state government are among the other key employees who will be eligible next week.
How do I find an appointment?
If you have access to the Internet, the most reliable method is to visit the DHEC vaccine appointment website. Sites that have appointments available are shown in green.
If you don’t have internet or need help, the public health agency has an open call center for field inquiries at 866-365-8110.
DHEC officials noted that the demand is still greater than the amount of vaccine that reaches the state. According to information from DHEC, about 521,000 people have scheduled appointments. People should not expect to enter a provider’s calendar immediately.
Why did South Carolina take so far to move on to the next stage?
South Carolina health officials said they are taking the time to ensure that the people most vulnerable to COVID-19 have access to the vaccine first. What aggravates the state’s vaccination rate is the fact that South Carolina’s population gets older compared to the rest of the country.
Nick Davidson, senior public health deputy for DHEC, explained last week that the states’ vaccine categories include different groups, and the first categories in some states were larger than others. A quarter of South Carolina’s population is eligible for the first phase of the vaccine’s launch.
“We will continue to focus on those who are most at risk,” said Davidson. “We want to prevent disease and death in our state.”
When can we move on to the next phase?
All signs point that South Carolina can resume the pace of vaccination.
According to DHEC, state health providers administered about 182,000 vaccines in the week of February 22. And starting this week, the newly authorized Johnson & Johnson vaccine will begin arriving in South Carolina.
“We are seeing the number of vaccines increase a little faster than we expected,” said Dr. Edward Simmer, director of DHEC.
Catch up Mary Katherine Wildeman at 843-607-4312. Follow her on Twitter @mkwildeman.