DVIDS – News – South Carolina National Guard administers more than 52,000 COVID-19 vaccines to citizens of South Carolina

Columbia, SC – The South Carolina National Guard has administered more than 52,000 vaccinations to civilians in 80 different locations in South Carolina since January 7, 2021.

This is a new milestone in the one-year mobilization of the South Carolina National Guard in support of the state’s COVID-19 pandemic efforts. The National Guard’s COVID-19 vaccination program is one of several missions that the South Carolina National Guard has been engaged in since it was deployed by Governor Henry McMaster on March 13, 2020.

“Since March 2020, more than 600 South Carolina National Guard soldiers have responded to the call of duty by supporting more than 1,300 missions with our state and local partners,” said U.S. Army Major General Van McCarty, deputy general from South Carolina. “Today’s record number of 52,000 civilian vaccines administered by our US Army National Guard doctors is not only historic in terms of the volume of vaccinations, but it is a testament to the faithful and selfless service of our uniformed men and women.”

Since March 2020, the South Carolina National Guard has maintained an active duty force of just under 600 soldiers and airmen who have carried out more than 1,370 missions, assisted in the COVID-19 test of more than 284,232 civilians across the state, examined clinically more than 578,035 inmates at 17 different facilities in the South Carolina Department of Corrections, participated in 62 sanitation missions, assisted 5 food banks in distributing more than 125,361 food boxes and conducted COVID-19 missions in all 46 counties of State.

“Whenever we need additional support in any of our many missions during the pandemic, the South Carolina National Guard men and women responded to the call and exceeded expectations,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “His spirit of service, his experience and his consistent readiness have now resulted in more than 52,000 shots for the Southern Carolinians who need them. On behalf of all the Southern Carolinians, I would like to express my constant and sincere gratitude for these men and women. “

By order of Governor McMaster, the South Carolina National Guard was mobilized for more than a year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The general aide is an important member of the state’s COVID-19 Unified Command Group, led by Governor Henry McMaster. The South Carolina National Guard’s Joint Operations Center was activated in conjunction with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division for a coordinated effort. In support of several state agencies, mainly the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, the South Carolina National Guard continues to provide flexible support, transferring resources as needed based on effort priority. Several missions were carried out during activation, including vaccine logistics, medical urgency and assessments of alternative care locations.