South Carolina seniors aged 70 and over will be eligible to make an appointment to receive the coronavirus vaccine starting on Wednesday, authorities confirmed Monday morning.
The news was first announced by Senator Tom Davis, R-Beaufort, in a tweet.
Governor @HenryMcMaster says that, starting on Wednesday, those over 70 can make vaccination appointments. I asked: who can vaccinate, how many doses do they have, is VAMS the only way to make an appointment? I will provide an update when I have answers to these questions. pic.twitter.com/N2sa0uuY8C
– Tom Davis (@senatortomdavis) January 11, 2021
As of now, access to the coronavirus vaccine was limited to frontline health professionals, residents and employees in long-term care facilities, hospital patients aged 65 and over who are not COVID-19 positive and others included in the first phase of vaccine launch.
The Department of Health and Environmental Control of SC has increased the number of people eligible to be vaccinated during the first phase, in an effort to increase immunizations.
DHEC set a Friday deadline for those included in the first phase, or their employers, to schedule an appointment, or they would have to wait until one of the later phases. Authorities said they plan to assess how many people have signed up in the next few days, in order to assess when to proceed to the next phase of the launch.
The expansion came as lawmakers expressed growing frustration with the vaccine’s launch.
On January 5, Governor Henry McMaster set the deadline for Friday, which DHEC adopted.
On Friday, McMaster said the number of health workers “who are not ready to get the vaccine” was surprising and that “it just opens the door for the next group soon”.
He hinted that he was ready to use his executive authority to force an expansion of eligibility.
“I can promise everything that I need to do with the executive power given to the governor to move these lines, to get the vaccine into people’s arms as soon as possible, we will do it and I hope that we have announcements soon.
Asked by the Post and Courier on Friday what he would tell the elderly about why they cannot stand a chance in South Carolina, while other states have already elected the elderly, the governor said DHEC trusts the guidelines and best practices of the CDC.
“The path chosen was considered to be the best one because the idea was to vaccinate hospital staff who care for COVID patients or who need to be admitted very sick and without the virus. We wanted to have these hospitals up and running to take care of the rest of us. “
“But I’m with you,” he told the Post and Courier. “It is time to have a more streamlined and agile process to assist the elderly and those with serious conditions of any age to go ahead and get vaccines. Hospitals are working around the clock to find ways to accommodate more and more people, even to set up drive-in clinics. “
More details are expected on Monday.
This story is developing. Come back to find out more.
Seanna Adcox contributed to this report.
Reach Gregory Yee at 843-937-5908. Follow him on Twitter @GregoryYYee.