COLOMBIA, SC (WIS) – In the early days of the vaccine implantation in South Carolina, the state received 42,900 doses of the Pfizer vaccine, the Department of Health and Environmental Control said Wednesday.
In this first allocation, 15 public health units were served across the state. People who received the vaccine will need a booster injection in three weeks.
Vaccine shipments will arrive each week, says DHEC.
By the end of the year, DHEC says South Carolina should receive between 200,000 and 300,000 doses.
The state has just started the Phase 1A part of the DHEC vaccine plan, which focuses on preventing deaths.
Here’s who can get the vaccine at this stage:
Phase 1A:
- People who provide direct medical care to patients with suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19: medical staff (ie interns, residents, fellows), nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists (PT), doctors, medical assistants, respiratory therapists (RT), speech therapists who provide swallowing assessments during a patient’s infectious period, students (medical, nursing, PT, RT)
- Auxiliary team interacting directly with suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients: laboratory staff handling potentially infectious samples, phlebotomists and radiology technicians
- Emergency room staff in the above categories that provide direct care to patients who are at high risk of exposure to undiagnosed, suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients
- Residents and employees of nursing homes and long-term care institutions
- Paid and voluntary medical rescuers (EMS, fire brigade and law enforcement personnel providing emergency medical services) and hospital transport personnel in direct contact with suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients
- Persons providing direct medical care in correctional facilities
- People who provide direct medical care in dialysis and infusion centers
- Outpatient medical workers often treat people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection
- Workers in environments where monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 infusions are administered
- Home health workers and hospice
- Nurses / public health personnel visiting facilities with possible COVID-19 cases
- Autopsy team, coroner, embalmer and funeral home staff at risk of exposure to body fluids
Governor Henry McMaster provided the lists below the rest of the phases and the people included in each. It is important to note that this can change as the CDC and its advisory committee come together to recommend and vote at each stage.
Phase 1B:
- Workers and individuals providing services that are at high risk of exposure due to interactions with the public. Examples include: remaining first aid, including firefighters and police officers who have no personal contact during emergency situations with the public.
- Workers in jobs providing essential services, ie utility workers, water, garbage, transportation (including bus drivers and Department of Transportation workers), waste removal
- Agribusiness and food production workers, that is, those who work in processing factories, canning factories and others involved in food production
- People who live and work in congregated environments, that is, group houses, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, prisons and detention centers
- People aged 75 and over
- People with two or more of the following health risks / conditions: cancer without remission, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes, disability, heart disease, HIV / AIDS, obesity, pregnancy and sickle cell disease
Level 2:
- Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
- Grocery, food service and food delivery workers
- Service industry workers
- Postal workers
- Public transport workers
- Elementary and high school teachers and school staff
- Childcare staff and staff
- School Bus Drivers
- Instructors and employees of higher education institutions
- People aged 65 and over
- People with one of the following health risk conditions: cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes, disability, heart disease, HIV / AIDS, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, asthma, cerebral vascular disease, cystic fibrosis, hypertension, immunocompromised, liver disease and pulmonary fibrosis
Phase 3:
- Vaccine available to the entire population
Copyright 2020 WIS. All rights reserved.