FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 11, 2021
COLOMBIA, SC – Governor Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced that Starting on Wednesday, January 13, any South Carolina resident aged 70 or older, regardless of health status or pre-existing conditions, can begin scheduling their appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Based on data from the COVID-19 vaccine – doses received, administered and scheduled appointments – South Carolina officials are confident that most people in Phase 1a who wish to be vaccinated have received their vaccines or have scheduled appointments to do so . There are currently 146,500 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in the state, with 82,266 total doses already administered (a 56 percent utilization rate) plus 94,926 appointments scheduled by Phase 1a individuals to receive their vaccine in the coming weeks.
Additional steps to streamline access to more Southern Carolinians will be made based on the use of the vaccine, the number of appointments and information on the vaccine supply.
“As we saw a dramatic acceleration in vaccine use and visits over the past week, we decided to speed things up again,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “We know that people over 70 are at the greatest risk of dying from COVID-19. Ensuring that they have quick access to the vaccine will help save lives. ”
“Although the COVID-19 vaccine is currently limited in South Carolina, as in all states, our providers continue to receive continuous weekly vaccine shipments from the federal government.” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC’s Acting Director of Public Health. “When assessing supply versus demand and as the rate of vaccines arriving in the state increases compared to the rate of appointments being scheduled, we believe that it is appropriate to start scheduling appointments for other Southern Carolinians. Based on current data, the rate COVID-19’s mortality rate for people aged 70 and over in South Carolina is approximately 655 deaths per 100,000 individuals. For those under 70, there are approximately 37 deaths from COVID-19 per 100,000 individuals. This is an impressive comparison and illustrates why the next vaccination of this population is extremely important in our mission to save lives. “
More than 67 percent of COVID-19 deaths in South Carolina occurred among people aged 70 and over.
It is estimated that there are about 627,800 South Carolinians aged 70 or older in South Carolina, with many already receiving their vaccine through another qualification for Phase 1a.
What to know
- As of Wednesday, January 13, any South Carolina resident at least 70 years of age can schedule their appointment to receive the vaccine
- The vaccine can only be given by appointment – you cannot enter a health facility and ask for the vaccine
- Residents will be asked to provide a driver’s license or other form of identification at the appointment that confirms their age and therefore their eligibility to receive the vaccine
- Individuals eligible to receive the vaccine can schedule an appointment using this online resource, which currently includes several major hospitals, seven DHEC locations, a DHEC mobile clinic and 12 medical care locations. Another 50 sites will be added to this list and will be available to provide the vaccine by the beginning of next week. Individuals can also call the DHEC Hotline at 1-855-472-3432 for help with scheduling an appointment.
- As residents and employees of long-term care institutions continue to receive their Moderna vaccine through the federal long-term care program, the state may soon redirect part of the Modern vaccine from that program and make it available to others.
- South Carolina is committed to making limited supplies of COVID-19 available to rural and underserved communities that have residents currently qualified to receive the vaccine. This is happening through:
- a larger number of DHEC mobile clinic sites, where DHEC can take the vaccine to communities with no nearby locations offering vaccines
- work with the South Carolina Vaccine Advisory Committee, Office of Rural Health, Office of Minority Affairs, South Carolina Hospital Association, South Carolina Medical Association and other state and local partners to establish vaccine supplier locations for rural and underserved communities
- continuing to educate and inform rural, minority and non-white communities about the safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine
- The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two injections separated by 21 days. The Modern vaccine requires two injections separated by 28 days. You need to receive both photos of the same product; vaccine brands are not interchangeable.
- Both shots are required for complete protection against COVID-19. After receiving both injections, the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines are 94-95 percent effective in preventing disease.
- Individuals will receive a vaccination card after receiving the first injection, reminding them of the expected date for the second injection. Most providers are also issuing second-dose appointment reminders to patients via phone calls, emails or text messages.
- Vaccination is one of the many steps you can take to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Protection against COVID-19 is extremely important because, for some people, it can cause serious illness or death.
- Stopping a pandemic requires the use of all available tools. Vaccines work with the immune system so that the body is ready to fight the virus if you are exposed. Other steps, such as masks and physical distance, help to reduce your chance of being exposed to the virus or transmitting it to others.
As the global pandemic and the distribution of vaccines continue to evolve rapidly, Southern Carolinians are reminded to stay up to date by following reliable and verified sources for the latest information. DHEC continues to maintain updates at least twice a week in our state’s media outlets as part of its ongoing efforts to provide the most up-to-date information available. For the latest information on the COVID-19 vaccine, visit scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.