- South Carolina is administering COVID-19 vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna for adults aged 70 and over, for residents and employees in long-term care institutions, and for frontline healthcare professionals, all in Phase 1a of the state vaccine plan.
- Most Southern Carolinians between the ages of 65 and 69 qualify for Phase 1c, which is scheduled to start in early spring.
- Vaccine News is changing rapidly and we will expand this guide in the coming days, so check back for updates.
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When can older adults get the vaccine?
South Carolina’s over-70 population is eligible to receive vaccines now as part of Phase 1a of the state’s vaccine plan, which also includes:
- employees and residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities;
- health professionals at high risk of exposure to COVID-19 or critical to the response to the state’s coronavirus;
- people aged 65 and over who are hospitalized and have no COVID-19, if the vaccine is recommended by a doctor; and
- state and local government officials and their contractors who are essential for immunization and COVID-19 testing.
Phase 1b, scheduled to start in late winter, includes key frontline workers as identified by an advisory panel to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): firefighters, police and correctional officers, teachers and other staff school, childcare providers and workers in manufacturing, agriculture, food production, public transportation and the US postal service.
Phase 1c brings the total population over 65 years old. This group also includes people aged 16 to 64 with underlying medical conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, which put them at high risk for serious complications from COVID-19 and essential workers in transportation, food, energy and several other fields. Phase 1c is scheduled to start in early spring. The rest of South Caroliniana aged 16 and over is in Phase 2, scheduled to launch in late spring and during summer and autumn.
AARP is fighting for older Americans to be prioritized in obtaining the COVID-19 vaccines because science has shown that older people are at greater risk of death.
Where can I get a vaccine?
Residents and employees in long-term care communities are being vaccinated on their premises through a federal partnership with CVS and Walgreens. Qualified health professionals and their employers were asked by the health department to contact a participating local hospital by January 15 to schedule vaccinations. Individual workers who have not secured an appointment by that date can still do so through the public channels listed below.
Shots for the general public are being administered at pharmacies, medical facilities and local health agencies. Qualified residents can check their status online vaccine locator map or call the state health department hotline at 855-472-3432 to find and obtain contact information for vaccination locations near them. You cannot schedule an appointment using the map or telephone service – you must contact a health care provider directly.
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses. If you get one of these vaccines, you will need a follow-up dose – three weeks later for your Pfizer injection and four weeks later for Moderna. When you receive your first injection, you must receive a vaccination card with the indication of the vaccine you received, the date and place and the expected date for the second. You should also receive notification from the state or your provider.
CDC launched a web tool called v-safe which allows you to subscribe to receive text message reminders for your second vaccine appointment and report possible side effects.
Do I have to pay for the vaccination?
AARP struggled to ensure that the federal government covering the cost of the vaccine in itself. But the CDC says vaccine providers are still can charge a fee for giving someone a chance. The Medicare and Medicaid Service Centers said the vaccine will be administered free of charge to Medicare beneficiaries at no direct cost. Some health insurers have announced that policyholders will not have to share the costs of the vaccine.
There are already reports of scammers who intend to offer vaccines and COVID treatments and try to charge for them. AARP Fraud Watch Network is tracking the most recent scams.
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