Are you having trouble scheduling a Covid-19 vaccine in South Carolina for yourself or a family member? When South Carolina switched to the 1B vaccine group, many more people became eligible to receive the vaccine, making it difficult to find nominations. But this can be done! We have some tips that have worked for our team members, readers and family members in this second phase of vaccine distribution in South Carolina.
Disclaimer: This list is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. It is not recommending any vaccine provider. The health advice should come from your doctor.
South Carolina is now in Phase 1B for Covid vaccines
You can find a complete list of who is included in Phase 1B on the DHEC Covid vaccine website. But in general, the phase includes:
- Anyone aged 55 or over
- People with health problems that may put them at risk for complications if they are infected with Covid-19
- Teachers and nurseries
- Anyone working in a workplace with exposure to other people, less than 6 feet away for more than 15 minutes at a time.
- Those who live and work in residential facilities and group houses
- Anyone in Phase 1A who has not yet been vaccinated
Tips: Find a Vacid-19 Consultation for Covid-19 in South Carolina
Keep in mind that these tips are for people in the stage 1B vaccination group today. DHEC asked people to complete this phase of the honor system.
Use these sites to find available appointments for a Covid-19 vaccine
There are two sites where you can search by zip code and city, state for providers with available vaccines. DHEC has a vaccine locator website. It displays which providers near you currently have vaccines. However, as the status is changing very quickly, do not consider the status of each provider as accurate. Instead, it is a good starting point for contacting pharmacies and vaccination centers.
The other site is Vaccine Finder. It is from CDC and administered by Boston Children’s Hospital. You can also sort by zip code or city, state. Interestingly, the results of Vaccine Finder and DHEC’s Vaccine Locator are far from being identical. Again, use this as a good starting point.
Find out when pharmacies and vaccination places open additional appointments
If there is a specific location where you would like to receive your vaccination, try to find out when that location opens new appointments. Each location is different. For example, we heard reports that people were successful in scheduling appointments at CVS through online scheduling, logging in on Sunday night / Monday morning around midnight. Others said Publix opens new appointments on Wednesday and Friday morning.
Check nearby pharmacies for cancellations and extra vaccines
Once vaccines have been removed from storage and brought to room temperature, they should be used. Therefore, if someone does not show up for the vaccine appointment, the pharmacy may have an extra one to use at the end of the day. Call nearby pharmacies in the late afternoon and see if they have any extra doses of vaccine available.
If you have a pharmacy that you use regularly, ask when picking up the prescriptions. They may have extra doses of appointments canceled that day and may be able to give you the vaccine immediately.
Do not neglect local independent pharmacies
It is not just the drugstore chains that are vaccinating people. Local independent pharmacies are also doing their part. Since they often do not have a lot of web presence or offer online scheduling, many people in search of vaccines are rejecting them. No. Call them and ask about scheduling an appointment. You can only find your new favorite pharmacy while you are being vaccinated. There are several listed on the Vaccine Finder website.
Don’t be afraid to call and talk to a real person
Be kind, be patient, be polite. But don’t be afraid to keep pressing “0” on an automated system to reach a real person. Some of the online registration systems are overloaded and defective. Just like calling to see if extra doses are available, it never hurts to call and ask a real person about available times. They can only give you some additional tips to help you schedule something.
Remember that these people are working hard! I asked a pharmacy technician to call a local Walgreens whether or not to call every few days in the afternoon was super boring for them. I was told: “not at all”. They want to help as much as they can. But, if you call someone who seems overwhelmed or asks you to use whatever system they have instead of calling, don’t forget to thank and encourage them!
While you wait, go out and enjoy the spring!
While waiting for your appointment, go out and enjoy spring in South Carolina! Our spring guide is full of things to do this spring. You’ll find links to our hiking guide, places to bike, parks, gardens, free things to do and more!
Playful guide to things to do in the spring
Do you have a tip to share that can help someone find an appointment to vaccinate Covid-19? Let us know so we can share them!