After administering more than 4 million coronavirus tests and inoculating thousands of essential employees, health groups in Palmetto state are beginning to spread the vaccines to the general public.
But as South Carolina residents aged 70 and over enter Phase 1A of the vaccine distribution, some residents find it difficult to find an hour to get their first vaccine.
If you are looking for more information about the vaccine or trying to make an appointment, here is what you need to know:
Kim Willis, Community Health Director Roper St. Francis, encourages African American patients aged 70 and over to make an appointment to receive the Covid vaccine at the Roper St. Francis drive-through at the North Charleston Coliseum, which will begin Wednesday Monday, January 20, 202. Brad Nettles / Staff
Who can get the vaccine?
South Carolinians aged 70 or older became eligible for the vaccine on Wednesday, regardless of employment or pre-existing conditions. Healthcare professionals, hospital patients aged 65 and over who do not have COVID-19 and residents of long-term care institutions are also eligible as part of Phase 1A.
DHEC hopes to begin the next phase of vaccination, Phase 1B, for essential frontline workers, in late winter.
Where can I get the vaccine?
DHEC has compiled a list of sites with Phase 1A vaccine marking at scdhec.gov/vaxlocator. Those with green dots on the map still have appointments available.
You can call DHEC for more information about the vaccination process, but the line had long wait times after a busy week.
For Lowcountry residents, Roper St. Francis Healthcare has created a centralized vaccination facility at the North Charleston Coliseum, which will open on Wednesday. Anyone aged 70 or over can make an appointment by calling your regular doctor, if you are a partner of Roper St. Francis, or call 843-727-3627.
People will make two appointments, three weeks apart, to receive each dose of the Pfizer vaccine on time. After registering, they will drive to the Colosseum grounds and stay in the car while workers collect their information, give the vaccine and monitor for 15 minutes to detect any side effects.
Only those who make an appointment can take the photo.
Dr. Robert Oliviero, vice president and medical director of outpatient care and population health at Roper St. Francis, said people should wear short sleeves and check appointment times before arriving.
Vaccines will be available after Monday in several areas of the state, including the Prisma sites in Columbia and Greenville, and the Tidelands Health sites in Horry County.
Should I worry about the reactions?
Although some people experienced side effects after receiving the vaccine, experts emphasized that it is safe to receive it. Anyone with doubts can call the DHEC hotline at 1-855-472-3432, and Roper St. Francis will broadcast a public information session live on Tuesday.
“Medical distrust is still very real and valid,” said Kim Butler Willis, director of community health at Roper St. Francis. “Especially for people of color, there is that intersection of a community that has been hit hard and has very real reasons to ask questions … you can get the answers you need to feel empowered in your decision.”
How many people can get the vaccine now?
There are more than 600,000 Southern Carolinians aged 70 and over. Before seniors were added to the eligibility list, some 353,000 health workers, first responders and long-term care residents were eligible. But the supply is limited to a steady stream of new doses, so the leaders hope to continue Phase 1A for several weeks.
At the Coliseum site, Dr. Chris McLain, chief physician and senior vice president of Roper St. Francis, hopes to vaccinate 1,000 people a day and then expand that number when the first batch of patients is ready for their second dose after 21 days.
Roper St. Francis Healthcare Chief Physician Officer Dr. Chris McLain explains plans for Roper St. Francis drive-thru vaccines for patients aged 70 and over by appointment only at the North Charleston Coliseum that will begin Wednesday, January 20, 2021 Brad Nettles / Staff
How many vaccines are available?
DHEC receives about 63,000 doses of the vaccine each week, said Acting Director of Public Health, Dr. Brannon Traxler, and expects the supply to remain consistent for the next few weeks.
Every dose that South Carolina has received since mid-December is already in someone’s arm or will be through existing consultations.
Who is making vaccines available?
While DHEC has organized the distribution of the vaccine to different areas and health care providers, each hospital system is deciding for itself how to administer the available doses. Shipments of vaccines from the federal government take place weekly, said Olivieri, so he expects areas with greater efficiency and greater demand to receive sufficient doses to fully immunize communities.
The team is also crucial to keeping the operation running, said Olivieri. Roper St. Francis has enough staff, volunteers and county paramedics to keep pace for at least a few weeks, he said, but they may need more volunteers soon.
The South Carolina National Guard has sent reinforcements across the state since the pandemic began and is already helping hospital systems deliver vaccines in some areas. From medical examinations and the distribution of masks to offering emergency care to crowded hospitals, they set a record on Friday, helping more than 1,000 missions since Governor McMaster mobilized them in March.
Talk to Sara Coello at 843-937-5705 and follow her on Twitter @smlcoello.