SOUTH CAROLINA (CN2 NEWS) COVID-19 vaccines have begun rolling out across South Carolina but many are asking when they will be available to the general population in the Tri-County.
Now, the vaccine is being distributed in two phases with a priority list of who will get dosages first but some good news also coming out on this Monday.
73-year-old Larry Leibman and his wife are residents of Indian Land. Like many they haven’t seen their grandkids since the start of the pandemic.
“They are growing, they’re growing at a very fast rate at this point there are changes you can see it from week to week,” says Leibman.
Now, they know the new vaccine can make a big difference. But they, like others, are wondering when they’ll be able to get the new vaccine.
“We are anxious to have the vaccine ourselves so that we are not spreading the virus and somewhat protected from getting it from someone else,” says Leibman.
So far, more than 60-thousand South Carolinians have gotten the new COVID-19 vaccine. DHEC still operating under phase 1a and continuing to vaccinate healthcare professionals, long-term care resident and staff as well as hospital patient 65 and over.
South Carolina State Senator, Michael Johnson says, “We want to make sure that the doctors and nurses who are taking care of people at the hospitals have this vaccine if they want it and that they’re able to take it. And said we do that and then we just start moving through the population to get everybody you know the most vulnerable people they tell us are 50 and over, so let’s vaccinate them first and then let’s make sure we get everybody else that wants this vaccine so that they can have it.”
As of this Monday our Governor announcing, Wednesday January 13th, any South Carolina resident 70 or older can begin scheduling an appointment to get the COVID-19 vaccine. Regardless of health status or preexisting conditions. Officials have decided to speed things up knowing more than 67% of COVID deaths are among those 70 and older.
Dr. Brannon Traxler, Interim Public Health Director with SCDHEC, says, “We are looking at potentially a state wide system for registration that will hopefully eliminate the need for getting an invitation to then register through vans so that everyone else in the other phases will not have that additional steps and will provide additional information on how to contact that registration system and everything as soon as it’s finalized.
Leibman says he’ll be eagerly awaiting his turn.
“I’m a chemist or was a chemist, and I believe the science and from what I understand for the Pfizer vaccine and the Madonna vaccine, being 95% efficient, with minimal if any side effects, we’re anxious to get it,” says Leibman.
In the video above, CN2’s Rachel Richardson is getting answers to viewers vaccine questions from SC’s DHEC and state leaders.
FROM SCDHEC:
What to Know
- Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 13, any South Carolina resident who’s at least 70 years old can schedule their appointment for receiving vaccine
- Vaccine can only be administered by appointment – you can’t walk into a health care facility and ask for vaccine
- Residents will be asked to provide a driver’s license or other form of ID at their appointment that confirms their age and, therefore, their eligibility to receive vaccine
- Individuals eligible to receive vaccine can schedule an appointment using this online resource, which currently includes several major hospitals, seven DHEC sites, a DHEC mobile clinic, and 12 Doctor’s Cares locations. An additional 50 locations will be added to this list and available to provide vaccine by the beginning of next week. Individuals can also call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for assistance with scheduling an appointment.
