COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is providing more information for those age 70 and older who wish to schedule an appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 13, there will be locations throughout the state accepting appointments for administering the vaccine for anyone age 70 and older -- regardless of health status or preexisting conditions. Appointments must be made in order to receive the vaccine as walk-ins may not be accepted.
- DHEC’s online map at scdhec.gov/vaxlocator will be live Wednesday, Jan. 13. This online map will show the locations currently accepting appointments for COVID-19 vaccine and the map will provide the contact information for scheduling appointments at those locations. The map itself is not a way to schedule an appointment.
- Beginning Jan. 13, individuals can also call DHEC’s Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 for assistance in locating the contact information for scheduling an appointment. The Care Line can’t schedule an appointment but can help provide the phone numbers of locations offering vaccine appointments.
- You will be asked to provide a driver’s license or other form of ID at your appointment that confirms your age in order to receive vaccine.
- South Carolina residency is not a requirement to receive a vaccine.
- The appointment scheduling phone line for each location may operate different hours of the day. This isn’t determined by DHEC.
- South Carolina, like all states, currently has limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine. Some locations that offer vaccine may not have an appointment available for several weeks, depending on their vaccine supply. Facilities receive doses of vaccine each week from the federal government.
- The COVID-19 vaccine is a two-step process -- the initial vaccine plus a follow-up shot scheduled 3 to 4 weeks later. Individuals are encouraged to schedule their second shot as soon as they can. It’s important that individuals receive both doses of the same brand of vaccine to ensure they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
There are currently 146,500 doses of 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 over the next several weeks.
More than 67 percent of COVID-19 deaths in South Carolina have been among those 70 and older.
It’s estimated there are roughly 627,800 South Carolinians aged 70 or older in South Carolina, with many already receiving their vaccine through other Phase 1a eligibility.
For the latest COVID-19 vaccine information, visit scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.
