COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina could get its first shipment of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine on Monday, less than 72 hours after it received emergency approval.
State health leaders said Sunday they expected the first allocations to arrive Monday and Tuesday. The state said they have enrolled 307 provider locations and 56 of those are expected to be active this week.
The first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States headed Sunday from Michigan to distribution centers across the country. The vaccine received emergency use authorization from the CDC Friday night, after trials showed it was 95 percent effective.
Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history at a critical juncture of the pandemic that has killed 1.6 million and sickened 71 million worldwide.
As has been stated by national and South Carolina health leaders, the shot will be first give to health care workers on the front line and people staying at nursing homes. The Medical University of South Carolina, the hospital located in Charleston, said they expect to begin giving doses to their workers Tuesday.
Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with an additional 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. The vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, is being doled out based on each state’s adult population.
DHEC has said they expect to get 200,000 to 300,000 doses by the end of this year, although that number could change.
The vaccine requires two doses separated by three weeks. The state is responsible for the first doses while the CDC would give the second booster shot.
State health leaders have said the vaccine will be rolled out in stages, with the Phase 1a beginning this week in the state. It could be April or May before the vaccine is available to anyone who wants it, regardless of medical condition or risk of exposure due to their job.
While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.
Another vaccine by Moderna will be reviewed by an expert panel next week and soon afterward could be allowed for public use.