COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina has now reached 60 percent of its eligible population that's gotten at least one COVID-19 shot, a new milestone as the state works to continue to beat back the spread of the virus.
The latest data on a vaccine dashboard monitored by the state's agency, DHEC, confirmed that 60.1% of eligible people had gotten at least one shot. That number includes the people who are fully vaccinated--two shots of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccines and one shot of the J&J--and those who've had only a partial vaccination of Moderna and Pfizer.
Presently, only people 12 years and older are eligible to get the vaccine, so anyone 11 or under is not included. Pfizer has said its vaccine is effective in kids aged 5 to 11 based on clinical trials.
Back on September 16, the state passed 50 percent of eligible people who are fully vaccinated. Eleven days later, that number has risen to 51.7%.
Those numbers, while they have improved, trail the national averages, which are 75.2% for one dose and 64.7% for fully vaccinated.
Leaders at SCDHEC continue to stress that the only way out of the pandemic is the vaccine. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster has also encouraged all eligible residents to get vaccinated.
Last week, federal regulators recommended a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine for Americans age 65 or older and approved them for others with preexisting medical conditions and high-risk work environments.
Vaccinations are available for ages 12 and up. Visit DHEC COVID-19 webpage for more information, the locator page to find a nearby place to get vaccinated, or call our Vaccine Information Line at 1-866-365-8110.