COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is expanding its Vaccination Homebound Project to all 46 counties in an effort to vaccinate rural and underserved parts of SC.
The program launched June 1, and will run through December 2021.
DHEC is working with Welcome Pharmacy and H&M Labs to provide vaccines to those who may be unable to reach a doctor's office or vaccine facility. In addition, one caregiver per provider is also eligible for a free vaccination through this vaccination program.
“We are incredibly excited to offer this service to the homebound members of our state,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, Public Health Director. “Reaching herd immunity means removing any and all barriers between people and these life-saving vaccines. Our homebound program will help us accomplish that goal by bringing this opportunity to front doors across South Carolina.”
According to DHEC, the project launched as a pilot program in late February in Jasper and Hampton counties. Through this pilot, DHEC determined there was a greater need for the program throughout the state.
To schedule an appointment with the Vaccination Homebound Project, call DHEC’s Vaccine Information Line at 866-365-8110 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week. Residents will provide their name, date of birth, and address to a call line operator. The operator will connect them with either Welcome Pharmacy or H&M Labs and a representative from the provider will then call the resident within a few days to schedule an appointment. If residents have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, a call line operator can help answer them.
Vaccine administrators will help with scheduling the second shot of Moderna or Pfizer.
Additional home care providers in the state who would like to partner with DHEC to expand this service can contact DHEC at COVIDProviderenrollment@dhec.sc.gov. For the latest information about COVID-19 vaccines, visit scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.