Our top priority is to save lives. Everyone will have a chance to get the vaccine. However, the number of doses is currently limited in South Carolina like in all states. We ask everyone to please be patient, learn what phase you’re in and follow the guidance of our public health officials. This will allow public health officials to ensure those at the highest risk and those who keep us alive are vaccinated first.

To support this effort, vaccine distribution is occurring in a phased approach. The following outline provides an overview of the anticipated categories and time for each phase. This is subject to change at any time for many reasons, such as a change in federal guidance or in the VAC’s recommendations for South Carolina.

Phase 1a and 70+ (Currently Ongoing)

Beginning Wednesday, Jan. 13, any South Carolina resident aged 70 or older, regardless of health status or preexisting conditions, can begin scheduling their appointment to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. A map with current locations accepting vaccine appointments will be available at scdhec.gov/vaxlocator beginning Wednesday, Jan 13.

Employers are encouraged to reach out to their local hospitals as soon as possible and no later than Jan. 15, 2021, with a list of names and contact information of employees who want to be vaccinated. In addition, individuals in Phase 1a who want to be vaccinated should contact their local hospitals to request and schedule an appointment no later than Jan. 15, 2021.

Individuals making appointments may need to present credentials to verify they qualify to receive vaccination under Phase 1a. This includes providing some proof (e.g., badge, card, license, personalized letter from employer, picture of license) of Phase 1a qualification when presenting for the vaccination.

Phase 1a includes:

• Healthcare workers
  • Initial focus on frontline healthcare workers at high risk of exposure and mission-critical to the overarching goal of preventing death
  • Healthcare workers and medical staff can use SCHA’s list of hospital contact information to schedule their vaccines.
• Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
• Admitted hospital patients, who are aged 65 years and older, as long as they do not currently have COVID-19 and a provider feels it is indicated for them
• Anyone 70 years and older, regardless of health status or preexisting conditions
• State/local government employees and their contractors who are mission-critical for maintaining operations of COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in SC

Healthcare workers include:

• Anesthesiology assistants, registered cardiovascular invasive specialists, and operating room staff
• Athletic Trainers
• American Sign Language (ASL) and other interpreters in healthcare facilities
• Autopsy room staff, coroners, embalmers, and funeral home staff at risk of exposure to bodily fluids
• Chiropractors
• Dentists and dental hygienists and technicians
• Dietary and food services staff in healthcare facilities
• Environmental services staff in healthcare facilities
• Harbor pilots
• Home health and hospice workers
• Hospital transport personnel
• Laboratory personnel and phlebotomists
• Licensed dietitians
• Medical assistants
• Medical first responders (paid and volunteer): EMS; fire department and law enforcement personnel who provide emergency medical care
• Nurses, nurse practitioners, and nurse’s aides/ assistants
• Opticians and optometrists and assistants/ technicians
• Persons providing medical care in correctional facilities and correctional officers
• Pharmacists and pharmacy technicians
• Physical and occupational therapists and assistants
• Physicians, including medical house staff (i.e., interns, residents, fellows), and physician assistants
• Podiatrists
• Public health healthcare workers who are frequently interacting with persons with potential COVID-19 infection
• Radiology technicians
• Respiratory care practitioners, such as respiratory therapists
• Speech-language pathologists and assistants and audiologists
• Students and interns of the above categories

 

Phase 1b (Late Winter 2021)

*All-time estimates are subject to change due to vaccine availability, demand, and provider participation.

Phase 1b includes:

• Frontline essential workers
  • Sectors included by ACIP: firefighters, law enforcement officers, corrections officers, food and agricultural workers, USPS workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transit workers, and those who work in the educational sector—teachers, support staff, and daycare workers

 

Phase 1c (Early Spring 2021)

*All-time estimates are subject to change due to vaccine availability, demand, and provider participation.

Phase 1c includes:

• All people aged 65 and older
• People aged 16 and older with certain underlying health conditions that put them at high risk for severe disease (list by CDC)
• Other essential workers 
  • Examples included by ACIP: people who work in transportation and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, law, media, public safety, and public health staff who are non-frontline healthcare workers

 

Phase 2 (Late Spring-Fall 2021)

*All-time estimates are subject to change due to vaccine availability, demand, and provider participation.

Phase 2 includes:

• ALL people who wish to be vaccinated
  • Ages per recommendations by ACIP

Phase 2 vaccinations are anticipated to begin in late Spring 2021, with the vaccines expected to become available for the general public during the summer and fall of 2021.

What Should I Do Now?

Everyone will have a chance to get the vaccine. We call on all South Carolinians to continue to stand together to fight this disease by taking small steps that make a big difference:

• Wearing your mask
• Getting tested and staying home when you’re sick
• Avoiding large gatherings
• Practicing physical distancing

Article from https://scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-vaccine