DHEC: First doses of COVID-19 vaccine could come to South Carolina around December 14

Frontline health care workers and those living and working in long-term care facilities would get top priority

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — South Carolina could be receiving its first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in just a matter of weeks.

The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) anticipates that a limited vaccine supply will become available around December 14.

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationwide, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is reviewing emergency use authorization (EUA) applications for both the Moderna and the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccines.

South Carolina officials say depending on when the FDA gives the green light, the Pfizer vaccine could come to the Palmetto State very soon, depending on when the FDA approves Pfizer’s EUA application.

DHEC did not reveal an exact number or range of doses that they will receive at first. Immunization Coordinator Stephen White said five sites have already been approved to store the vaccine in “ultra-cold” conditions (as cold as -114 degrees Fahrenheit), while nearly 200 sites have ben approved to administer vaccines.

Under DHEC’s vaccination plan, frontline healthcare workers and those living and working in long-term care facilities will get top priority for the limited doses. 

Officials say it could be a matter of months until vaccines are ready to be more widely distributed. Their three-phase approach will widen the net for people eligible to receive their vaccine, which aims to fulfill their goal that anyone who wants a vaccine will ultimately receive one.

Even if you get a vaccine that’s 90 to 95 percent effective, doctors say it’s best to continue wearing a mask and socially distancing.

“Even 90 to 95 percent means that for 5 to 10 percent of people, the vaccine is not going to stimulate their immune system, they will have received the vaccine but won’t be immune,” said Dr. Jane Kelly, DHEC’s Assistant State Epidemiologist. 

Dr. Linda Bell, DHEC’s State Epidemiologist, said Thursday if South Carolinians continue following the advice of health experts, the vaccine should push the state towards the end of the pandemic.

“The vaccine is ultimately the vaccine that’s ultimately going to get us out of this pandemic,” Dr. Bell said. “But these early supplies will not get us there soon enough. Everyone should have access to mask, everyone can practice physical distance, and these are evidence-based, effective measures that can reduce the spread of disease.”

For a complete look at DHEC’s vaccination plan, click here.