Prisma Health among healthcare providers preparing to distribute COVID-19 vaccine upon FDA approval

The FDA says South Carolina could receive up to 300,000 doses by the end of the year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines if they will give the green light to Pfizer and BioNTech to mass produce their COVID-19 vaccine, states like South Carolina are figuring out how to distribute and administer their doses.

The FDA says South Carolina can receive as many as 300,000 doses by the end of the year.

As the FDA considers granting an emergency use authorization to the Pfizer and BioNTech vaccine, which could happen in the coming days, state leaders want to encourage South Carolinians to be patient and not become complacent.

“I want to caution everyone that this will be a slow process all over the country. Most South Carolinians will not be vaccinated for months, so we’ve got to keep our guard up. Now is not the time to let our guard down,” Gov. Henry McMaster (R-SC) said in a press conference Thursday.

One healthcare provider gearing up to receive doses of the vaccine is Prisma Health.

Their vaccine task force has grouped staff members in tiers to determine who gets top priority for a vaccine.

“That’s very specific to those health care workers that are exposed to patients or could be exposed to individuals with COVID-19, so we are well prepared to receive this vaccine as soon as it’s available to us,” said Dr. Saria Sacoccio with Prisma Health.

Health officials warn that even these 300,000 initial doses might not be enough to cover everyone in Vaccine Group 1-A. 

Here’s a breakdown of the vaccine groups as established by South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC):

• GROUP 1A (Top Priority): Physicians, Physician’s Assistants, Nurses, Nurses Aides, Physical Therapists, Respiratory Therapists, Speech Pathologists, Medical Students, Nursing Students, Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Facility Residents and Staff, Medical Personnel in Correctional Facilities (Jails and Detention Centers), Medical Emergency First Responders (EMT’s, Paramedics, Fire, and Law Enforcement Personnel), Home Health and Hospice Workers
• GROUP 1B: Remaining First Responders (that don’t have face-to-face contact in emergency situations), Utility Workers (Water, Trash, Transportation, Waste Removal), Bus Drivers, SCDOT Workers, Agribusiness and Food Production Workers, Persons who Live and Work in “Congregate Settings” (group homes, homeless shelters, correctional facilities, jails, and detention centers), People aged 75+, and Persons with TWO or more of the following conditions:
  • Cancer (not in remission), chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes, disability, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, pregnancy, and sickle cell disease
• GROUP 2: Pharmacists, Pharmacy Technicians, Grocery Store and Food Service/Food Delivery Workers, Service Workers, Public Transit Workers, K-12 School Teachers and School Staff, Child Care Workers and Staff, School Bus Drivers, Higher Education Instructors and Staff (Four-Year Colleges, Technical Colleges, Research Universities), People aged 65+, and Persons with ONE of the following health conditions:
  • Cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, diabetes, disability, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, obesity, pregnancy, sickle cell disease, asthma, cerebrovascular disease, corticosteroid, cystic fibrosis, hypertension, immunocompromised, liver disease, and pulmonary fibrosis
• GROUP 3: Anyone else who did not qualify in the other groups

DHEC says the pool of people eligible to receive the vaccine will widen depending on how much supply is available, but in the mean time, the public health organization encourages people to do their part in slowing down the virus’s spread.

“Even after we receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we’ll need to continue wearing a facemask, practice social distancing, and practice hand hygiene until our public health officials recommend otherwise,” said Stephen White, DHEC’s Immunization Coordinator.

Thursday snapped a six-day streak where South Carolina reported 2,000+ new cases of COVID-19 each day. As of Thursday, DHEC has reported at least 225,053 cases of COVID-19 in South Carolina since the pandemic began, with 4,291 confirmed deaths.