FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
31 December 2020
COLUMBIA, SC The Department of Health and Environmental Control in South Carolina (DHEC) today provided the following update on the state’s distribution of COVID-19 vaccines, including the state’s progress in vaccinating those in phase 1a and ongoing efforts to to protect the health and safety of all the south. Caroline:
Since we received the first doses of the vaccine on December 14, we have been encouraged by the commitment of South Carolinians to continue to play their part in the fight against COVID-19 by being vaccinated. This morning, 39,100 doses of COVID-19 vaccine were administered in South Carolina, and still are administered every day.
The distribution of mass doses of COVID-19 vaccine is rapid, effective and equitable, and it is a logistical effort in the field of public health on a scale not yet seen in the US, and is a major undertaking. DHEC is leading this effort in South Carolina, but it cannot be achieved without our many state and federal partners.
Our ultimate goal is to save lives. DHEC is still committed to working with our partners to ensure that everyone who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in South Carolina will be vaccinated, but it will take time. It is important to realize that this is a rapidly evolving event. This vaccine is not like any vaccine we have ever dealt with.
South Carolina, like other states, has faced several challenges due to the unique requirements of the mass distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Challenges to date include limited stockpile vaccination during phase-out, complicated logistics and adaptation to changes in federal leadership. DHEC foresees further challenges to develop, but is confident that with the collaboration of problem solving and support from our partners, we will meet every new challenge.
Preparation for historical requirements for ultra-cold storage
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first authorized vaccine in history to be stored at ultra-cold frozen temperatures, and it must require places receiving it to have ultra-cold freezers with temperature monitoring features in place. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is also only shipped in 975-dose packages, which means that the place sent directly must have the ability to deliver on time or store in an ultra-cold freezer. Although these logistical challenges complicate the distribution of the vaccine, DHEC and our partners identified storage opportunities and expanded capacity months ago.
Adapt to rapidly changing federal leadership
In addition, the federal guidance regarding populations to be vaccinated has changed just as the initial distribution of vaccines was sent to the states. This led to a significant increase in the population included in phase 1a. In South Carolina and other states, agencies such as DHEC had to review and amend some of the plans and protocols available for distribution in the state. The same assessment and changes then had to be made at the local level when hospitals and distribution sites started receiving deliveries and vaccinated their employees. The sites have now been vaccinated as aggressively as possible by state and federal guidelines.
Similar to the rest of the country, the initial process required states to remain flexible while adapting and adapting to the evolving situation. Large vaccinations in the state continue with plans to distribute to smaller facilities in the coming week.
Progress from the initial phase to the widespread availability in the summer
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provided guidance for categories of individuals that may be included in Phases 1a, 1b and 1c. South Carolina is currently in Phase 1a and vaccinating individuals in the phase according to the recommendations of the SC COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee based on the ACIP guidance. The committee is currently translating the National Phase 1b and Phase 1c recommendations into action in South Carolina. The following outline provides an overview of the expected categories for each phase. This can be changed at any time for many reasons, such as a change in federal guidance or in the recommendations of the SC COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee for South Carolina.
Phase 1a
- Residents and staff of long-term care facilities
- Healthcare professionals (with the first focus on healthcare professionals who are critical to preventing death), including:
- Persons providing immediate medical care to suspicious and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients: medical home staff (ie interns, residents, associates), nurses, nurses, physiotherapists (PTs), physicians, medical assistants, respiratory therapists (RTs), speech pathologists provide swallowing assessments during the infectious period of a patient, occupational therapists, translators with direct patient contact, students (medical, nursing, PT, RT)
- Auxiliary staff directly interacting with suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients: laboratory staff submitting potentially infectious samples, phlebotomists and radiology technicians
- Emergency services in the above categories providing direct patient care who are at high risk of being exposed to undiagnosed, suspicious and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients
- Paid and voluntary medical responses (EMS, fire and law enforcement providers providing emergency medical services as certified EMTs or paramedics) and hospital transport personnel in direct contact with suspected and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients
- Persons providing direct medical care in correctional facilities
- Persons providing direct medical care in dialysis and infusion centers
- Workers in outpatient medical facilities treat persons with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection
- Workers in institutions where monoclonal antibodies are given for COVID-19 infusions
- Home health and hospital workers
- Public health nurses / staff at risk of exposure to COVID-19
- Personnel of corpses, corpses, balm workers and funeral services run the risk of exposure to body fluids
- Dentists and dental hygiene and assistants
Phase 1b
- Persons aged 75 and over (with or without underlying health conditions)
- Frontline essential workers (sectors included by ACIP include firefighters, law enforcement, correctional officers, food and agriculture workers, U.S. postal workers, manufacturing workers, grocery stores, public transportation, and those working in the education sector — teachers, support staff, and day care)
Phase 1c
- Essential workers not included in Phase 1b (examples included by ACIP include people working in transport and logistics, food service, housing construction and finance, information technology, communications, energy, legislation, media, public safety and public health staff are not frontline health workers)
- Persons aged 65-74 (with or without underlying health conditions)
- Persons aged 16-64 years with underlying health conditions that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 (more information follows from the SC COVID-19 Vaccination Advisory Committee)
As vaccine supply increases, ACIP vaccination recommendations will extend to more groups in phase 2 and possibly 3. The following outline provides an overview of the estimated time frames for each phase:
- Early winter – Vaccinations for phase 1a are expected to continue until February 2021.
- Late winter to early spring – Based on current CDC guidance, the state will transition to Phase 1b once 70 percent of the South Carolina identified in Phase 1a have been vaccinated.
- Spring to Summer – Phase 2 is expected to begin in the spring of 2021, and the vaccines are expected to be available to the general public during the summer and fall of 2021.
Introduce the following steps in the vaccine phase
It is the turn of everyone in our state who wants to be vaccinated. In the meantime, we are committed to keeping you informed of the progress of the phase approach for vaccine administration and will let you know when and where you can receive it. We call on all South Carolina to act by retiring until it’s their turn in the plan.
For Phase 1a individuals who have not yet been contacted about a chance of vaccination, DHEC is working with our partners at SCHA and SCMA, as well as with numerous independent suppliers and vaccination rooms to come on board and dispense and distribute vaccines in the coming weeks. As more vaccination sites become available, we will contact healthcare professionals through their employers, associations or licensing agencies to provide a way to sign up if they wish to be contacted when it is their turn to make an appointment for vaccination. It will take a few weeks to a few months to vaccinate all members of phase 1a. So be patient as you go through this process.
As more information becomes available, we will update our website at scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.
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