GEOFF: THE FIRST CODE VACCINATIONS AT A WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA HOSPITAL HAPPEN TODAY. DANA GRIFFIN IS LIVE AT PARDEE UNC HEALTH CARE WITH A LOOK. DANA: WE GOT TO WITNESS THE FIRST WAS HAPPENING IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THESE ARE WORKERS CONSIDERED AT HIGH RISK OF EXPOSURE. THEY TREAT THE PATIENTS WERE CLEAN THE ROOMS FOR THE PATIENTS ARE STAYING. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS VIDEO. DR. CHONA REGUAL WAS THE FIRST TO GET THE SHOT JUST BEFORE 11:00 THIS MORNING. SHE’S A FAMILY PHYSICIAN WHO ALSO TESTS PEOPLE FOR THE VIRUS AT AN URGENT CARE CLINIC. SHE IS ONE OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ROLLING UP THEIR SLEEVES THIS WEEK TO SCORE THE DRUG. IT COULD BE A PANDEMIC GAME CHANGER. BECAUSE SIDE EFFECTS CAN CAUSE PEOPLE TO MISS A DAY OR TWO OF WORK HOSPITALS LIKE PARDEE ARE , STAGGERING WHO GETS IT AND WHEN. THE PANDEMIC HAS BEEN AN EMOTIONAL JOURNEY FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS. WAS THERE EVERY ANY CONCERN ABOUT TAKING IT THIS EARLY? >> OF COURSE IT CROSSED MY MIND BUT I BELIEVE IN THE SCIENCE BEHIND IT AND I THINK THAT IT WILL BE GOOD. >> IT’S BEEN A ROUGH YEAR FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE. THIS IS TRULY THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL. DANA: PARDEE RECEIVED 975 DOSES THIS MORNING. IT SHIPPED FROM KALAMAZOO ON DRY ICE AND IS BEING STORED IN A SPECIAL FREEZER AT -70 DEGREES. IT TAKES 30 MINUTES TO THAW. INTERESTING STORY. UPS WAS DELAYED SO HOSPITAL OFFICIALS GOT ESCORTED BY HENDERSONVILLE POLICE TO WHERE THE PACKAGE WAS BEING STORED AND BRING IT BACK HERE TO THE HOSPITAL. DR. ANTHONY FAUCI ESTIMATES FOR NORMAL HEALTHY PEOPLE WITH NO UNDERLYING CONDITIONS THEY WILL BE ABLE TO GET THE VACCINE LIKELY BY APRIL.
SC health officials give update on COVID-19 vaccine arrivals, daily report on new cases, deaths
DHEC calls on all South Carolinians to ‘step up by stepping back’ to ensure priority vaccinations
Updated: 2:30 PM EST Dec 15, 2020
South Carolina continues to receive doses of its initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced Tuesday, as it also released its daily coronavirus report. See the daily report below.Three health care facilities received allocations Monday, and direct allocations were delivered to 12 additional facilities Tuesday, officials said.Health care facilities in South Carolina are beginning to vaccinate their most essential front-line medical workers following the guidance for phase 1A vaccine allocation finalized last week. “Together, with our federal, state and local partners, DHEC is committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to receive the vaccine in South Carolina will eventually be vaccinated,” Dr. Linda Bell, State Epidemiologist said. “However, the number of doses is currently limited in South Carolina, like in all states. That’s why we are calling on all South Carolinians to step up by stepping back, to ensure the most vulnerable among us and those who keep us alive are vaccinated first.” The state is expected to receive all of its approximately 43,000 initial total doses by Wednesday. The federal government is providing additional allocations to states on a weekly basis going forward, and South Carolina is anticipated to receive 200,000 to 300,000 doses by the end of the year. While there are no established time frames for each phase of vaccine distribution, as outlined in the state’s vaccine plan, South Carolinians will be made aware when the vaccine is available to them. The state could remain in this initial phase 1A, which is focused on averting deaths and protecting medical professionals, for several weeks or months, depending on the supply and demand of initial vaccine doses. DHEC will continue to provide regular updates on the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina. South Carolina Daily COVID-19 Update (Dec. 15, 2020)Today’s cases and deaths (scdhec.gov/COVID19) New confirmed/probable total cases: 2,303/19 Summary click here New confirmed/probable total deaths: 4/1 Summary click here Cumulative totals (scdhec.gov/COVID19)Confirmed and probable cases: 239,119/18,201 Confirmed and probable deaths: 4,402/354 Tests performed for South Carolinians: 3,153,581Testing opportunities (scdhec.gov/findatest)Testing opportunities available statewide: 321Percent positive (scdhec.gov/COVID19dashboard)11,589 new individual test results reported statewide (not including antibody tests) 19.9% percent positiveFacility reportsHospital data (daily): scdhec.gov/COVID19hospitals Extended care facility data (Tuesdays and Fridays): scdhec.gov/nursinghomedata Assisted living visitation status (Tuesdays): scdhec.gov/nursinghomedata Private, public and charter schools (Tuesdays and Fridays): scdhec.gov/schoolsThe information above as well as extensive reporting on county-level information, demographics and more is available at scdhec.gov/COVID19.The website is updated between 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. weekends. Visit scdhec.gov/COVID19vaccinefor the latest vaccine information.Additional information and resourcesscemd.org scdmh.net accelerate.sc.gov
COLUMBIA, S.C. —
South Carolina continues to receive doses of its initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccine from the federal government, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced Tuesday, as it also released its daily coronavirus report.
See the daily report below.
Three health care facilities received allocations Monday, and direct allocations were delivered to 12 additional facilities Tuesday, officials said.
Health care facilities in South Carolina are beginning to vaccinate their most essential front-line medical workers following the guidance for phase 1A vaccine allocation finalized last week.
“Together, with our federal, state and local partners, DHEC is committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to receive the vaccine in South Carolina will eventually be vaccinated,” Dr. Linda Bell, State Epidemiologist said. “However, the number of doses is currently limited in South Carolina, like in all states. That’s why we are calling on all South Carolinians to step up by stepping back, to ensure the most vulnerable among us and those who keep us alive are vaccinated first.”
The state is expected to receive all of its approximately 43,000 initial total doses by Wednesday. The federal government is providing additional allocations to states on a weekly basis going forward, and South Carolina is anticipated to receive 200,000 to 300,000 doses by the end of the year.
While there are no established time frames for each phase of vaccine distribution, as outlined in the state’s vaccine plan, South Carolinians will be made aware when the vaccine is available to them. The state could remain in this initial phase 1A, which is focused on averting deaths and protecting medical professionals, for several weeks or months, depending on the supply and demand of initial vaccine doses.
DHEC will continue to provide regular updates on the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina.
South Carolina Daily COVID-19 Update (Dec. 15, 2020)
Today’s cases and deaths (scdhec.gov/COVID19)
Cumulative totals (scdhec.gov/COVID19)
- Confirmed and probable cases: 239,119/18,201
- Confirmed and probable deaths: 4,402/354
- Tests performed for South Carolinians: 3,153,581
Testing opportunities (scdhec.gov/findatest)
- Testing opportunities available statewide: 321
Percent positive (scdhec.gov/COVID19dashboard)
- 11,589 new individual test results reported statewide (not including antibody tests)
- 19.9% percent positive
Facility reports
The information above as well as extensive reporting on county-level information, demographics and more is available at scdhec.gov/COVID19.The website is updated between 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. weekdays and 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. weekends. Visit scdhec.gov/COVID19vaccinefor the latest vaccine information.
Additional information and resources