State health officials update residents for COVID-19 vaccine distribution | News

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The South Carolina Department of Health and Environment (DHEC) today announced that the state distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine will continue to protect Phase 1a vaccination progress and the health and safety of all South Carolina citizens. We provided the following latest information such as initiatives. :

Since receiving the first dose of the vaccine on December 14, South Carolina’s commitment to being vaccinated and continuing to participate in the fight against COVID-19 continues to be encouraged. As of this morning, South Carolina had 39,100 doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and the vaccine continues to be given daily.

The rapid, effective, and equitable distribution of high doses of the COVID-19 vaccine represents a public health logistics initiative of a scale never seen before in the United States and is a large-scale project. DHEC is leading this effort in South Carolina, but could not have been achieved without many state and federal partners.

Our ultimate goal is to save lives. DHEC is dedicated to working with partners to ensure that everyone who wants to be vaccinated against COVID-19 in South Carolina is vaccinated, but it takes time. It is important to recognize that this is a rapidly evolving event. This vaccine is different from the vaccines we have been dealing with.

South Carolina, like other states, faces some challenges due to the unique requirements of mass distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine. Challenges to date include limiting vaccine supply during phased deployment, complex logistics, and adapting to changes in federal guidance. DHEC anticipates additional challenges that will evolve, but we are confident that collaborative problem-solving and partner support will enable us to tackle new challenges head-on.

Preparing for historic ultra-low temperature storage requirements

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first licensed vaccine in history to be stored at ultra-low temperature freezing temperatures, and the place to receive it requires a dedicated ultra-low temperature freezer with temperature monitoring. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will also be shipped only in 975 dose packages. In other words, the place where it is shipped directly needs the ability to provide it in a timely manner or store it in an ultra-low temperature freezer. While these logistical challenges complicate vaccine distribution, DHEC and its partners identified storage opportunities and expanded capacity months ago.

Adapting to rapidly changing federal guidance

In addition, federal guidance on vaccinated populations has changed in the same way that the first vaccine distribution was sent to the state. This has significantly increased the population included in Phase 1a. In South Carolina and other states, agencies such as DHEC needed to review and edit some of the plans and protocols in place for distribution within the state. Later, hospitals and distribution sites had to pick up the packages and make the same assessments and changes at the local level as they started vaccination of employees. The site is currently vaccinated as aggressively as possible in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

As in other parts of the country, the initial process required states to remain flexible in adapting to and adapting to evolving situations. Work continues on large state-wide vaccination sites, with distribution to smaller facilities scheduled to begin next week.

Progress from early stages to widespread summer availability

The CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization and Implementation (ACIP) provides guidance on the categories of individuals included in Phases 1a, 1b, and 1c. South Carolina is currently in Phase 1a, where individuals are vaccinated according to the recommendations of the SC COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Committee under ACIP guidance. The Commission is currently working to translate national Phase 1b and Phase 1c recommendations into action in South Carolina. The following overview outlines the categories expected in each phase. This may change at any time for a variety of reasons, including changes to federal guidance and changes to the SC COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Board’s recommendations for South Carolina.

Phase 1a

• • Care facility residents and staff
• • Healthcare workers, including (initially focused on health care workers who are essential to the mortality mission):
• Persons who provide direct medical care to suspicious and / or identified COVID-19 patients: medical staff (ie, intern, resident, fellow), nurse, nursing assistant, physiotherapist (PT), doctor, doctor assistant , Respiratory therapist (RT), speech pathologist who provides swallowing assessment during the patient’s infection period, occupational therapist, translator in direct contact with the patient, student (medical, nursing, PT, RT)
• Assistant staff to interact directly with suspicious and / or identified COVID-19 patients: laboratory staff, phlebotomists, and radiologists handing out potentially infected specimens
• Emergency room staff in the above categories that provide direct patient care at high risk of exposure to undiagnosed, suspected, and / or confirmed COVID-19 patients
• Directly with paid and volunteer medical first responders (EMS, fire departments, and law enforcement personnel who provide emergency medical services as certified EMT or paramedics) and patients suspected and / or identified with COVID-19. Hospital transport personnel in contact
• Those who provide medical care directly at correctional facilities
• Those who provide medical care directly at the dialysis and infusion center
• Outpatient clinic workers treating people with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection
• Workers in an environment receiving monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 infusion
• Home care and hospice workers
• Public health nurses / staff at risk of COVID-19 exposure
• Autopsy room staff, coroners, preservatives, funeral home staff at risk of exposure to body fluids
• Dentist and dental hygienist and assistant

Phase 1b

• • People over 75 years old (with or without underlying health)
• • Frontline essential workers (the sectors included in ACIP include firefighters, law enforcement officers, correctors, food and agricultural workers, US Postal Service workers, manufacturing workers, grocery store workers, public transport Includes institutional workers and people working in the education sector — teachers, support staff, and day care workers)

Phase 1c

• Mandatory Workers Not Included in Phase 1b (ACIP Examples include Transportation and Logistics, Food Services, Home Construction and Finance, Information Technology, Communications, Energy, Law, Media, Public Safety, and Non-Public Health Includes people working on staff-frontline healthcare professionals)
• People aged 65-74 (with or without underlying health)
• People aged 16-64 years with underlying health that increase the risk of severe COVID-19 (detailed information from the SC COVID-19 Vaccine Advisory Board)

As the supply of vaccines increases, ACIP vaccination recommendations will be expanded to include more groups in Phase 2 and in some cases 3. The following overview outlines the estimated time frame for each phase.

• Early Winter – Phase 1a vaccination is expected to continue until February 2021.
• Late Winter to Early Spring – Based on current CDC guidance, the state will move to Phase 1b when 70% of South Carolina residents identified in Phase 1a are vaccinated.
• Spring-Summer-Phase 2 is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2021, and the vaccine will be open to the public in the summer-autumn of 2021.

Understand the next steps in a phased vaccine rollout

Everyone in our state who wants to get vaccinated gets their turn. In the meantime, we will keep you informed of the progress of the step-by-step approach to vaccination and when and where you can get the vaccine. We call on all South Carolinas to step up by stepping back to their planned turn.

For Phase 1a individuals who have not yet been contacted about vaccination opportunities, DHEC will work with SCHA and SCMA partners, as well as numerous independent providers and vaccination sites, in the coming weeks. Allocate and distribute vaccines.

As more vaccination locations increase, we provide a way to contact your healthcare professional through your employer, association, or accreditation body and register if you want to be contacted when it’s your turn to book a vaccination. I will.

Vaccination of all Phase 1a members can take weeks or months, so please be patient while performing this process.

Source: DHEC