COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Feb. 7
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 412,000
At least 412,996 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina since March and 6,849 have died, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Sunday reported 2,228 new COVID-19 cases, up from 1,925 reported the day before.
Thirty-five additional deaths were reported Sunday.
Coronavirus deaths reached a weekly record high of 624 confirmed and probable deaths this week, according to DHEC. The previous record of 523 confirmed and probable deaths was reported last week, and the top three deadliest weeks in South Carolina have all been recorded in 2021, data shows.
At least 1,526 people were hospitalized with the coronavirus in South Carolina as of Sunday, marking the sixth day in a row the total decreased.
As of Sunday, 8.8% of COVID-19 tests were positive, up from 7.8% the day before, which was the lowest positive rate in months. Health officials have said that number should be closer to 5% to control the spread of the virus.
South Carolina has received 779,200 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine and distributed 503,913 of those doses, according to DHEC.
Myrtle Beach event vaccinates 1,700
McLeod Health Seacoast hospital system organized an event in Myrtle Beach on Saturday that drew thousands of seniors who wanted their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The event was first-come, first-served and was aimed at helping seniors who have struggled with making appointments on the computer or over the phone.
McLeod Health planned to give about 1,700 people their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine Saturday. This is one of the largest mass vaccination events hosted in Horry County so far.
Vaccine sign-up help is ‘saving us from dying’
With many struggling to sign up to get a COVID-19 vaccine, some South Carolina hospitals are launching initiatives to help people navigate the process, the Island Packet reported.
Many hospitals rely on the Vaccine Administration Management System, VAMS, which doubles as an appointment scheduling tool that has been criticized as time-consuming and tedious.
“Nobody could register in VAMS,” Lisa Hensley, Hilton Head Regional Healthcare system’s market director of clinical informatics, told The Island Packet. Patients “had given up (on) getting the vaccine because the technical aspects were difficult to navigate.”
The health care system’s initiative to assist Lowcountry seniors with technology challenges has so far shepherded more than 200 people through the registration process.
Anna Maria Tabernik, a Sun City resident board member, recently partnered with Hilton Head Regional to hold a public event in which health workers created email accounts for residents and registered them to be vaccinated using VAMS.
“When you have people in their late 70s, 80s, 90s, they’re not running around with smartphones, they don’t have laptops, they don’t have iPads, so they can’t even ... some of them don’t have an email, so forget about VAMS for them,” Tabernik said.
The initiative has since expanded, with events held at community centers around the area.
“You’re saving us from dying,” one resident told Tabernik.
Meanwhile, the state is trying to make VAMS easier to use and has launched a help line of its own, which can be reached at 866-365-8110.
DHEC open to changing vaccine priority list
The DHEC’s new director says South Carolina should consider changing how it prioritizes COVID-19 vaccinations.
The current vaccination plan relies on population size, and counties determining how many doses they need per capita. Critics say that it doesn’t take other important factors into consideration, like which communities have higher proportions of vulnerable populations.
“We need to get the vaccine to where people are who need the vaccine,’’ Edward Simmer said. “I do think we need to look at not just .... total population, but what is the total eligible population at that point in time.’’
Simmer said he will look to the legislature to make changes, and if they don’t, he will discuss making changes with the DHEC board.
This story was originally published February 7, 2021 at 10:52 AM.
