‘Virus knows no boundaries’: NC, SC officials on same page about sharing COVID vaccine

South Carolina and North Carolina are on the same page — at least for the time being.

Wednesday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and the Department of Health and Environmental Control announced that the state will expand coronavirus vaccine eligibility next week to those 65 and older regardless of health status or preexisting conditions.

On Feb. 8, South Carolinians ages 65-69 can begin scheduling vaccine appointments.

North Carolina made the same move about a month ago — which was what the U.S Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended states do. South Carolina stuck to its 70-and-older threshold, citing that its coronavirus-associated death rate among that age range was higher.

Neither North Carolina nor South Carolina have a residency requirement for the vaccine.

So, until South Carolina made its official expansion, residents five years younger than the state’s threshold — particularly those in York, Lancaster and Chester counties — could cross into North Carolina for an appointment.

“This virus knows no boundaries, or state or county boundaries or borders,” DHEC’s interim director of public health Brannon Traxler said during a media briefing recently. “We rely on our neighboring states to be taking the same actions that we are to stop COVID-19 in and around our state.”

Now, North Carolinians can come south.

“Just like non-South Carolina residents can get vaccinated here, South Carolina residents are getting vaccinated in other states, particularly our border states where they may work or be temporarily staying,” Traxler said. “We need to help out our neighboring states as they’re helping us out in getting as many prioritized individuals vaccinated as quickly as possible.”

Officials have continued to stress that the demand for the vaccine currently outstretches the supply.

“While every South Carolinian will have a chance to get vaccine, it’s important to understand that the availability of vaccine is limited in South Carolina — like all states,” DHEC physician and chief medical officer Michael Kacka said during Wednesday.

But more importantly, officials from both states have urged that the goal is to vaccinate everyone — no matter what Carolina they’re from.

“If South Carolina residents are vaccinated in North Carolina, it is still working towards the end goal of getting everyone in our community vaccinated against COVID and ending this deadly pandemic,” Atrium’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Gary Little told The Herald recently.

With a streamlined vaccine administration process and a growing allotment of doses from the federal government, Kacka said it’s “appropriate” South Carolina broaden the pool of eligible individuals to those 65 and older — which the agency estimates to be about 309,000.

DHEC officials announced last week that the agency would receive roughly 10,000 additional first doses of the Moderna vaccine a week for at least the next three weeks. The state’s weekly allotment of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine is expected to remain the same, officials said.

So, here’s where to get an appointment.

South Carolina’s DHEC has set up an online locator tool for those currently eligible for the vaccine to find nearby providers, and officials encourage residents to check the site daily as more and more providers are added each week.

South Carolinians, particularly those without internet, also can call DHEC’s vaccine information line at 866-365-8110 for details on how to schedule an appointment with nearby providers.

As of Wednesday, here’s where those 70 and older can schedule appointments in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.

This list will be updated as providers change.

Rock Hill Piedmont Medical Center Community Vaccination Clinic

Location:

• Galleria Mall, 2295 Dave Lyle Blvd., Rock Hill

How to schedule: Appointments are required. People can register for a slot online at Piedmont’s website or call the clinic at 803-980-2684. Residents can find more information on the city’s website.

MUSC-Health

Locations:

• Lancaster Hospital, 800 West Meeting St.
• Chester Hospital, 1 Medical Park Dr.

This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 5:31 PM.

Cailyn Derickson

The Herald

Cailyn Derickson is a city government and politics reporter for The Herald, covering York, Chester and Lancaster counties. Cailyn graduated from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has previously worked at The Pilot and The News and Observer.