South Carolinians 70 and Older Get OK for COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

Beginning Jan. 13, any South Carolina resident age 70 or older, regardless of health status or preexisting conditions, was eligible to schedule an appointment to receive COVID-19 vaccine. The mortality rate from COVID-19 for those 70 and older in South Carolina is approximately 655 deaths per 100,000 people. For those under the age of 70, there are 37 COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 people, a news release said.

“This is a staggering comparison and illustrates why vaccinating this population next is critically important in our mission to save lives,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC Interim Director of Public Health.

Those eligible to receive vaccines can call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432. More information is available at scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-vaccine. Hilton Head Regional Healthcare offers a guide to questions about the vaccine on its website at hiltonheadregional.com/healthy-living. It also set up a COVID-19 vaccine information hotline at 843-689-7282.