COLUMBIA, S.C. — The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) said the Palmetto State is not experiencing the same need or demand for COVID-19 vaccines compared to earlier this year.
"As a nation we have more vaccine, supply exceeds demand," DHEC's Assistant State Epidemiologist Dr. Jane Kelly said.
Kelly said the state will continue to base weekly vaccine orders of Pfizer and Moderna based on what providers are requesting, not necessarily the full allocation.
"The manufacturers continue to make more and more vaccine, so I am no longer worried that we are in a situation where we are afraid, we need to hang on to every dose because we’re afraid we might be short," Kelly said.
But to be on the safe side, Kelly said they will keep a reserve of at least 5,000 doses that will include both first and second doses, just in case.
"We have more vaccine available to us than we have demand right now and that’s true for the nation as a whole," Kelly said. "So, if we’re not ordering or getting requesting all the doses of Pfizer or Moderna that we could, that’s ok.”
Kelly explained the reason for making sure the state isn’t ordering what isn’t needed.
"We don’t want them sitting in our freezers in situations where they might expire because that would be unused vaccine and that’s no good," Kelly said. "It should go to places that can utilize them right away because we’re not worried there’s no vaccine coming, there’s plenty more coming.”
The state will order the full weekly allocation for the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine though, which is currently 8,000 to 11,000 doses per week.
"We’ve got different plans for the Jansen (J&J) vaccine for mobile clinics. It can sit for six months in the fridge, so it’s easy to store," Kelly said.
DHEC said they will start to offer the J&J vaccine at the community vaccination site in Columbia starting at the end of the month, May 27 through June 9.
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