As part of a move by Prisma Health to open high-volume community COVID-19 vaccine sites across the state, two will open on Monday, Jan. 18 — one in Greenville and the other in Columbia. These sites will only be for those people that have appointments scheduled.
Greenville’s vaccine site will be at 1 Kmart Plaza, Greenville, inside the former Kmart. The vaccine site will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m., according to Prisma.
As this vaccine site opens, all community appointments will be held at this location. Currently, individuals 70 years old and older can receive vaccinations at this site.
Related: Prisma expects to provide 10,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine a day in the next few weeks
Those wanting to take the vaccine must still make an appointment and go through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS). As of Jan. 15, 78,708 people had signed up to Prisma’s registration website, according to Dr. Saria Saccocio, chief ambulatory medical officer for Prisma Health and the co-chair of its COVID-19 vaccine task force.
In a news conference on Friday, Saccocio warned that the supply of vaccines though may prevent the health system from hitting its target of 10,000 doses a day.
Prisma received 7800 doses last week, Saccocio said. Prisma has requested 58,500 doses for next week.
“We will run out of vaccine next week if we do not receive this additional excess inventory,” she said, adding that Prisma staff will have to idly wait until more supply is available. “To be clear Prisma health is ready to vaccinate large numbers of people who are eligible. We’re opening up vaccination capacity. W’re reassigning staff.”
Saccocio claimed that South Carolina has the lowest vaccine allocation in the U.S. “South Carolina gets only 6166 doses per 100,000,” she said. Saccocio noted that neighboring states are receiving thousands of doses more.
She urged community members to contact government officials: “The only way to vaccinate individuals is to have the supply for the vaccine. So, we need everyone to reach out and please help us get those vaccines in the arms of South Carolinians.”
For information on the vaccination process and making an appointment visit www.PrismaHealth.org/Vaccine or call 833-277-4762.
