South Carolina could be less than two weeks away from receiving its initial shipment of COVID-19 vaccines, officials say.
Stephen White, the state Department of Health and Environmental Control’s immunization program manager, said if both Pfizer and Moderna receive approval for their respective COVID-19 vaccines when anticipated, South Carolina could be in line to receive limited quantities of both vaccines before Christmas.
“Things can change, decisions could linger, things could be expedited,” he said on a media call Thursday. “But that is the time frame we’re thinking the vaccine could be available, if the (emergency use authorization) is approved and (the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) provides their guidance.”
White said the agency anticipates receiving the Pfizer vaccine first, perhaps by Dec. 14, with the Moderna vaccine arriving the following week.
Both vaccines, which have been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval, are considered safe and have both been more than 90% effective in initial trials, according to preliminary data.
The coronavirus vaccine will come to South Carolina in “very limited” quantities and on a rolling basis. DHEC officials did not reveal how many vaccines the state will receive. https://t.co/oTiOnWEUU8
— The Charlotte Observer (@theobserver) December 3, 2020