Vaccine demand exceeds supply: Horry County hospital calls on state for more vaccines
Both Horry County hospitals offering the COVID-19 vaccine to seniors said that more people want the vaccine than they have doses to give.
Conway Medical Center and Tidelands Health are both still taking applications for people over 70 to be vaccinated but it could take some time to get a shot as tens of thousands have registered at hospitals with limited supply.
“At this moment, the only limiting factor is the availability of vaccine from the government. Like all South Carolina hospitals, we have been told to expect less vaccine — not more — in the coming weeks,” a Saturday press release from Tidelands Health read. The hospital said they are capable of vaccinating up to 5,000 people per week if given the necessary doses.
Tidelands Health said Saturday that appointments for all of their available 3,000 vaccine spots for people over 70 have been filled. The hospital said over 30,000 seniors applied for appointments after they opened on Wednesday. Vaccines for frontline employees in Phase 1a are ongoing and will continue as seniors are given their first doses starting next week.
The announcement came a day after Gov. Henry McMaster asked leaders of South Carolina hospitals to reduce non-emergency procedures and shift employees to help speed up the state’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts.
Tidelands said they are operating at 103% capacity, with critical care units at 116% capacity and have reassigned nurses in non-clinical roles back to bedside duty. The hospital is continuing to hire contract nursing staff and offer incentives to clinicians who pick up extra shifts.
According to the press release, Tidelands is in the process of hiring up to 200 temporary workers to support these expanded operations .
Shortly after applications opened last week for vaccines at Conway Medical Center, the other hospital in the Grand Strand offering vaccines for seniors, the hospital announced appointments had filled up and it temporarily closed registration. They have since reopened their online registration but said demand is higher than supply and have asked DHEC for more doses.
To register for a vaccine, people over 70 can visit conwaymedicalcenter.com/70vaccines/ or tidelandshealth.org/
This story was originally published January 16, 2021 at 3:56 PM.
