Horry County’s vaccination rate ranks third in SC. Here’s where you can get a shot.
Horry County has the state’s third-highest vaccination rate as coronavirus cases are on the decline after months of the area’s worst surge in the pandemic.
Beginning shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday, more than 100 cases were reported almost daily, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. That trend continued until the beginning of March.
Now, daily case numbers in Horry are hovering between 20-50 per day, levels that are more akin to the fall.
In the last week, Horry County has added 435 cases, bringing its total to 27,845 since last March, according to DHEC. So far in the pandemic, COVID-19 has been linked to 430 deaths in the county.
Horry County cases decrease during uptick in vaccinations
The area’s decline in cases coincides with more and more people receiving the coronavirus vaccine. In Horry County, more than 90,000 people have begun the vaccination process, DHEC figures show. That’s 3,195 per 10,000 residents, making Horry the county with the third-highest rate of vaccination in the state behind McCormick and Georgetown counties. Nearly a third of all Horry County residents older than 15 have gotten at least one dose of the vaccine, according to DHEC.
The 29588 ZIP code leads Horry County in vaccinations with more than 13,000 residents inoculated. Both 29526 and 29579 have more than 11,000 residents vaccinated, according to DHEC data.
The state has ramped up its vaccination efforts in recent weeks after S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster announced the second phase of immunization would begin March 8. During this phase of vaccination, frontline workers, school staff, people with certain medical conditions and others at higher risk of severe infection are eligible to receive the vaccine.
How to get a vaccine if you’re eligible
The vaccine effort is increasing across the state, but some residents may still have a tough time getting vaccine appointments. Horry County hosts dozens of vaccine sites, according to DHEC’s vaccine locator, including hospitals, pharmacies and pop-up vaccination events.
If you’re eligible to receive a vaccine, here are some of the best ways to secure an appointment:
Health systems
Local hospitals and the state health department have been integral in the vaccination process, and many host mass-vaccination events where hundreds or thousands of people can get the vaccine. Some hospitals may have wait lists to put your name on before you’ll be able to schedule an appointment. Here are some health systems to check:
- Conway Medical Center
- Grand Strand Health
- McLeod Health
- Tidelands Health
- Tour Health
- MAKO Medical/Luminate Health
- Doctor’s Care
- DHEC
Pharmacies
Many pharmacies in the area have vaccine appointments available, many of which are getting the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine instead of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna, both of which require ultra-cold storage and two doses. Here are some pharmacies to check for vaccine appointments:
CDC’s Vaccine Administration Management System
Some providers, like Grand Strand Health, are working through the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If the provider indicates you need a VAMS account to make an appointment, you can access it here.
