WATCH: Your COVID-19 vaccine questions answered with Beaufort County health experts
The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Beaufort and Jasper counties has been a confusing, ever-changing affair with state and federal allocations in flux week to week.
It’s been difficult to track the sprawling effort, partly because of the hourly updates to local vaccine news.
Dozens of readers have reached out to The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette since mid-December with questions about the vaccines’ safety, local sign-up systems, appointment cancellations and dose shipments, among other topics.
On Thursday, Feb. 18 at noon, the newspapers will host a live, virtual Q&A event exclusive to subscribers to discuss the vaccines with Dr. Faith Polkey, chief clinical officer at Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, and Russell Baxley, CEO and president of Beaufort Memorial Hospital, and answer some of your inquiries.
The Q&A will be held via Zoom, an online video platform that will be streamed directly to islandpacket.com/covidvaccine on Feb. 18 at noon. People without access to a computer or the internet — or those who struggle to use Zoom — can also listen by calling (301) 715-8592 with Meeting ID: 870 0163 4689, pressing # when asked for a Participant ID and entering the Passcode: 809304.
You can RSVP and submit questions for the event via a Google Form. And questions previously sent to COVID-19 reporter Sam Ogozalek may also be used.
Here’s more about our featured guests:
Dr. Faith Polkey is the chief clinical officer at Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services, Inc. She has practiced there for 19 years and served as chief of pediatrics for 13 years. Since 2008, she has also worked as the regional director of medical education for A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, whose South Carolina campus is embedded within her health center.
She previously served as chair of the department of pediatrics at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, where she is currently a member of the Board of Trustees.
Polkey received her B.S. in biology from the University of South Carolina, her M.D. from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her M.P.H. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She completed pediatric residency training at Duke University Medical Center and a second residency in preventive medicine at UNC, where she served as chief resident. She is boarded in both pediatrics and general preventive medicine and public health. She also achieved her Certified Physician Executive credentials from the American Association for Physician Leadership. She and her husband live in Beaufort and have two school-aged children.
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Russell Baxley joined Beaufort Memorial Hospital as president and chief executive officer in September 2016. Prior to joining the hospital he was CEO for Lancaster Regional Medical Center in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Over the past year, Baxley has helped the organization and the community navigate the COVID-19 pandemic by securing personal protective equipment for providers and staff, developing in-house testing for patients and staff, hosting weekly status calls with community partners, including law enforcement, local government leaders and the military bases, hosting weekly community testing events and, most recently, opening two vaccine clinics and hosting mass vaccination events throughout Beaufort County.
A Johnsonville, South Carolina native, Baxley received his B.S. degree in microbiology from Clemson University and his M.H.A. from the University of South Carolina. He has held roles as chief operating officer, assistant chief financial officer and director of development in small- and mid-sized hospitals in South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Texas. He also served as director of operations and finance for a large family medicine practice and medical spa in Columbia.
Baxley is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and has been actively involved in community and professional organizations throughout his career. He serves on the board of directors for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Good Neighbor Free Medical Clinic of Beaufort and the YMCA of Beaufort. He is married to Stephanie, a registered dietitian, and they are the proud parents of their son, Austin.
Moderated by Sam Ogozalek, The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette’s coronavirus reporter
This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 2:55 PM.
