772 more Beaufort Co. residents get COVID-19 vaccines; DHEC explains major VAMS upgrade
Another 772 Beaufort County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, state health officials reported Thursday.
About 37.7% of county residents who are 15 or older have now received a shot, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 62.2% of residents have yet to get a dose.
DHEC on Wednesday also confirmed that people can now register in the Vaccine Administration Management System using a cellphone number instead of an email address.
The system, which is better known as VAMS, proved to be a difficult, vexing sign-up portal for seniors seeking vaccines during Phase 1a of distribution.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which developed VAMS, updated the system on Saturday to make it more accessible, according to a notification sent to DHEC.
Locally, Beaufort Memorial Hospital has already changed its vaccine web page to ask residents if they want to register in VAMS via an SMS message or an email.
Stephen White, DHEC’s director of immunizations, told The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette on Wednesday that the CDC update was “significant,” but other upgrades are in the works. By May 1, the federal government has told DHEC that VAMS scheduling will be dramatically simplified, according to White.
“There will actually be (the) ability to click a button, search for any kind of clinics that are available, with dates and times, before you have to do any kind of registration, or any kind of sign-up or creating of accounts,” White said.
Coronavirus spread, meanwhile, remains low after a winter surge, though health experts are concerned that the United States could soon face a fourth wave of infections.
DHEC data show that daily case counts in South Carolina began to plateau about three weeks ago.
Four new coronavirus cases and six probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Thursday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded one case, two probable infections and no deaths Thursday.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Tuesday (the most recent date for which data are available): 3,775 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the fifth-highest rate in South Carolina, though it could be inflated to some degree due to a ZIP code-level data issue.
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 59,013
Total number of doses administered: 77,831
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 772
Seven-day average of new first-dose vaccinations: 870 per day
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 37.7%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Thursday: 23,133
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,289,672
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 31.4%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 17.1%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 now leads the county with 13,088 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,123 resident inoculations, which is the second-highest figure in the county (though that may be an overcount).
Hilton Head Island’s 29926 ZIP code, covering the north side, has 9,888 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 8,114 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 4,053 inoculations.
DHEC releases most of its coronavirus vaccine data based on residency. If a Beaufort County resident is vaccinated out of state or in a different S.C. county, they would still be counted in DHEC’s Beaufort County-specific ZIP code data.
More information on ZIP code-level vaccine data can be found at the following link online: http://bit.ly/BeaufortCountyVaccines
Virus spread in Beaufort County
Seven-day average of new cases: 10.5 per day
Total cases: 14,573 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 187 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 89.5 cases per 100,000 people, a “moderate” rate under DHEC’s definition. An incidence rate measures how quickly a disease is spreading through a given population.
Dr. Scott Curry, an infectious disease specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, has previously said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we covered this story
Facts about COVID-19 vaccine distribution in South Carolina are changing rapidly. The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette are trying to publish important information as quickly and accurately as possible. This story may be updated if more information becomes available or if facts become clearer.
