Prisma Health opens Columbia COVID-19 vaccination site, on Monday
Prisma Health is opening a dedicated high-volume community COVID-19 vaccine center in Columbia, Monday. the site will be by appointment only. FILE PHOTO – Covid testing at Brookland Baptist Church.
Prisma Health Drive-Through Vaccination Site in Columbia is at 22 National Guard Rd., Columbia, SC 29201 (Gamecock Park near USC Williams-Brice Stadium). It will currently only administer Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
The drive-through vaccination site is open Monday–Saturday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
This vaccine site is will be by appointment only through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS).
There is also one opening in Greenville at 1 Kmart Plaza, Greenville, SC 29605 (near Greenville Memorial Hospital).
Once this vaccination site opens, all community appointments from Prisma Health Greenville Memorial Hospital will be transferred to this site.
This vaccine site will be by appointment only through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS).
With the additional sites in place, Prisma Health expects to administer as many as 10,000 shots per day within the next few weeks. Prisma Health’s plans also include using specially outfitted mobile health clinics to help provide vaccines to the state’s rural communities. Prisma Health also mobilized additional resources to expand its scheduling and speed up the process for this vulnerable 70 and older population, some of whom do not have access to computers.
Saria Saccocio, MD, chief ambulatory medical officer for Prisma Health and the co-chair of its COVID-19 vaccine task force, said, “The Prisma Health team is doing everything we can to help our communities during this COVID-19 pandemic. Adding these large-scale vaccination sites will allow us to better serve the community as we move through the various phases.”
These vaccine sites will be by appointment only through the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS). To receive their vaccine at either of these new locations, community members should access these sites by visiting PrismaHealth.org/Vaccine for the latest information about our vaccination process and how to request an appointment either online or by phone at 833-2-PRISMA (833-277-4762).
The site in Columbia is a partnership with the University of South Carolina. UofSC President Bob Caslen said, “We’re excited to partner with Prisma Health in this historic effort to turn the tide against the pandemic. As part of our mission of service, the University of South Carolina is committed to assisting with vaccine distribution and expanding testing to underserved parts of the state, which are critical steps in eradicating COVID-19.”
Community members should be aware of other current vaccine distribution information in our state:
Individuals age 70 and older, who S.C. Governor Henry McMaster announced on Jan. 11 are now eligible, will receive their vaccinations at these sites.
State officials will continue to determine the timing of when healthcare providers move into different phases of vaccine distribution.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control provides information on all locations accepting vaccine appointments. There are a few non-Prisma Health pharmacies that can accept 70+ individuals now. To find those and other locations, call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432 or visit the DHEC website.
For more information about Prisma Health’s vaccination process, visit PrismaHealth.org/Vaccine.