DHEC Director Issues Statement Regarding Concerns About Door-to-door Vaccination Efforts
Dr. Simmer: “DHEC is not doing unsolicited door-to-door visits; continues to stress the importance of vaccination.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 9, 2021
COLUMBIA, S.C. ― DHEC Director Edward Simmer, MD, issued the following statement today in response to Governor Henry McMaster’s letter concerning door-to-door vaccinations:
DHEC has been in communication with the Governor’s Office after receiving a copy of his letter earlier today. DHEC’s vaccine outreach efforts have not and will not include unsolicited door-to-door visits. DHEC does offer in-home vaccines through our homebound vaccination program, but only if specifically requested in advance by the person being vaccinated.
We appreciate the Governor’s concern for the wellbeing of all South Carolinians. DHEC continues to strongly encourage all eligible South Carolinians to get fully vaccinated to protect themselves and our communities from the ongoing threat of COVID-19 that continues to take lives every day. We continue to focus on making lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines as accessible as possible across the state.
South Carolina and national data show that those who continue to become hospitalized and die from COVID-19 are those who are not fully vaccinated. Low statewide vaccination rates allow the virus to continue to mutate and more significant variants to spread, as is currently occurring in many states and countries.
Getting vaccinated is a personal choice. DHEC’s role and responsibility is to protect public health by increasing factual knowledge, awareness and access to COVID-19 vaccines. We encourage South Carolinians to ask questions and seek information about the vaccines from science-based, reliable sources like the CDC, DHEC, or the DHEC COVID-19 Vaccination Line at 1-866-365-8110. It’s critical for those who are not fully vaccinated to understand they are putting themselves and their loved ones at risk for being vulnerable to illness, hospitalization and even death from COVID-19. The vaccine is our best hope for ending the pandemic once and for all.
For information about the COVID-19 vaccines, visit scdhec.gov/vaxfacts.
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