$200M vaccine distribution bill passes South Carolina Legislature, heads to McMaster’s desk

(The Center Square) – The South Carolina House approved a bill that would allocate more than $200 million for COVID-19 vaccine distribution and enable more medical professionals to administer the vaccine.

Legislators unanimously passed House Bill 3707 on Tuesday afternoon after it received Senate approval last week. The bill now heads to Gov. Henry McMaster’s desk for his signature.

“The COVID-19 virus has caused untold damage on South Carolina’s citizens and its economy, particularly in rural and underserved areas, and vaccinating South Carolinians is of the utmost importance to returning the State and its citizens to their everyday lives,” the bill reads.

The funding for vaccine distribution is appropriated from the state’s Contingency Reserve Fund. The Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) will receive $63 million, and the Medical University of South Carolina will receive $45 million. An additional $100 million will be designated as a “COVID-19 Vaccine Reserve,” which will be released for vaccine administration purposes with direct approval by DHEC Director Dr. Edward Simmer.

In addition to spending, the bill authorizes additional staff to administer vaccines, including medical students, retired nurses, doctors and physician assistants. Dentists and optometrists who have completed specific training also are authorized to administer vaccine doses. These authorizations would cease when the state public health emergency ends.

The bill also requires DHEC to allocate vaccine supply throughout the state on a per-capita basis. DHEC also must provide daily reports with information such as the number of vaccine doses received by the state, vaccine doses available and vaccines administered.

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