COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Members of the SC National Guard for the first time on Thursday administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to non-military individuals.
Guardsmen administered 76 vaccinations to individuals at the Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital. Thursday’s efforts are part of SCNG’s ongoing role in combatting the COVID-19 pandemic.
SCNG has been activated since March at the request of Governor Henry McMaster. Major General Van McCarty, adjunct general for SCNG, said “it’s been an honor for our more than 470 soldiers on active duty orders to support the citizens of South Carolina by assisting with mobile COVID-19 testing sites, school food distribution programs, medical screenings, hospital staffing, and vaccine logistics and administration.”
Over the last 301 days, SCNG Soldiers and Airmen “have conducted more than 788 missions, assisted with COVID-19 testing of more than 242,179 patients across the state, helped provide medical surge personnel to 10 hospitals, medically screened 229 congregate care patients at 6 different congregate care facilities, medically screened more than 346,100 inmates at 17 different South Carolina Department of Corrections facilities, participated in 62 facility sanitation missions, delivered more than 18,139 meals, and distributed more than 200,000 masks, 31,968 shields, and 205,825 gloves.”
SCNG will remain on active duty ready to provide support “for as long as needed.”
