COLUMBIA, S.C. — The CDC on Friday expanded its COVID-19 booster recommendation for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccine brands to include all adults, ages 18 and up. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) supports this action and strongly encourages all vaccinated residents to get their booster shot once they meet the necessary timeframe. DHEC has updated its COVID-19 booster page to reflect the new CDC recommendation. The federal agency says adults…
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) approved on Tuesday the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5-11. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) supports this action and is excited to work with vaccine providers to ensure access for ages 5-11 throughout the state. Parents can start getting their children in this age group vaccinated today. “Approval of the Pfizer vaccine for ages 5-11 is a major step forward…
COLUMBIA, S.C. ― Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended Pfizer brand COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for certain high-risk populations. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) supports this recommendation and is encouraging Palmetto State residents to follow the CDC guidance, which can be found here. In part the recommendation states: people 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine…
COLUMBIA, S.C. ―Today, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is updating its online reporting of COVID-19 Associated with Students & Staff to help parents, caregivers and school officials have additional data about COVID-19’s impact on schools. DHEC has been working with the S.C. Department of Education to implement a new weekly reporting tool for schools and districts that captures how many students and staff were in quarantine and isolation the previous…
As coronavirus cases rise, the City of Columbia is urging citizens to get vaccinated and is offering several free vaccine clinics. The City of Columbia is partnering SC DHEC to host FREE COVID-19 vaccination clinics at city operated facilities. The city is increasing vaccination efforts across the Midlands as a part of the Mayor’s “It’s YOUR Shot, Columbia” campaign to inform Midlands citizens of the free, safe and effective COVID-19 vaccinations. In September, SC DHEC will…
COLUMBIA, S.C. ― In recent weeks, several members of the media, the legislature and the public have inquired about the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s authority to issue a statewide emergency order mandating masks in schools. DHEC’s position on this issue came after careful legal analysis of the governing statutes and extensive internal consideration by agency leadership and the DHEC board. The emergency authority previously referenced allows DHEC to respond quickly to…
Resilient Columbia: Maintaining Service Delivery During the Pandemic (PART ONE) Resilient Columbia: Maintaining Service Delivery During the Pandemic (PART TWO) In May 2021, the City of Columbia celebrated National Public Service Recognition Week. During the week, our Public Relations, Media and Marketing Department highlighted the hard work and dedication of our employees. Continuing with that theme, City departments compiled information about various accomplishments, challenges, and outlines of daily operations during the pandemic. Those are…
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Citing the alarming rate at which children are requiring hospitalization due to COVID-19, the South Carolina Children’s Hospital Collaborative (SCCHC) on Wednesday announced it is now providing a daily report showing the number of hospitalized children (ages 0-17) with COVID-19, the number of those children requiring ICU care, and the number requiring a ventilator. The organization also is calling for state leaders to do everything “in their power to protect children by…
Hospitals are currently overwhelmed due to the surge of critical COVID-19 cases. Get vaccinated to reduce your risk of severe illness and needing emergency care. Visit scdhec.gov/COVID19 for more information. Do not call 911 or go to the emergency room if you: Want information about COVID-19 Need a non-emergency doctor’s visit Want to get tested Have mild symptoms* *Call your primary healthcare provider if you have mild symptoms, such as fever, cough, or shortness of breath….
The City of Columbia Public Relations, Media and Marketing Department has won an award of excellence in the 2020 Palmetto Awards. The team was recognized in the category of “communication for the web” for the Resilient Columbia microsite. The award was received from the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) South Carolina chapter. The International Association of Business Communicators is one of the largest organizations of its kind dedicated to the advancement of the communication…
