SCNG's 1,000 COVID-19 missions now include vaccinations

By Lt. Col. Chris Neeley, South Carolina National GuardJanuary 15, 2021

SCNG increases vaccine locations assist with 1000 COVID-19 missions
1 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Matthew Jackson, South Carolina National Guard Medical Command medic, assists healthcare professionals in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to civilians that have volunteered and registered to receive the vaccination during a drive-up service provided at the Chester Medical Center, Chester, South Carolina Jan. 13, 2021. U.S. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen with the South Carolina National Guard have supported hospitals and other state partners across South Carolina by fulfilling a variety of needs since March 2020. The South Carolina National Guard remains ready to support the counties, state and local agencies, and first responders with resources for as long as needed in support of COVID-19 response efforts in the state. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder) VIEW ORIGINAL
SCNG increases vaccine locations assist with 1000 COVID-19 missions
2 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Matthew Jackson, South Carolina National Guard Medical Command medic, assists healthcare professionals in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to civilians that have volunteered and registered to receive the vaccination during a drive-up service provided at the Chester Medical Center, Chester, South Carolina Jan. 13, 2021. U.S. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen with the South Carolina National Guard have supported hospitals and other state partners across South Carolina by fulfilling a variety of needs since March 2020. The South Carolina National Guard remains ready to support the counties, state and local agencies, and first responders with resources for as long as needed in support of COVID-19 response efforts in the state. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder) VIEW ORIGINAL
SCNG increases vaccine locations assist with 1000 COVID-19 missions
3 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Wyatt Boan, South Carolina National Guard Medical Command medic, assists healthcare professionals in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to civilians that have volunteered and registered to receive the vaccination during a drive-up service provided at the Chester Medical Center, Chester, South Carolina Jan. 13, 2021. U.S. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen with the South Carolina National Guard have supported hospitals and other state partners across South Carolina by fulfilling a variety of needs since March 2020. The South Carolina National Guard remains ready to support the counties, state and local agencies, and first responders with resources for as long as needed in support of COVID-19 response efforts in the state. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder) VIEW ORIGINAL
SCNG increases vaccine locations assist with 1000 COVID-19 missions
4 / 4 Show Caption + Hide Caption – U.S. Army Spc. Wyatt Boan, South Carolina National Guard Medical Command medic, assists healthcare professionals in the delivery of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine to civilians that have volunteered and registered to receive the vaccination during a drive-up service provided at the Chester Medical Center, Chester, South Carolina Jan. 13, 2021. U.S. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen with the South Carolina National Guard have supported hospitals and other state partners across South Carolina by fulfilling a variety of needs since March 2020. The South Carolina National Guard remains ready to support the counties, state and local agencies, and first responders with resources for as long as needed in support of COVID-19 response efforts in the state. (Photo Credit: Senior Master Sgt. Edward Snyder) VIEW ORIGINAL

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina National Guard increased the number of COVID-19 vaccination sites to four the week of Jan. 11 with the addition of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Lancaster and Chester.

On day 308 of operations in response to the pandemic, the SCNG has supported more than 1,000 missions across the state.

This month, the SCNG began vaccinating civilians at Tidelands Health Waccamaw and Georgetown. As of Jan. 15, the SCNG has vaccinated more than 1,218 civilians in one week.

"The South Carolina National Guard is honored to support two new vaccination sites at MUSC Chester and MUSC Lancaster," said U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Van McCarty, the adjutant general for South Carolina. "As our medics demonstrated this past week at Tidelands Health in Waccamaw and Georgetown, they are trained, ready, and competent to assist our health care providers to meet Governor (Henry) McMaster's intent of increasing the public's access to the COVID-19 vaccine."

McCarty said hitting the 1,000-mission mark was a record for this type of operation for the SCNG.

"This is the longest our Soldiers have been mobilized in support of a Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) mission in South Carolina," he said. "Our Soldiers take great pride in knowing they're making a difference in the fight against COVID-19 in our state."

Since March, the SCNG has maintained an active-duty force of just under 500 Soldiers and Airmen. They have assisted with COVID-19 testing of more than 250,000 people, provided medical surge personnel to 10 hospitals, medically screened 229 congregate care patients and more than 417,000 prison inmates, distributed more than 200,000 masks, 31,968 shields, and 205,825 gloves, among other missions.

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