The Chronicle makes covid news free as a community service.
By Jerry Bellune
JerryBellune@yahoo.com
SC health officials aim to launch a new covid vaccine appointment system.
They say this should make it easier to set vaccination appointments, they told the Chronicle. 
DHEC asks frustrated callers to use their new covid hot line: 1-866-365-8110. 
The new phone line has 240 phone operators and is available 7 am to 7 pm, 7 days a week. 
That sounds good in theory but less so in practice.
Chronicle readers report calling the hot line but felt they were given a bureaucratic runaround.
One was told DHEC uses the CDC VAMS website but appointments are booked through April.
He was told to call the Lexington County Health Dept. where he was told to call Lexington Medical Center.
The hospital told him they are taking no new appointments due to  high demand for people already with appointments.
"All of this is just a mess," the reader said.
"How are people supposed to get vaccinated?"
Another reader reported taking her elderly mother to Prisma in Columbia and receiving vaccine that day without an apointment.
Asked about this, a DHEC representative told the Chronicle that:
• SC has 5.149 million people and has received only 657,250 total vaccines. 
Of those, only 371,894 – less than 50% – have been vaccinated, according to the DHEC web site.
• That limited supply will only vaccinate 13.5% of our state’s total population, DHEC said. 
• Providers are holding many of the non-administered vaccines for 2nd doses.
• Providers must reserve 2nd doses to ensure that everyone receives both to become fully vaccinated.
• As of yesterday, 352,219 scheduled vaccine appointments have been made.
That means DHEC will need an additional 66,863 doses to vaccinate everyone with appointments.