DHEC Launches New COVID-19 Vaccine Information Line, Increases Call Center Staff to Nearly 300 as Vaccine Demand Increases
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 29, 2021
COLUMBIA, S.C. — In response to overwhelming call volume to the Care Line, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) has added a new phone information line to answer questions about COVID-19 vaccines and to help support people searching for vaccine provider information.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information Line: 1-866-365-8110
The new vaccine information line launches today with 240 phone operators and is available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. People who have questions about the COVID-19 vaccines or who need help finding vaccine providers and their contact information are asked to call the DHEC COVID-19 Vaccine Information Line.
“Many in South Carolina don’t have access to the internet, so offering a dedicated vaccine phone line to help them locate contact information for vaccine providers is essential,” said Nick Davidson, DHEC Deputy of Public Health. “This new line helps DHEC offer better customer service that keeps pace with people’s demand for vaccine and vaccine information.”
Care Line: 1-855-472-3432
DHEC’s Care Line has also increased the number of its operators from 30 to 48 and is actively training additional staff. The Care Line maintains the same hours of operations at the vaccine information line, easily remembered as 7-7-7: available from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week.
The Care Line assists people with general questions about COVID-19, testing, or who need to schedule an appointment at a DHEC health department for SC STRONG appointments, family planning, well-child check-ups, WIC services, HIV/STD screening, and other health department services.
“By offering two well-staffed information lines, we’re reducing wait times and improving people’s experience by quickly getting the help they need,” Davidson said. “In the next several weeks, we’ll be adding an additional 200 operators to the vaccine information line. We are encouraged by the number of people who want to be vaccinated in South Carolina. Until our vaccine supply equals our demand, we ask for everyone’s continued patience. Everyone will have a chance to get the vaccine.”
Safe and effective vaccines and following public health guidance are how to win the fight against COVID-19. For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, go to scdhec.gov/vaxfacts. For the latest information about COVID-19, go to scdhec.gov/COVID19.
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