No Prescription Needed for COVID-19 Vaccine in South Carolina, Experts Confirm
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA — Confusion over new federal vaccine guidance has sparked questions across the state, but health experts confirm that no prescription is required for the COVID-19 vaccine in South Carolina.
Federal Guidance Sparks Confusion
Recent updates from the Food and Drug Administration limited automatic eligibility for the vaccine to people over 65 and those with certain underlying conditions. For younger, healthy individuals in some states, prescriptions may be required — leading several national pharmacies to briefly implement stricter policies.
South Carolina Maintains Open Access
Dr. Helmut Albrecht, an infectious disease specialist with Prisma Health, emphasized that South Carolina is not affected by these changes.
“So for us, nothing has changed,” Dr. Albrecht said. “However, since the advisory panels have changed, the confusion that was created with this was pretty significant.”
The South Carolina Board of Pharmacy has not issued any requirement for prescriptions, meaning residents can still get vaccinated at pharmacies, clinics, or primary care offices without additional paperwork.
COVID-19 Activity Still Present
State health data show emergency room visits linked to COVID-19 climbed to just over 2 percent in late August, up from less than 1 percent in July. Dr. Albrecht noted this pattern aligns with late-summer spikes seen over the past two years, which in some cases were larger than winter surges.
“Over the last couple of weeks, I did get a lot of calls,” he said. “At least a question for this.”
Vaccine Supply and Community Health
While Prisma Health is awaiting new vaccine shipments, major pharmacies including CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger already report having updated doses in stock.
Dr. Albrecht stressed that vaccination remains a crucial public health tool. “What’s completely dropped off is actually the most important use of vaccines: community health,” he explained. “Most people in the community should think about not only themselves, but what they should do. I think it’s a good thing for our population that we get immunity up.”
CDC Shifts Its Recommendation
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently ended its universal annual recommendation for COVID shots, instead advising patients to make decisions with their doctors.
For South Carolina, however, the bottom line remains simple: residents do not need a prescription to get vaccinated.
Have you or your family faced confusion about vaccine access in South Carolina? Share your experiences in the comments and join the discussion at SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.
