The state health department is seeking to vaccinate more of those stuck at home.

In its ongoing effort to provide covid-19 vaccinations to rural and underserved parts of the state, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is expanding its Vaccination Homebound Project to all 46 counties.

The statewide program launched Monday, June 1 and will run through December 2021.

DHEC is working with two providers, Welcome Pharmacy and H&M Labs, to provide free vaccinations to homebound individuals who may be unable to reach a doctor’s office or vaccination facility due to health issues, age, or other reasons. In addition, one caregiver per provider is also eligible for a free vaccination through this vaccination program.

“We are incredibly excited to offer this service to the homebound members of our state,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, Public Health Director. “Reaching herd immunity means removing any and all barriers between people and these life-saving vaccines. Our homebound program will help us accomplish that goal by bringing this opportunity to front doors across South Carolina.”

The Vaccine Homebound Project follows a pilot program launched in late February for residents in Jasper and Hampton counties. Through the pilot, DHEC determined there was a demand for a larger scale initiative that services every county in the state.

To schedule an appointment with the Vaccination Homebound Project, call DHEC’s Vaccine Information Line at 866-365-8110 from 7 am to 7 pm seven days a week. Residents will provide their name, date of birth, and address to a call line operator. The operator will connect them with either Welcome Pharmacy or H&M Labs and a representative from the provider will then call the resident within a few days to schedule an appointment.