Our state ranked last in the US in covid vaccines given per 100,000 residents.

That’s only 10,879 vaccinations as of Tuesday.

We had the 12th-worst ranking among states for vaccinations given per 100,000.

That’s only 8,988 of us, Centers for Disease Control records show.

Yet House lawmakers want to give DHEC $63 million more to hasten covid testing and vaccinations.

No wonder Sen. Nikki Setzler wants to turn this operation over to retired Maj Gen. Bob Livingston of West Columbia, a proven professional as SC Adjutant General.

The Department of Health and Environmental Control has spent only:

• About 60% of their $45 million in state surplus funds they received 10 months ago.

• Less than a 3rd of $261 million in federal funds – leaving them with more than $100 million in unspent funds.

Data reported Monday, Feb. 1 showed SC had:

• 6,564 confirmed covid deaths and 398,892 confirmed cases from the start of the outbreak, according to SCDHEC records.

• 7,042 confirmed covid deaths and 443,386 confirmed cases from the start of the outbreak, according to CDC records.

We sent written questions to DHEC asking for specifics on its plans to speed up vaccinations and to explain its relatively low spending of state and federal funds.

An agency representative acknowledged receiving the questions although no response has yet been given.

The Biden administration announced it will increase vaccines to states by about 16% in the next 3 weeks.

The DHEC board decided last Tuesday to send vaccines to counties on a percapita basis until supplies increase, according to The State newspaper.

A SC House resolution approved Monday would give DHEC an additional $63 million to “expand statewide vaccination capacity” and “administer the statewide testing” in collaboration with the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), SC Hospital Association and other federally qualified health centers.

Brundrett is news editor of The Nerve (www.thenerve.org). Contact him at 803-254-4411 or rick@thenerve.org .

We welcome comments and questions about DHEC’s performance. Please write JerryBellune@yahoo.com