Update from Interim Town Manager 1/13/2021

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An Update from Interim Town Manager Josh Gruber
1/13/2021
View the Video Update: yPVpukHwycQ
Here’s an update on what’s happening around Town:
We know many residents in our community want to sign up to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. With the opening of registration for appointments for South Carolinians aged 70 and older, there has been an extremely large volume of requests. Officials with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Hilton Head Hospital, which is managing appointment requests, are asking for your patience with this process.
Here is what you need to know about the registration process for the COVID-19 vaccine:
  • Eligible Phase 1a individuals are required to set an appointment by Friday, January 15th, and are required to show a form of identification verifying that they are in Phase 1a at the time of vaccination.
  • Phase 1a includes workers in healthcare settings, long-term care facility residents and staff, admitted hospital patients aged 65 years and older, as long as they do not currently have COVID-19, and people aged 70 years and older.
  • To schedule an appointment, you can visit the hospital’s website at www.hiltonheadregional.com and click on the Drive-Thru Testing & Vaccination Information link in the orange box at the top of the home page.
  • Eligible individuals will need to complete the form on the Drive-Thru Testing & Vaccination Information page.
  • Only one person per form. Each person will need their own email address.
  • Once you complete the form, you will receive a separate email with details about the next steps to register for vaccination from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) via the Vaccine Administration Management System (VAMS) portal in 24-48 hours.
  • You can also find out about available appointments in other locations using DHEC’s online map at scdhec.gov/vaxlocator. This online map will show the locations currently accepting appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine. The map itself is not a way to schedule an appointment; it only provides the contact information for appointments at those locations. The map will be updated often so you will need to monitor it regularly for information.
  • If you have questions, please call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432.
DHEC continues to be your best source of vaccine information. On our COVID-19 Hub page on our website, you will find links to information DHEC has compiled about COVID-19 cases, vaccines, the state’s vaccine distribution plan, and the vaccine locator map.
We will share information with you as we receive it, but we encourage you to visit scdhec.gov to get the latest updates.
COVID-19 Cases and Vaccine Information
Extensive reporting on county-level information, demographics, and more about coronavirus cases are available at scdhec.gov/COVID19. The website is updated between 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on weekends. You can also find case data on our website at hiltonheadislandsc.gov/COVID19. Visit scdhec.gov/COVID19vaccine for the latest vaccine information.
COVID-19 Testing
Drive-thru testing for COVID-19 is available from 8 a.m. to noon at Hilton Head Hospital (25 Hospital Center Blvd. on Hilton Head Island) and Coastal Carolina Hospital (1000 Medical Center Drive in Hardeeville). The test is free. No appointment or doctor’s order is needed.
Town of Hilton Head Island Closed on MLK Day
Town administrative offices will be closed on Monday, January 18, in recognition of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.
Local MLK Committee Plans Festivities
The Hilton Head Island MLK Committee for Justice, in partnership with numerous community luminaries and activists, is pleased to present an online program in honor of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The program begins tomorrow, January 14, and will run through January 19. It will consist of online sessions, celebrations, religious ceremonies and musical performances, and a driving parade on MLK Day. Event links will be shared on the Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice Facebook page. You can also visit the Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice YouTube channel on January 14 – 19.
MLK Service Project: In-person Cleanup of Historic Gullah Cemeteries (Jenkins Island, Amelia White, and Spanish Wells Cemeteries) will take place between 9 a.m. and noon on Saturday, January 16. Registration is required through Eventbrite; please wear a mask and stay six feet apart; the event will be preceded by a drive-thru breakfast at All Saints Episcopal Church at 8 a.m.
MLK Driving Parade: The parade will proceed from the Hilton Head Island High School Parking Lot. Vehicle line up begins at 9:15 a.m. and the parade starts at 10 a.m. Participants are asked to remain in their vehicles.
For more information about the parade, contact Galen Miller, President of Hilton Head MLK Committee for Justice at galenmiller68@gmail.com or (843) 290-2984.
Stay informed:
For more information visit