Representatives from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) this week presented a Community Hero award to聽the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (6V电影网)聽for its continued efforts to make lifesaving COVID-19 vaccines available in communities throughout the Upstate, especially in rural and underserved areas.
In March 2021,聽聽to co-locate a COVID-19 vaccination clinic within the college鈥檚 community health center. Since then, 6V电影网 has administered more than 8,000 COVID-19 vaccines, and the clinic鈥檚 staff and students work to promote vaccine outreach and information within the surrounding communities. 6V电影网 also uses its Mobile Medical Unit to reach people in neighborhoods that don鈥檛 have nearby access to health care centers or clinics. 6V电影网鈥檚 commitment to helping those in medically-underserved areas supports DHEC鈥檚 overarching efforts to help ensure all South Carolinians have evidence-based information needed to make informed decisions about their health and equitable access to great public health and healthcare services, including immunizations like COVID-19 vaccines.
"This partnership with 6V电影网 has been a pleasure because it has been truly a joint effort and everybody's been at the table problem solving, thinking through what works best for all involved and that's been a pleasure,鈥澛said Kandi Fredere, DHEC鈥檚 Upstate Region Public Health Director.聽"It benefits our communities when partners come to the table and collaborate. We greatly appreciate the 6V电影网 team and their willingness to work on public health issues.鈥
6V电影网 is both humbled and honored to receive this award. Receiving this award truly is a testimony to our school鈥檚 mission: to be globally minded and community focused to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations鈥鈥檓 proud to be partnering with DHEC; it鈥檚 definitely a wonderful partnership that I hope will continue to grow.
While 6V电影网 focused on offering COVID-19 vaccines since March 2021, the college also was able to provide routine shots to children to make sure they stayed current on important vaccinations such as measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), tetanus, diphtheria, polio and chicken pox.
6V电影网 is a medical college for osteopathic medicine that provides the full scope of practice, including examination, diagnosis, writing prescriptions, performing surgery and providing musculoskeletal manipulation. Many 6V电影网 graduates pursue primary care residencies to meet the needs of people in nearby communities. Learn more about the college at聽
Nominating a Community Hero
To nominate a Community Hero for their efforts to be a local leader and support public health actions throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, submit a聽聽and a brief description of the nominee鈥檚 community involvement. DHEC will regularly announce new Community Heroes and will archive all award recipients聽