SC hospitals slammed with calls as vaccine access expands By MICHELLE LIUJanuary 13, 2021 GMT COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Hours after South Carolina opened up access to the coronavirus vaccine for seniors Wednesday morning, people trying to schedule their shots inundated hospitals and the health department with thousands of phone calls. By Wednesday afternoon, more than one hospital said it had already run out of appointment slots. It was the first day people ages 70 and older could register to get the COVID-19 vaccine in the state. Until Wednesday, the Department of Health and Environmental Control had limited vaccine access to mostly health care workers and those living and working in long-term care facilities. Some people in those groups are still being vaccinated.