To speed COVID-19 vaccinations, South Carolina mulls limiting elective surgeries again

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster warned he could shut down elective surgeries in a bid to free up hospital staff and administer more COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report.

"Right now we have doses that have not been given that are sitting on the shelf," McMaster said Monday, per The Post and Courier. "That ends. That is over. We’re not doing that anymore ... even if I have to order ending elective surgeries in some hospitals to free up staff to give those shots." According to state data, South Carolina has administered 163,800 doses of 317,975 received shots, or just over half of its vaccine supply. A voluntary pause of elective surgeries early last spring dropped hospitals’ earnings and brought along staff layoffs, the outlet reported, adding that many hospitals restarted the services two months later.