COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - South Carolina health leaders are providing clarification about vaccine eligibility as the state reports its first flu-related death of the season and respiratory virus activity ramps up.

The South Carolina Department of Health (DPH) has received its shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine and distributed it to most county clinics, according to Dr. Martha Buchanan, the department’s Director of the Bureau of Communicable Disease Prevention.

She said the first flu death of the season underscores the seriousness of these viruses.

“We never know when the peak of flu season has happened until we see numbers start to come down because it has to go up and then start coming down before we can say, ‘Oh, that was the peak,’” Buchanan said. “COVID kind of isn’t as predicable as flu

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