SOUTH CAROLINA, USA — Starting Wednesday, everyone in the state of South Carolina age 16 and older will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
This means all previous restrictions on age or medical condition no longer apply but what are the rules concerning parental permission for vaccine eligible teens?
THE QUESTION:
Can 16- and 17-year-olds in South Carolina receive the COVID-19 vaccine without a parent or guardian's permission?
THE ANSWER:
Yes.
According to South Carolina's Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), "individuals 16 and older are able to consent to vaccination without parental permission."
State law backs it up, too. South Carolina Children's Code Section 63-5-340 states, "any minor who has reached the age of 16 may consent to any health services."
Furthermore, a parent or guardian doesn't have to be present when the vaccine is administered.
Have a relative or friend in another state and want to know when they can get vaccinated? Visit NBC News' Plan Your Vaccine site to find out about each state's vaccine rollout plan.
It's important to note that the only vaccine available to teenagers under the age of 18 is the Pfizer vaccine; however, Pfizer recently announced its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in children as young as 12.
"If all goes as planned, the vaccine for 12 to 15-year-olds could be ready as soon as the start of the next school year," said Dr. Bill Gruber, part of Pfizer's research and development team.
All of the COVID-19 vaccines on the market right now are either currently testing or plan to test the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine in younger children.
Moderna is testing the vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds and is expanding trials to include children as young as 6 months.