DHEC chief takes leave of absence as his agency battles coronavirus outbreak
South Carolina’s top health official is taking a medical leave of absence as his agency battles one of the worst disease epidemics in state history.
Rick Toomey, director at the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, told agency employees Thursday that he has high blood pressure and changes in his medication “have not achieved the desired results.’’
Toomey, 65, expects to be gone from DHEC for two to three weeks, while he and his doctors work to resolve the problem.
Jennifer Read, the department’s chief of staff, said Toomey’s temporary leave is not related to the coronavirus that has infected more than 400 South Carolina residents this month. She said Toomey does not have the coronavirus. Top department health officials will continue to deal with the disease threat while he is gone, she said.
DHEC is the chief health and environmental agency in South Carolina. Its responsibilities include analyzing tests of people for the presence of the coronavirus.
The agency also is coordinating efforts to bring in much-needed supplies to handle the crush of cases that are expected over the next two months. Toomey had been updating the public during press briefings about progress being made in obtaining supplies.
Department officials said this week that they expect to deal with more than 8,000 cases of COVID-19 come early May. The state, so far, has had more than 400 cases since the first were documented in early March.
Toomey said the department is in good hands. Read said the same top level managers who are dealing with the coronavirus outbreak will continue to oversee the agency’s response.
DHEC’s designated incident commander, who is overseeing the coronavirus effort, is Nick Davidson, DHEC’s acting director of public health.
“The structure of our response has not changed and will not change,’’ Read said.
In an email to employees Thursday, Toomey said agency lawyer Marshall Taylor will act as interim director until he returns. Taylor was interim director of the agency before the DHEC board chose Toomey to run the department in late 2018.
“In order to be part of team DHEC for the long term, I need to deal with my health in the short term,’’ Toomey said in the email. “I informed our board chairman Mark Elam and Gov. McMaster today that I will take a medical leave of absence. I hope and expect that my leave should not last too long – 2 to 3 weeks.’’
Gov. Henry McMaster believes DHEC’s staff can handle the coronavirus response in Toomey’s absence, McMaster spokesman Brian Symmes said Friday. Toomey has been by the Republican governor’s side for press briefings throughout the crisis, but was not there Thursday.
“The governor told him to rest up, get better and get back to work as soon as he can,’’ Symmes said. “The governor doesn’t think this will affect the state’s ability to respond to the coronavirus in the slightest. We’ll keep moving on.’’
State Rep. Mandy Powers Norrell, D-Lancaster, said Toomey’s blood pressure problem shows how other health issues, aside from coronavirus, need attention amid the increased strain on doctors, nurses and other health care providers.
“All of these other health issues are not just going to go away because our attention is focused on coronavirus,’’ she said Friday. “This is one really good example of that.’’
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 8:48 PM.
