July 4th crowds will likely create worse COVID-19 surge, SC health officials warn
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster and state health officials voiced grave concern on Wednesday that if South Carolinians continue to avoid practicing safety measures that include social distancing and wearing masks over the Fourth of July weekend the number of positive COVID-19 cases could reach unimaginable levels.
“We could see cases rise to the levels that none of us could have previously imagined,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell, mentioning the spike in cases after the Memorial Day weekend in May. “This is a public health crisis.”
South Carolina’s health department reported an additional 1,497 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Wednesday and 24 new deaths.
Bell said that is the highest number of deaths in a single day, bringing the state’s death toll as a result of COVID-19 to 759.
This week, the state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control recommended South Carolinians stay at home over the July Fourth weekend instead of participating in events with crowds, citing the surge in positive cases particularly among younger adults.
“As we celebrate our nation’s birthday this weekend, it’s a time for us to remember all of those who have sacrificed before us, and in a way this pandemic is challenging each of us to consider our duty to one another,” Bell said on Wednesday. “It’s a duty that requires us to look out for the well-being of others, despite the inconvenience and the sacrifice that’s being asked of us all. And if we don’t take that action now, if we don’t social distance and wear our masks, we’ll see more of our friends, our family members, our loved ones, who’ll continue to become ill, become hospitalized and many will die.”
Asked whether he supported DHEC’s request, McMaster told reporters that South Carolinians who want to stay home, ”is a good decision. But if you don’t want to stay home, and you want to go out, everybody knows what they need to do.”
It’s a “dangerous opportunity for us to spread this virus,” McMaster said, adding that if the state’s COVID-19 cases continue to spike, he will have “no choice, we will have no choice but to keep these restrictions on crowds and gatherings in place.”
That means, the governor said, no fall collegiate sports, among other popular events.
“This fall will not be like other falls,” McMaster said. “We must control the spread of this virus.”
McMaster, who has resisted putting in a statewide mandate for people to wear masks because of enforcement concerns, urged local governments to consider their own mask rules.
“They know their local situations, they know their local customers, they know their people.”
This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 5:42 PM.
