SC Public Health director withdraws from consideration for Ohio job amid COVID-19
Just hours after it was announced Thursday that one of South Carolina’s top health officials was taking a new job in Ohio, it turns out she won’t be taking the position.
Whether that means Dr. Joan Duwve will be staying at South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control as director of public health, however, remains unclear.
On Thursday afternoon, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced in a tweet that Duwve had agreed to take over as director of the Ohio Department of Health.
Duwve’s departure was acknowledged during a press conference with some of South Carolina’s top health officials later in the afternoon — DHEC Director Marshall Taylor said the move would be a promotion for Duwve that would allow her to be closer to her family in Ohio.
“We’re very happy for her. We will miss her,” Taylor said.
Late Thursday evening, though, DeWine took to Twitter once more to say that Duwve had withdrawn her name from “consideration for the position of Director of the Ohio Department of Health, citing personal reasons.”
DeWine did not provide any more details on Duwve’s reversal or the reasoning for it. DHEC did not immediately respond to The State’s request for comment late Thursday night.
Taylor previously said during Thursday’s press conference that Duwve would stay on in her current role with DHEC for several weeks while they searched for a replacement.
Duwve started her work at DHEC in April as the state was scrambling to deal with the first influx of coronavirus cases. She quickly became one of the state’s most public experts on COVID-19, testifying at legislative hearings, appearing beside the governor during press conferences and participating in the governor’s Accelerate SC panel on reopening the state’s economy and schools.
Duwve wasn’t the first high-profile departure from the state’s health department amid the pandemic.
Former DHEC Director Rick Toomey resigned from his position in June, citing health issues and wanting to spend more time with family.
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 3:36 PM.
