Coronavirus live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Oct. 7
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases top 148,000
At least 148,334 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina, and 3,300 have died, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Wednesday reported 556 new cases of the virus, down from 693 reported the day before.
Wednesday, 12.9% of COVID-19 tests were positive, DHEC says, the same percentage as Tuesday.
Twenty-seven deaths were reported Wednesday.
Richland One plans return to in-person classes
Starting the week of Oct. 26, Richland One students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade will be able to attend in-person classes twice a week, Superintendent Craig Witherspoon announced in a Wednesday email.
Parents who aren’t interested in sending their kids back to face-to-face classes just yet can still apply for Richland One’s “Virtual School Program.”
Students with disabilities can return even sooner, Oct. 12, depending on their education plans.
Witherspoon said that in light of declining coronavirus activity in Richland County, administrators are confident they can take a step toward normalcy without compromising safety.
SC court: No CARES funds for private schools
The South Carolina Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Gov. Henry McMaster cannot grant $32 million in CARES Act funding to private schools because it is public money.
McMaster announced his intention to share the sizable chunk of federal aid with private schools earlier this year, but the S.C. court decided 5-0 against him.
“We hold the Governor’s decision constitutes the use of public funds for the direct benefit of private educational institutions within the meaning of, and prohibited by, Article XI, Section 4 of the South Carolina Constitution,” Chief Justice Donald Beatty said in a 15-page opinion.
K-12 cases up by 132
Coronavirus cases in South Carolina’s K-12 schools have increased by 132 since Friday, when the state Department of Health and Environmental Control last reported COVID-19 data on schools.
There have been 1,042 confirmed cases since the school year started, including 741 students and 301 employees.
DHEC reported 89 new cases last Friday, and 97 on Tuesday, Sept. 29.
SC prisons to spend $1 million on COVID-19 plan
Since the pandemic began, 31 inmates have died in South Carolina prisons, and now the state Department of Corrections plans to spend $1 million on air ionizers, hoping the devices will slow the spread of the coronavirus at their facilities.
Legislative documents say the ionizers will be installed in heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems at the department’s correctional facilities by December. There are about 16,000 inmates and 4,600 employees at the facilities.
“These air ionizing devices remove viruses such as COVID-19, as well as other viruses and mold within inmate living, recreational and working areas,” according to documents filed with the state Joint Bond Review Committee.
The committee has reviewed the proposal, which is expected to cost $926,000.
DHEC: Get tested once a month
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control issued a new guidance Monday, saying that most people should get tested for COVID-19 once a month, especially if they are frequently around others.
DHEC also recommended that anyone who has been in contact with someone with the coronavirus should also get tested, even if they aren’t displaying any symptoms.
These new guidelines are meant to mirror those adopted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in mid-September.
Mail-in voting witness requirement reinstated by Supreme Court
The U.S. Supreme Court reinstated South Carolina’s witness requirement for absentee voting, meaning a person who submits a mail ballot must also have another person sign the envelope as a witness of their vote.
The battle, which has pitted Democrats and Republicans against each other, started Sept. 18 when U.S. District Judge Michelle Childs of Columbia ordered that South Carolinians voting by mail are not be required to get a witness signature on their mail-in ballot envelope because of the dangers of COVID-19.
Her order was appealed to the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, and on Sept. 24, a three-judge panel overturned her order. But on Sept. 25, a majority of the full 4th Circuit Court of Appeals vacated the panel’s ruling and reinstated Childs’ order.
The S.C. Election Commission’s governing board, which is majority Republican, last Monday voted to appeal the full 4th Circuit ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, and on Thursday, lawyers representing the state Election Commission, the state Republican Party and others submitted a 37-page request for an emergency stay of Childs’ order with the high court. Lawyers for the Democrats were given until 2 p.m. Saturday to submit an opposing motion.
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously to reinstate the witness requirement. But the ruling says “any ballots cast before this stay issues and received within two days of this order may not be rejected for failing to comply with the witness requirement.”
South Carolina voters are expected to cast hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots this election.
The AARP has voiced concerns to the Supreme Court regarding witness signatures, asking the court to uphold Childs’ decision.
“South Carolina law (requiring a witness signature) needlessly puts at great risk the health of medically vulnerable individuals,” the AARP filing said.
While the AARP is not directly involved in the lawsuit, the senior citizen group filed as a friend of the court, meaning it believes the court’s decision will impact the organization and it wants the judges to know where the AARP stands on the issue.
This story was originally published October 7, 2020 at 7:24 AM.