COVID-19 vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on April 5
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases surpass 467,000
At least 467,750 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina and 8,111 have died since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Monday reported 641 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, up from 632 reported Saturday.
Seven coronavirus deaths were reported Monday.
At least 486 people were reported hospitalized with COVID-19, about 117 of them in intensive care units.
As of Saturday, 4.4% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
More than 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in South Carolina, and more than 784,000 people in the state have “completed vaccination” as of Friday.
Grand Strand concert planned to help people struggling in pandemic
A North Myrtle Beach resident is planning a concert to benefit people struggling with food insecurity during the pandemic.
Groove for Grub, scheduled April 24 at the Brick House Lounge, will feature five bands from the region, and half of the proceeds will go to the Lowcountry Food Bank, The Sun News reported.
“I’ve been so blessed through this whole pandemic, ever since all this craziness started I’ve been so incredibly blessed,” organizer Veronica Tario said. “I know a lot of people are struggling right now. I wanted to do something.”
Tickets can be purchased online at etix.com or at the Brick House Lounge. It’s $40 for a two-person table, or $80 for four.
“The atmosphere, I would be hoping, would be happy, smiling, dancing people mixed with social distance,” Tario said.
Mass vaccination clinic to open at Columbia Place Mall
The Columbia Place Mall will serve as a COVID-19 mass vaccination site starting next week, The State reported.
Officials said the site is set to open April 14 and is capable of administering about 1,000 doses a day, seven days a week.
The mall’s large parking lot and access to public transportation made it a prime location for a new community vaccination initiative aimed at getting the vaccine to areas with high risk of COVID-19 exposure.
“We are committed to the equitable distribution of the vaccine and our top priority is to ensure everyone who wants a vaccine gets one,” said Gracia Szczech, regional administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “Opening the community vaccination center at Columbia Place Mall will help make that happen.”
Another 1,400 residents vaccinated in Beaufort County
An additional 1,400 Beaufort County residents have been vaccinated against the coronavirus, The Island Packet reported.
Nearly 40% of county residents ages 15 and older have received at least one dose of the vaccine, DHEC officials said Saturday.
Read more about the local vaccination numbers here.
Myrtle Beach businesses allowed to set own mask rules
The city of Myrtle Beach no longer requires face masks in public places, except government buildings.
Businesses can still require them, but it appears some won’t, The Sun News reports. Many business owners have said they’re frustrated with confrontations with customers who refuse to wear masks.
Myrtle Beach’s mask mandate had been in place since early July but had been loosely enforced. Now, Myrtle Beach City Manager Fox Simons has issued an executive order that urges people to wear masks but leaves the decision to require them up to businesses.
Karen Riordan, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce CEO, said in a statement that discontinuing the mask mandate allows businesses to make their own decisions but that many, including the Chamber, will continue requiring them, according to the Sun News.
“Others may decide that masks are not needed because they have plexiglass barriers or open-air spaces,” Riordan said in the statement.
Lexington County offers new COVID relief
Lexington County is offering low- to moderate-income residents help with mortgage, rent and utility payments through a grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Renters and homeowners will be able to apply for up to six consecutive months of financial assistance. Eligible applicants must be Lexington County residents and must have an annual income that is at or below 80% of the area median income, which was $32,024 for individuals and $61,173 per household in 2019.
They must also prove they are past due or unable to pay all or part of their rent, mortgage and utilities.
More information can be found at Lexington County’s website.
This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 7:32 AM.
