COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Sept. 1
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 3,500 new cases reported
At least 600,360 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 9,361 have died in South Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 3,554 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, a decrease of 77 cases reported the day before. The state also confirmed 73 coronavirus-related deaths.
At least 2,340 people in the state were reported hospitalized with the coronavirus as of Wednesday, with 537 patients being treated in intensive care units.
As of Wednesday, 17.3% 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.
Nearly 48% of South Carolinians eligible to receive the vaccine are fully vaccinated, and about 57% have received at least one dose, according to health officials.
North Charleston requires COVID vaccine for government employees
Amid rising COVID-19 cases, the city of North Charleston is now requiring government employees to get vaccinated, according to The State.
Mayor Keith Summey announced the decision Wednesday, citing the “unprecedented” threat of the pandemic.
“It is not easy for me to do something like this,” Summey said in a video posted online, “but at the end of the day my responsibility is to try to maintain the health and well-being of my employees. I am not one of the people that like to create controls, but unlike anything that we’ve had before, this is a different time.”
Read the full story here.
Horry County coronavirus hot spots ranked
Coronavirus cases are rising across Horry County, but some communities are faring better than others, according to an analysis of state health data by The Sun News.
The Galivants Ferry area had the highest COVID-19 incidence rate for the week of Aug. 21-28, data show, with an average of 19 cases per 1,000 residents. The area also has one of the lowest COVID vaccination rates in Horry County, with less than 35% of eligible residents vaccinated.
The Aynor area came in second with around 12 cases per 1,000 residents, followed by the Green Sea area with about 11 cases per 1,000 residents.
To see how other Horry County communities stacked up, read the full story here.
Friday night football canceled for York County high schools
Concerns over COVID-19 have forced the cancellation of a Friday night football game between two York County teams, the Rock Hill Herald reported.
Fort Mill’s home game against York Comprehensive High School has been canceled, district officials announced Monday, citing “quarantines of multiple students in key positions.”
“All students and staff who have been identified as close contacts have been notified,” district officials said.
It’s unclear if or when the game will be rescheduled.
Jasper County shutters administrative offices in response to COVID surge
Jasper County’s administrative offices are now closed to the public after an uptick in COVID-19 cases among employees, according to The Island Packet.
Over a fifth of the county’s nearly 300 employees have tested positive for the virus or have had to quarantine in the last month, the newspaper reported, citing a news release.
“The closure is needed to protect the health and well-being of county staff as well as those coming to do business at the county offices,” city officials wrote.
All business will be done via phone, email and drop-box delivery through Labor Day.
Read the full story here.
S.C. school mask mandate ban at center of civil rights investigation
The U.S. Education Department has launched an investigation against a South Carolina provision that bans local school districts from proposing mask mandates.
The probe, announced by the DOE on Monday, comes ahead of a South Carolina Supreme Court hearing on the ban and will explore whether the state’s restrictions violate the civil rights of students with disabilities or at increased risk of getting sick from COVID-19, according to The State.
S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, as well as the governors of Iowa, Tennessee and Utah, have been warned by President Joe Biden’s administration after they enacted similar mask bans. A spokesperson for McMaster’s office called the DOE investigation “another attempt by the Biden Administration to force a radical liberal agenda on states and people who disagree with them.”
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 7:33 AM.