Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Jan. 6
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Nearly 9,500 new COVID-19 cases reported in SC
At least 817,327 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,742 have died in South Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Thursday, Jan. 6, reported 9,497 new COVID-19 cases and 17 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 3,823 probable cases and eight probable deaths.
The omicron variant accounted for 30.8% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week that ended Dec. 18. The delta variant accounted for roughly 69%, according to data from the state health department.
At least 1,497 people in the state were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 on Jan. 6, including 280 patients being treated in intensive care units and 129 on ventilators. About 16% of hospitalizations in South Carolina are coronavirus-related, data shows.
As of Jan. 6, roughly 29% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
About 52% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and nearly 61% have received at least one dose.
Mask mandates return to Coastal Carolina University
A surge in COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron coronavirus variant has led Coastal Carolina University to reinstate its face mask mandate, The Sun News reported.
Students and staff will be required to mask up when they return to campus for the spring 2022 semester, university officials announced Jan. 6. The decision comes just weeks after the board of trustees voted to lift the requirement in mid-December when classes ended.
“Recognizing the ever-changing landscape regarding COVID can be daunting, please know that we will continue to make the decisions that are best for the university community,” university officials said in a statement. “Our students have experienced, and continue to experience, such a unique situation during this pandemic.”
Under the new guidance, everyone is required to wear a face mask indoors on CCU’s campus, with the exception of dorm rooms and dining halls. Students and staff must abide by the rules, regardless of their vaccination status.
To learn more about the university’s COVID-19 protocols, read the full story here.
Omicron surge stresses Beaufort County hospitals
The omicron coronavirus variant is putting undue stress on already pandemic-weary hospital systems in Beaufort County, according to The Island Packet.
“This is completely different than what we’ve ever seen before,” one doctor told the newspaper.
The variant is driving a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the county, causing a spike in demand for testing and treatment at hospital emergency rooms. Beaufort Memorial Hospital CEO Russell Baxley said the hospital system’s Port Royal Express Care location went from averaging 50 or 60 patients per day to 100 patients per day.
Daily ER patient volumes have also spiked 30%, he said.
Read the full story here.
SC struggling to keep up with COVID-19 testing demand
South Carolina residents seeking COVID-19 testing could be stuck waiting for hours amid a surge in demand driven by the omicron coronavirus variant, according to state health officials.
Ron Aiken, a spokesman for the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control, advised people to be patient as testing sites across the state see lengthy wait times and delayed results, The State reported. Residents can expect to wait one to two hours, or longer, at certain testing locations.
It will also be a few days before you get your results back, he said.
“DHEC’s public health lab and our partners continue to strive for the 72-hour turnaround, but they also have been hit hard by this surge in cases unlike anything we’ve seen before,” Aiken told The State.
“As with other health care providers, operations in laboratories are impacted by the isolation and quarantine of staff,” he added. “This comes at the same time sample volume has increased many fold.”
Read the full story here.
Horry County Schools updates COVID quarantine guidance
Horry County Schools will follow the advice of state and federal officials when it comes to students and staff who test positive for COVID-19, The Sun News reported.
The CDC updated its guidance last month, shortening the length of quarantine from 10 to five days for those who contract the virus. Wearing a face mask for five days after ending isolation is also recommended to prevent further spread, the agency said.
Officials at Horry Schools plan to adopt similar guidance and will require masks for those who test positive for coronavirus, administrators announced Jan. 4. Students may return to school six to 10 days after exposure.
“Mask enforcement will be challenging, but we will ask parents to assist us with mask requirements for days 6-10,” HCS spokesperson Lisa Bourcier told The Sun News.
CDC updates guidance on boosters, Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine
Those who rolled up their sleeves for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine can get their booster shot sooner than previously suggested, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In updated guidance published Jan. 4, the agency shortened the wait time for an mRNA booster from six months to five months after completing the two-shot Pfizer vaccine series. The CDC also recommends children 5 to 11 years old who are “moderately or severely immunocompromised” receive an extra dose of the vaccine at least 28 day after their second shot.
“Following the FDA’s authorizations, today’s recommendations ensure people are able to get a boost of protection in the face of Omicron and increasing cases across the country, and ensure that the most vulnerable children can get an additional dose to optimize protection against COVID-19,” CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published January 6, 2022 at 7:11 AM.
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