Coronavirus omicron updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Feb. 4
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
More than 4,000 new COVID-19 cases reported in SC
At least 1.1 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and at least 13,527 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Friday, Feb. 4, reported 4,231 new COVID-19 cases and 23 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 1,778 probable cases and 24 probable deaths.
The omicron variant accounted for 99.7% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina during the week ending Jan. 22, data shows.
At least 2,250 people in the state were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Feb. 3, including 434 patients being treated in intensive care units and 225 on ventilators. Data shows nearly 24% of hospitalizations in South Carolina are coronavirus-related.
As of Feb. 4, roughly 20% 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.
Just over 53% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and about 62% have received at least one dose, health officials say.
Retired Richland County deputy dies from COVID-19
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of a retired deputy after his death from COVID-19, The State reported.
Dale Salmond, 53, of Columbia, died from complications from the coronavirus on Thursday, Feb. 3, the sheriff’s department confirmed. Salmond was remembered for his positive impact on fellow deputies and the legacy he left in law enforcement.
“Dale was one of those special individuals that always brightened your day,” Sheriff Leon Lott said in a statement. “He was always smiling and loved being a sheriff’s deputy. Dale was a good cop but a great person. We will never forget him.”
Read the full story here.
Medicare will cover costs of at-home COVID tests this spring
Medicare enrollees will soon have access to free rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests, McClatchy News reported.
Beginning this spring, those enrolled in Medicare and Medicare Advantage programs can get up to eight coronavirus test kits at no cost each month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said in a Feb. 3 news release. The test must be authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The move comes after President Joe Biden’s administration mandated that private insurers cover the costs of eight over-the-counter COVID-19 test kits as part of a multi-pronged effort to combat the spread of the omicron coronavirus variant.
“There are a number of issues that have made it difficult to cover and pay for over-the-counter COVID-19 tests,” CMS said in a news release. “However, given the importance of expanding access to testing, CMS has identified a pathway that will expand access to free over-the-counter testing for Medicare beneficiaries.”
To learn more, read the full story here.
SC health officials want schools to adopt updated COVID guidance
South Carolina health officials are urging K-12 schools to implement their updated guidance on quarantining after COVID-19 exposure, The State reported.
The state health department’s Test-to-Stay policy allows more students who were exposed to the coronavirus to remain in school if they meet certain criteria. For instance, unvaccinated students can skip quarantine as long as they’re asymptomatic, wear a mask in class for 10 days and return a negative COVID-19 test on the fifth day after their exposure, according to the newspaper.
Fully vaccinated students who test positive for the virus were already exempt from quarantine, if they don’t have symptoms.
The updated guidance took effect in January but hasn’t been universally adopted, The State reported.
“As a public health agency that cares deeply about our students and teachers, we feel that this approach really protects both the health and education interests that we all share for our children,” DHEC public health director Brannon Traxler said in a statement Wednesday, Feb. 2.
“It’s important to keep our kids in an in-person learning environment,” Traxler continued, “but it’s equally important that they be safe in that environment with as little risk of infection as possible.”
Read the full story here.
Research company involved in Moderna COVID vaccine trials to open branch in Myrtle Beach
A research company that conducts clinical trials and had a hand in the successful Moderna COVID-19 vaccine trials is opening a branch in Myrtle Beach, The Sun News reports.
Trial Management Associates is based in North Carolina, where it ran one of 10 sites chosen for Phase II of the vaccine trial, according to the newspaper. Carolina Health Specialists, a local medical clinic in South Carolina, will provide oversight for the company’s studies.
“With this expansion and the partnership with Carolina Health Specialists, we are able to bring cutting-edge medicine to all of the Myrtle Beach community,” Trial Management Associates President Phil Dattilo said in a press release.
The company is now seeking volunteers to participate in trial studies related to vaccines, obesity, smoking cessation and more.
For more information, read the full story here.
Charleston’s Spoleto Festival 2022 will require proof of COVID vaccination
People planning to attend Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston this year will have to show proof that they received the COVID-19 vaccine, The State reported, citing festival organizers.
The 17-day performing arts festival welcomes guests and performers from across the globe, and organizers hope the mandate will encourage people to get vaccinated.
“Mounting a full-scale in-person performing arts festival requires prioritizing our community’s health and well-being. The future of our festival depends on it,” Mena Mark Hanna, the festival’s general director, said in a statement, according to The State.
“Vaccinations, including boosters, are the best defense against serious and fatal COVID-19 infections,” Hanna added.
Attendees, including volunteers, staff and performers, won’t be given the option to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test prior to the event, which will run from May 27-June 12 this year. Audience members must also show proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, including a booster shot.
Read the full story here.
How the omicron variant is impacting SC residents
The omicron coronavirus variant is driving a surge in new COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and here in South Carolina.
Several residents from across the Palmetto State spoke with The Island Packet about how the highly infectious variant has impacted their lives.
“We had a lively Christmas gathering of 15, and two days later seven of us tested positive,” one Hilton Head resident told the newspaper. “For six of us the symptoms have been very mild. My son-in-law is unvaccinated and he has been very sick.”
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published February 4, 2022 at 7:08 AM.