Masks required for students and staff on campus of another major SC university
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COVID-19 mask news in Midlands schools
Curious to learn what local schools are doing about face masks as COVID-19 rises in South Carolina? Here’s a roundup of the latest updates from elementary schools to universities around the state.
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South Carolina State University joined other major colleges in the Palmetto State Wednesday by imposing mask requirements on campus.
S.C. State issued the mask mandate a day after the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that the University of South Carolina has the right to require students to wear face coverings inside to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
All faculty, staff, students and visitors are now required to wear masks inside all university buildings, S.C. State officials said in a news release. The only exceptions would be in personal offices, individual campus residence hall rooms and while eating, according to the release.
The mask requirement is effective immediately on S.C. State’s campus in Orangeburg.
“Participation is paramount in maintaining a safe and healthy campus environment,” officials said in the release.
Masks are a proven way to prevent or reduce transmission of COVID-19 in indoor settings, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends masks be worn in indoor areas and especially in crowds.
“The university administration will continue to monitor the situation to determine the proper duration of requiring masks and/or any modification to the directive,” S.C. State officials said.
Clemson University students are also required to wear masks in classrooms, instructional facilities, offices, labs, and residential and dining halls. Clemson said the requirement will be in place for three weeks.
S.C. State is also strongly encouraging students, faculty, and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine, according to the release.
The U.S. is experiencing a third wave of COVID cases during the pandemic because of the highly-contagious delta variant.
South Carolina State University recently announced it will delay the start of classes because of rising COVID-19 cases in the state. Originally scheduled for Aug. 18, the start date has been moved to Monday, Aug. 23.
The delay will be used to inform students about COVID-19, encourage them to get vaccinated on campus and prepare additional safety measures if cases continue to spread, school officials said. S.C. State, the only four-year historically Black public college in S.C., is already requiring students who live on campus to get tested weekly, according to officials.
South Carolina has seen more than 669,000 (confirmed and probable) cases of the coronavirus and 10,115 deaths since the start of the pandemic. With nearly 46% of the state’s population fully vaccinated, health officials are urging people to get the COVID vaccine to help limit the spread of the virus and to protect themselves.
As of Aug. 4, there have been 270 breakthrough cases that led to hospitalization in South Carolina, and 0.0023% of fully vaccinated people died of COVID-19, according to DHEC.
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MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published August 18, 2021 at 11:38 AM.
