How did this happen? A timeline of 3 months of Beaufort County’s coronavirus crisis

Note: This story was most recently updated on June 15 with the latest developments and will continue to be updated as the COVID-19 outbreak progresses.

In three months, the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically shifted life for many in the Lowcountry. As South Carolina finds a new normal while cases continue to mount, The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette have updated this timeline of major events, including links to our reporting.

Here’s how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the area — and how quickly the virus has spread.

MARCH 6 — State health officials confirm first two South Carolina coronavirus cases

An elderly female patient hospitalized in Kershaw County and a woman from Charleston County who recently traveled to France and Italy both tested positive for COVID-19, the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control said.

MARCH 12 — Hilton Head St. Patrick’s Day Parade canceled

Three days before the parade was set to happen, Hilton Head leaders said it was still on. Then, hours later, they canceled it, following the lead of officials in Savannah, who also postponed their festivities.

MARCH 13 — S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster declares state of emergency

Hours after President Donald Trump did the same for the federal government, McMaster issued an emergency declaration in South Carolina and closed schools in two counties.

Beaufort Memorial starts drive-thru testing

As four of its staff members were quarantined, Beaufort Memorial Hospital set up a temporary facility to collect samples from patients who had a doctor’s order for coronavirus testing.

MARCH 14 — First Beaufort County cases confirmed

Three residents tested positive, announced DHEC. Two had contact with an infected individual in another state and one had recently traveled internationally. State and local officials wouldn’t say where the people lived or provide any other details, a trend that would continue as the outbreak progressed.

MARCH 15 — Beaufort County schools closed

Following a statewide order to close public schools, Beaufort County School District told students Sunday evening not to come to school the next morning. “This is an unprecedented situation, something that has never occurred in our lifetimes,” said Beaufort County Superintendent Frank Rodriguez.

Teachers shifted to distribute work packets as school bus drivers began to deliver free lunches along their routes

MARCH 16 — Lowcountry towns and cities issue emergency declarations

Awakening to the danger posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, Beaufort and Jasper County governments declared states of emergency, closing local courts and giving leaders the authority to make unilateral decisions. Beaufort County officials were the first to take the step, and all area towns and cities followed suit.

MARCH 17 — Takeout and delivery only, says McMaster to South Carolina restaurants

The governor issued an executive order closing dining rooms in restaurants and bars. Many local businesses adapted by setting up takeout operations. Some patrons responded with ‘social distance date nights.’

RBC Heritage tournament canceled

“Postponing or rescheduling was not an option,” said RBC Heritage Tournament Director Steve Wilmot of the event, scheduled for April 13-19. “We will be back and better than ever next year.” PGA officials had hoped the event could proceed, but Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to limit large gatherings forced the decision.

MARCH 21 — Public beach access on Hilton Head restricted

Hilton Head Mayor John McCann ordered all public beach access, including parking and amenities, closed for 60 days. “This is in response to community outcry,” he said. “This is a matter of safety and of health.”

On Hilton Head, a coalition of residents started a petition that garnered almost 5,000 signatures urging local leaders bar non-residents from the island and reopen the beaches for locals.

That weekend, many congregated on sandbars and Beaufort County beaches that remained open, provoking stern words from law enforcement and McMaster. “We are facing a dangerous and deadly enemy and this type of behavior is both irresponsible and selfish,” he said in a statement.

S.C. unemployment claims rise 1,600% in one week

The week ending March 21 saw 31,054 South Carolinians file unemployment insurance claims, almost 16 times the previous week’s total. Beaufort County residents made up just over 1,000 of those claims as local nonprofits, hotels, and restaurants laid off workers.

The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette interviewed service workers in grocery stores and auto shops unable to work from home about life during the COVID-19 outbreak.

MARCH 23 — McMaster discourages groups of three or more

The governor gave police the power to break up groups of three or more when they determined doing so would safeguard public health. Anyone in violation of the order could face a misdemeanor charge, McMaster said, while refuting rumors that he was considering a statewide stay-at-home order.

MARCH 26 — A dozen Hilton Head rental companies close for two weeks

“Tourism as we know it has come to a screeching halt,” wrote 12 rental companies in a letter to the Hilton Head Town Council. As companies scrambled to change cancellation policies, many offered credit to vacationers from across the country that called to change reservations.

MARCH 27 — Visitors from COVID-19 hot spots ordered to quarantine

McMaster directed anyone visiting from New York state, New Jersey, Connecticut and New Orleans to self-quarantine for 14 days after arriving in South Carolina, or face criminal penalties. Local airports, already seeing commercial flights arrive with as few as one passenger onboard, posted warnings in arrival areas.

Cases confirmed in Bluffton, Beaufort and on Hilton Head

After complaints from county officials that EMS personnel were “flying blind,” McMaster ordered DHEC to begin releasing case totals by ZIP code. The first batch of location data was made public, revealing COVID-19 cases on Hilton Head, Daufuskie Island, St. Helena’s Island and Parris Island, as well as in Bluffton, Okatie, Beaufort and Port Royal.

S.C. Attorney General weighs in on local stay-at-home orders

After cities like Columbia and Charleston issued emergency decrees ordering residents to stay in their residences except for essential travel, Attorney General Alan Wilson’s office issued an opinion saying local ordinances could be challenged in court. He later clarified that his office wouldn’t sue towns or cities, saying the stay-at-home rules were “deemed valid” until a court ruled on them.

The opinion was meant as a “flashing yellow light” warning officials of potential legal challenges, Wilson said on a call with Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce members on April 1.

MARCH 30 — A Beaufort man becomes the first Beaufort County coronavirus death

An 81-year-old man at Beaufort Memorial Hospital died in the early morning hours of acute respiratory failure caused by the virus, said local officials. He had underlying health conditions, DHEC said, while announcing the county’s cases jumped 50% to a total of 74.

Parris Island stops new recruits after reporting over 20 cases

Marine Corps officials put a hold on the arrival of recruits for boot camp as Military.com reported an outbreak of COVID-19 on Parris Island. The next day the Defense Department ordered bases to stop publicly reporting case numbers to safeguard operational security.

MARCH 31 — McMaster closes ‘nonessential’ businesses

An executive order from the governor shuttered thousands of businesses across the state, including entertainment venues, gyms and tourist attractions.

The next day hotel occupancy on Hilton Head sunk to 9.4% as many resorts closed their doors, according to Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce numbers. Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head furloughed “a majority” of its nearly 700 employees, reported the newspapers on April 3.

Days later, McMaster added most retails stores to the list of businesses that would have to close and also forbade short-term rental companies, including hotels, from taking new reservations from people from COVID-19 “hot spots.”

APRIL 1 — Beaufort County cases break 100 as second death announced

A 72-year-old Beaufort man sick with the coronavirus died at Beaufort Memorial Hospital the same day as state health officials said 101 Beaufort County residents had tested positive the virus.

APRIL 3 — Elderly Hilton Head man becomes first island resident to die after testing positive

The 86-year-old man tested positive for the virus but died from other health issues, the Beaufort County Coroner’s Office said. The next day, an 89-year-old island resident died after contracting COVID-19, state health officials said. The deaths were Beaufort County’s third and fourth related to the coronavirus, according to DHEC.

Meanwhile, Beaufort Memorial Hospital’s leaders described preparations for a surge of patients, likening the pandemic to a “never-ending hurricane.”

APRIL 6 — McMaster issues “home or work” order

The governor’s order made South Carolina the last state on the East Coast and one of the last in the nation to require that residents stay home, except for essential travel. Hours earlier, the city of Beaufort joined Columbia, Charleston and Mount Pleasant by issuing a local shelter-in-place order.

APRIL 12 — Easter and Passover services proceed, with modifications, to slow coronavirus spread

Some congregations broadcast music and an Easter message over the radio for people to listen to from their cars during drive-in services. Others pre-recorded sermons to be broadcast online and over telephone.

APRIL 13 — Tornadoes wreak havoc on Lowcountry communities already dealing with COVID-19

The deadliest tornado outbreak in 36 years hit South Carolina early on Monday morning, as at least 16 twisters destroyed 198 homes and claimed nine lives. “It sounded like a train running through the middle of the house,” said one Hampton County resident, who was in bed as the walls of her house collapsed on top of her. Days later, McMaster declared a second state of emergency on top of the existing order already in place due to the coronavirus epidemic.

APRIL 15 — First two COVID-19 patients discharged from Beaufort Memorial after being placed on ventilators

David Jackson, 59, spent almost a month in the hospital and 11 days on a ventilator as he battled coronavirus complications. He left Beaufort Memorial in a wheelchair, a tie-dyed mask on his face. “He was one of the lucky ones,” said a doctor who treated Jackson.

The same day, state health officials said 205 people had tested positive for COVID-19 and seven had died in Beaufort County. Total possible cases topped 1,400, as officials said up to nine people likely had the virus for every confirmed case, due to a lack of widespread testing. One Harbor Island woman waited 16 days for her result.

APRIL 16 — Heritage golf tournament rescheduled for June, without fans

The RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing was canceled. Then, Tournament Director Steve Wilmot got a phone call. The PGA Tour said the tournament could go forward June 18-21 on Hilton Head Island, as a “broadcast-only” event. No spectators.

APRIL 20 — Retail outlets given permission to reopen as McMaster announces branded economic recovery task force

Major Beaufort County department stores, including the Tanger Outlet malls in Bluffton and Belk stores in Beaufort and on Hilton Head, said they would reopen within a week of McMaster lifting some restrictions on nonessential businesses. McMaster announced he was rolling back some business closure orders as South Carolina recorded its highest single-day count of new coronavirus cases, with 276.

He and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp drew criticism for moving to reopen their states without first meeting White House guidelines on pandemic recovery, including declining case numbers and widespread access to testing.

“By the end of June, we expect our economy to be humming,” McMaster said days earlier, announcing his economic recovery task force, which he called “Accelerate SC.”

APRIL 22 — Beaufort County hospitals plan to resume elective surgeries, bracing for financial fallout of pandemic

“We never saw a surge,” Beaufort Memorial CEO Russell Baxley told the hospital’s Board of Trustees, while reporting declining numbers of COVID-19 patients. A field hospital established in the Beaufort Middle School gym would stay at the ready, he said, in case of a second wave of coronavirus patients.

Beaufort Memorial and Hilton Head Regional Healthcare both said they would move to resume elective procedures, their main source of revenue, as the COVID-19 shutdowns put medical facilities on shaky financial ground across the country.

One coronavirus patient on Hilton Head struggled with medical bills from her treatment, raising questions about the price of COVID-19 hospitalization, reported the newspapers.

MAY 1 — After McMaster rescinds statewide restrictions on beach access, Hilton Head cautiously begins to reopen two beach access points

Town officials removed barriers from Islanders Beach Park and Coligny Beach on May 1 and opened parking lots only to residents with beach passes. The local reopening came a week and a half after McMaster ended statewide beach access restrictions and pushed responsibility onto local governments to determine their own path forward. Many coastal municipalities, including Hilton Head Island, kept their beaches closed.

Although the first day of beach access at Coligny and Islanders was slow, beaches became “crowded, but not crazy,” over the weekend, town code enforcement officer Wendy Conant said. “We’re not really seeing any masks. And social distancing, not so much,” she said.

MAY 4 — Outdoor dining resumes as statewide stay-at-home order becomes voluntary

“It’s been a long six weeks, let me tell you,” said Paul Thompson, owner of Hemingway’s and neighboring Panini’s on the waterfront in Beaufort. Under a cloudless sky, servers wore masks and doused tables with sanitizer between customers at many Beaufort County restaurants. Days earlier, McMaster ended mandatory stay-at-home requirements, lifted restrictions on travelers from COVID-19 hotspots and let restaurants open patios and outdoor seating areas, with safety guidelines in place.

MAY 5 - Beaufort County schools graduation ceremonies moved online. Protests ensue.

Superintendent Rodriguez said students would be recorded receiving diplomas individually, but ceremonies broadcast on graduation day would be confined to pre-recorded speeches and walks. Backlash from parents and students was swift. In Beaufort, high school seniors took to the streets wearing their caps and gowns in a silent protest in favor of (socially distanced) in-person ceremonies.

MAY 6 - DHEC says it will test all nursing home residents and staff, revealing deadly outbreaks

As part of a plan to increase COVID-19 testing statewide, health officials said all 40,000 residents and staff at the state’s nursing homes would be tested by the end of the month. A review of case data by The State Media Co., The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette found that a small handful of facilities let the virus spread to over half of residents, and deaths followed. Federal inspection records showed the majority of these facilities had previously been cited for violating infection-control policies.

Separately, nursing home complaints filed with regulators by families of residents and staff members warned of “immediate danger” to residents in some facilities due to severe short-staffing and other issues. At some nursing homes, staff alleged administrators tried to cover up outbreaks, the complaints said.

MAY 11 — Indoor dining at Beaufort County restaurants resumes, with restrictions

Following permission from McMaster, local restaurants made plans to re-open, under restrictions meant to protect customers. “It’s almost like first-day jitters because you want to make sure you’re doing everything right,” Main Street Cafe & Pub owner Faith Roppelt told The Island Packet. “You just want to give customers peace of mind.”

MAY 18 — Salons and gyms allowed to reopen

“We are the new toilet paper,” Hilton Head’s Chez Michelle Salon owner Michelle Casey said. “Finding a hair appointment will be as difficult as finding toilet paper in April.” Meanwhile, gym owners stocked up on sanitizer and made plans to limit the number of members who could work out at one time.

MAY 21 — School district lost contact with over 300 students when buildings closed, superintendent says

The majority of the Beaufort County School District’s 22,000-plus students transitioned to virtual learning, thanks to a technology plan that provides most students with an online device. But 341 students fell through the cracks, even after multiple attempts to contact them and their families, according to Rodriguez.

JUNE 9 — Residents vote via cotton swab in S.C. primary elections

In-person voting proceeded under precautionary measures at polling places, including masking, as well as the use of plastic shields and cotton swabs to vote.

In Jasper County, four Black challengers swept white incumbents out of office in local races. Incumbent Bill Herbkersman held off a challenge by Beaufort County Council member Mike Covert in the race for the Republican nomination for House District 118, and S.C. Rep. Jeff Bradley cruised to victory over former schools superintendent Phil Hartman in the Republican District 123 primary race.

JUNE 12 — Public health officials raise the alarm after week of record case numbers

On June 12, Beaufort County broke its single-day record for coronavirus cases, as DHEC announced 33 people tested positive. The state as a whole saw record case counts for almost a week, and health officials said the numbers weren’t simply a result of more access to testing. “I have to say that today, I am more concerned about COVID-19 in South Carolina than I ever have been before,” state epidemiologist Linda Bell said.

Relaxed social distancing and Memorial Day travel likely contributed to the uptick, which landed more people in the hospital, Beaufort Memorial CEO Russell Baxley told the newspapers. “Summer’s going to be rough,” a Medical University of South Carolina infectious disease expert said.

This story was originally published April 2, 2020 at 11:32 AM.