COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Jan. 22
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and COVID-19 vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Cases surpass 369,000
At least 369,782 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in South Carolina since March, and 5,791 have died, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Friday reported 3,528 new COVID-19 cases, up from 3,363 reported the day before.
The state has reported more than 78,500 cases in January, the most new cases seen in a single month.
Twenty-three additional deaths were reported Friday.
As of Friday, 28.4% of COVID-19 tests were positive. Health officials have said that number should be closer to 5% to control the spread of the virus.
At least 2,293 people were hospitalized in South Carolina with the coronavirus on Friday.
As of Friday, the state had received 274,950 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 149,400 doses of the Moderna vaccine. More than 145,000 first doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 30,000 first doses of the Moderna vaccine have been administered. About 36,000 second doses of the Pfizer vaccine have also been administered.
DHEC reports 385 new COVID cases in SC schools
South Carolina’s Department of Health and Environmental Control reported an increased number of coronavirus cases in schools on Friday.
State public and charter schools reported 8,465 cases on Friday, up from 8,080 on Tuesday.
The data comes as students in the Lexington-Richland 5 are planning a protest Monday calling for a delay in plans to return to five-day, face-to-face instruction. The district is slated to move to a full five-day schedule on Feb. 1, The State reported.
“I saw five of my classmates called out to be quarantined,” said Caroline Mack, a 17-year-old student at Spring Hill High School who is organizing Monday’s protest. “The 20 students in my home room dropped down to six.”
McMaster says he’s happy with vaccine rollout at hospitals
Gov. Henry McMaster said Friday he’s happy with vaccine distribution in hospitals after criticizing it earlier in the week.
He said he wasn’t initially satisfied with the distribution process but said the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control and the state’s medical centers are now “completely in sync,” The State reported.
“We’re past that now,” said the governor, who visited Hilton Head Hospital to watch its vaccination clinic on Friday. “The hospitals, this one being a prime example, are doing very, very well. … Those that are behind are catching up.”
South Carolina lawmakers have said they are looking to spend more than $200 million to help with vaccine distribution.
During a legislative meeting Thursday, they said that money would be divided among the Department of Health and Environmental Control, the Medical University of South Carolina, hospitals in the state and other vaccine providers. DHEC would get $63 million and MUSC would receive $45 million to ramp up distribution, The State reported.
Another $75 million would be set aside for hospitals, and $25 million would go to other providers administering the vaccine.
SC mayor pushes for recurring COVID-19 relief checks
More than 30 mayors, including Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin, took out a full-page advertisement in The Washington Post calling for recurring coronavirus relief checks throughout the pandemic.
A total of 34 mayors from across the U.S. were listed on the ad.
“American families are hurting and on the brink of economic ruin,” the ad reads. “Nearly half of all households cannot put food on the table, pay their utility bills or afford their rent or mortgage.”
Benjamin said the group of mayors, known as Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, aren’t focused on how much that relief funding should be.
“There’s more than 10 bills in Congress providing various levels of support,” he told The State. “Our focus is less in the exact amount and more in ensuring the payments are recurring.”
Carnival delays trips out of US ports
Carnival Cruise Line has pushed back trips from U.S. ports another month because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The trips have been postponed until at least April 30, The Myrtle Beach Sun News reported. It is the ninth round of delays and cancellations from Carnival.
A previous order delaying trips until March 31 resulted in the cancellation of a trip from Charleston that was scheduled for March 1. A Carnival Cruise spokesman said the latest delay has affected planned trips out of Charleston but did not say how many, according to the Sun News.
“We are certainly committed to welcoming (guests) back as quickly as possible, but unfortunately we have determined it’s going to take a while longer,” Carnival Cruise’s president Christine Duffy said in a statement.
Marine recruits quarantine before arriving on Parris Island
New recruits in the Marine Corps will quarantine in Jacksonville, Florida, before they are sent to Parris Island for training, Corps officials said Friday.
Recruits were previously quarantining in Atlanta hotels for two weeks before arriving on the base to help curb the spread of the coronavirus, The Island Packet reported. The Marine Corps Task Force Commitment opted to move the operations to Florida “to increase logistical efficiencies” after the end of hurricane season, according to a Parris Island communications officer.
“Each adjustment to our quarantine process is carefully balanced between the safety and health of our employees and staff, while ensuring our mission of making Marines continues uninterrupted,” Capt. Bryan McDonnell said.
Beaufort hospital vaccinating 1,000 at high school stadium
Beaufort Memorial Hospital turned a high school stadium parking lot into a drive-thru COVID-19 vaccination clinic Thursday to administer nearly 1,000 doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, The Island Packet reported.
Walk-ups weren’t welcome at the clinic, set up outside the Beaufort High School Stadium.
Last Friday, the hospital was forced to cancel 6,000 vaccination appointments scheduled through March 30 after state officials announced hospitals would receive only 20% to 25% of the Pfizer doses they requested this week.
The stadium clinic was made possible by the Medical University of South Carolina, which provided 1,000 doses to Beaufort Memorial.
The all-day clinic was available to people who had appointments canceled from Monday to Jan. 25.
Beaufort Memorial plans to hold another vaccination event three weeks from now so people can get their second shot. Both Pfizer and Moderna recommend getting two doses of their vaccines.
Rock Hill to open public vaccination clinic at Galleria Mall
Starting Friday, the Galleria Mall in Rock will serve as a COVID-19 vaccination site, The Herald reported.
City leaders worked in partnership with the state Department of Health and Environmental Control to launch the clinic, which will operate at the back of the mall from Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The clinic has 500 doses ready to administer and has requested 2,000 more. Vaccinations will be performed by appointment, with availability determined by the number of doses on hand.
SC mayors urge Congress to pass Biden’s COVID relief plan
Four South Carolina mayors added their signatures to a letter urging Congress to pass President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 relief plan, The State reported.
The U.S. Conference of Mayors, a non-partisan organization that advocates for communities across the country, published the letter Tuesday, signed by more than 280 mayors nationwide.
Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin added his name to the letter, as did Batesburg-Leesville’s Lancer Shull, Chester’s Wanda Stringfellow and Sumter’s David Merchant.
Biden’s nearly $2 trillion relief and economic rescue plan includes hundreds of billion in aid for local governments.
“The overwhelming burdens of the pandemic have not been felt on Wall Street, they have been felt on Main Streets all across America,” Benjamin told The State. “They’ve been felt on the streets of our neighborhoods, and there have been burdens on small businesses. The ability to get those resources, direct to local governments, who are providing the primary services that go to our quality of life, is just so important.”
This story was originally published January 22, 2021 at 6:55 AM with the headline "COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Jan. 22."
