573 more Beaufort Co. residents get a COVID-19 vaccine dose; 8 cases confirmed Tuesday
State health officials on Tuesday reported that another 573 Beaufort County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Tuesdays are typically the lowest reporting day of the week for new vaccinations. The data reflect shots administered over the weekend.
About 40.5% of county residents who are 15 or older have now received a dose, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 59.5% of residents have yet to get a shot.
DHEC in an April 1 news release wrote that public health recommendations like masking and physical distancing can begin to be relaxed once 70 to 80% of the population has been vaccinated.
It’s unclear if DHEC was referring to the state’s population or country’s population.
Coronavirus spread, meanwhile, remains low after a winter surge, though health experts are concerned that the United States could face a fourth wave of infections.
Michigan, for example, is already grappling with another COVID-19 surge. More than 20 other states are reporting upticks in cases.
DHEC data show that daily case counts in South Carolina began to plateau over three weeks ago.
Eight new coronavirus cases and four probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Tuesday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded one probable case and no deaths Tuesday.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Sunday (the most recent date for which data are available): 4,050 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the fifth-highest rate in South Carolina, though it could be inflated to some degree due to a ZIP code-level data issue.
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 63,314
Total number of doses administered: 85,127
New first-dose vaccinations announced Tuesday: 573
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 40.5%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Tuesday: 18,400
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,395,394
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 33.9%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 19.4%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 now leads the county with 14,175 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,591 resident inoculations, which is the second-highest figure in the county (though that may be an overcount).
Hilton Head Island’s 29926 ZIP code, covering the north side, has 10,547 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 8,659 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 4,452 inoculations.
DHEC releases most of its coronavirus vaccine data based on residency. If a Beaufort County resident is vaccinated out of state or in a different S.C. county, they would still be counted in DHEC’s Beaufort County-specific ZIP code data.
More information on ZIP code-level vaccine data can be found at the following link online: http://bit.ly/BeaufortCountyVaccines
Virus spread in Beaufort County
Seven-day average of new cases: 8.8 per day
Total cases: 14,631 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 187 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Sunday: 82.2 cases per 100,000 people, a “moderate” rate under DHEC’s definition. An incidence rate measures how quickly a disease is spreading through a given population.
Dr. Scott Curry, an infectious disease specialist at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, has previously said counties should aim to have a two-week incidence rate of less than 50 new cases per 100,000 people.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we covered this story
Facts about COVID-19 vaccine distribution in South Carolina are changing rapidly. The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette are trying to publish important information as quickly and accurately as possible. This story may be updated if more information becomes available or if facts become clearer.
