967 more Beaufort Co. residents get a COVID-19 vaccine; 11 infections reported Monday
State health officials on Monday reported that another 967 Beaufort County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
About 44% of residents who are 15 or older have now received a shot, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 55.9% of residents have yet to get a dose.
Coronavirus spread, meanwhile, remains low after a winter surge, though health experts are worried that the United States could face a fourth wave of infections.
Eleven new coronavirus cases and five probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Monday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded two infections, one probable case and no deaths Monday.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Saturday (the most recent date for which data are available): 4,405 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the fourth-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: 68,862
Total number of doses administered: 93,442
New first-dose vaccinations announced Monday: 967
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 44%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Monday: 16,721
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,529,962
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 37.2%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 23.1%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 leads the county with 15,877 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 13,139 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 11,572 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 9,295 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 4,853 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: roughly 10 per day
Total cases: 14,699 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 190 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Saturday: 72.3 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.
