634 new vaccinations, 7 new COVID cases reported in Beaufort County Saturday
State health officials on Saturday reported another 634 Beaufort County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
About 45.8% of county residents who are 15 or older have now received a shot, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and 54.2% of residents have yet to get a dose.
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.
DHEC data show that daily case counts in South Carolina began to plateau a month ago.
Seven new coronavirus cases and eight probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Saturday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded one case and no deaths Saturday.
The news comes as local municipalities have voted to drop mask mandates. Beaufort County government, the Town of Bluffton and the Town of Port Royal have all voted to end mask requirements in the coming days and weeks.
The City of Beaufort will discuss the issue April 27. The Town of Hilton Head Island’s mask mandate is set to expire May 16 unless it’s extended.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Tuesday (the most recent date for which data are available): 4,506 vaccine recipients per 10,000 residents. That’s the fifth-highest rate in South Carolina.
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 71,695
Total number of doses administered: 97,772
New first-dose vaccinations announced Saturday: 634
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 45.8%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Saturday: 16,488
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,596,293
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 38.9%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 25.5%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 leads the county with 16,419 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,403 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 end, has 12,219 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 9,693 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 5,056 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
Total cases: 14,731 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 190 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Tuesday: 69.7 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.
