Demand for COVID-19 vaccines in Beaufort Co. seems to drop; 9 new cases reported Monday
The demand for COVID-19 vaccines in Beaufort County appears to be waning.
The seven-day average of new first-dose inoculations per day has been trending downward since at least April 11.
The average was roughly 557 new shots per day on Monday, though the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control releases its vaccine data on a two-day delay.
That’s the lowest seven-day average since The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette began to track DHEC’s more granular vaccine data in mid-March.
State health officials on Monday reported that 514 additional county residents had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
About 46.5% of county residents who are 15 or older have now received a shot, according to DHEC, and 53.4% of residents have yet to get a dose.
Coronavirus spread, meanwhile, remains low after a winter spike, though health experts are concerned that the United States could face a fourth wave of infections.
Nine new coronavirus cases and two probable infections were reported in Beaufort County on Monday. No new deaths were announced.
Jasper County recorded one infection, four probable cases and no deaths Monday.
DHEC also reported another Jasper County coronavirus death over the weekend. A person described as elderly died April 3 after contracting the pathogen, according to DHEC.
Local numbers
COVID-19 inoculation rate for Beaufort County residents as of Saturday (the most recent date for which data are available): 4,654 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: 72,764
Total number of doses administered: 99,715
New first-dose vaccinations announced Monday: 514
Percentage of the county’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 46.5%
Statewide numbers
New first-dose vaccinations announced Monday: 11,168
Number of residents who have received at least one dose: 1,621,489
Percentage of the state’s 15 and older population who have received at least one dose: 39.4%
Percentage of S.C. residents who have completed vaccination: 26.6%
ZIP code data
Bluffton’s ZIP code of 29910 leads the county with 16,887 vaccinations since late last year. Okatie’s 29909 ZIP code, which includes Sun City Hilton Head, has recorded 12,520 resident inoculations, which is the second-highest figure in the county.
Hilton Head Island’s 29926 ZIP code, covering the north side, has 12,337 vaccinations. The 29928 ZIP code, covering the southeastern part of the island, has 9,803 vaccinations, according to DHEC.
Beaufort’s 29902 ZIP code has reported 5,120 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 six per day
Total cases: 14,748 confirmed, according to DHEC
Total deaths: 190 confirmed, according to DHEC
Two-week cumulative incidence rate as of Saturday: 63.5 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.
