Top DHEC scientist discusses COVID-19, Camden, crowds and more
South Carolina does not need to cancel large, public gatherings nor declare a state of emergency, a top expert said Wednesday.
Dr. Linda Bell, an epidemiologist for the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, and DHEC Chief of Staff Jennifer Read met with with The State to answer some of the most pressing questions regarding coronavirus.
Here are key takeaways:
State of emergency?
As of Tuesday, North Carolina has seven cases of coronavirus, Florida has 21 and S.C. has nine, according to media reports.
Considering North Carolina has fewer cases than S.C. and has declared a state of emergency, some have asked why South Carolina hasn’t declared a state of emergency as well.
Some other states, including North Carolina and Florida, have decentralized health departments, meaning each county’s health department acts more or less on its own. A state of emergency declaration, among other things, makes it easier for these counties to coordinate and share resources, Read said.
S.C., on the other hand, already has a centralized health agency — DHEC — so the bar for declaring a state of emergency is higher, Read said.
“We already have all the authority we need,” to fight coronavirus, Read said.
That doesn’t mean state officials are operating in a vacuum either. DHEC is keeping an eye on other states’ responses to the novel coronavirus, Bell said.
Bell expects to see more cases of coronavirus in S.C., but that doesn’t necessarily mean a state of emergency is coming.
“It’s not the number of cases that determines a state of emergency,” Read said.
Pandemic
The World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus a “pandemic” on Wednesday.
“Pandemic is not a word to use lightly or carelessly,” said WHO Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during a press conference. “It is a word that, if misused, can cause unreasonable fear, or unjustified acceptance that the fight is over, leading to unnecessary suffering and death.”
That’s an important distinction, but not one that changes much for the average South Carolinian or the state government’s response to coronavirus, Bell said.
Camden
Seven of the nine S.C. coronavirus cases so far have been located in Camden, where the disease is spreading among some members of the community there.
DHEC is “not seeing an alarming increase of cases in Camden,” Bell said. “We’re not seeing rapid spread.”
The cases in Camden are primarily among people who are close friends or family members to other people who are sick.
State Sen. Vincent Sheheen, D-Kershaw, encouraged Camden-area residents to remain calm and not overreact to the news.
“You’re not going to get this from going to the grocery store, not going to get this from going shopping, not going to get this by going to a restaurant,” Sheheen said. “People need to be concerned about if they’re around people who are showing symptoms. They don’t want to be in close social contact with people who are showing symptoms.”
Crowds
Since coronavirus began spreading in South Carolina, some have been asking if the state should consider canceling large public events.
After all, public events throughout the country are being canceled.
On Wednesday, Washington state banned gatherings of 250 or more people in the Seattle area, according to an article from The Oregonian. Austin, Texas’, famous South By Southwest media and music event was canceled. Major sporting events could be played without fans in the stands, according to media reports.
In South Carolina, public health officials have not called for healthy people to avoid large, social gatherings.
The decision to cancel a public gathering depends on several factors, including the size of the gathering, the chance of out-of-town people showing up, and the spread of coronavirus around the event location, Bell said.
Rather than ask everyone to stay home from events, DHEC is placing the onus on sick people to stay home. Those who are elderly or whose health is compromised should also be more careful than normal, Bell said.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhat you should know about the coronavirus
The coronavirus is spreading in the United States. Officials are urging people to take precautions to avoid getting sick, and to avoid spreading the disease if they do contract it.
Click the drop-down icon on this card for more on the virus and what you should do to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
What is coronavirus?
Coronavirus is an infection of the respiratory system similar to the flu. Coronaviruses are a class of viruses that regularly cause illnesses among adults and children, but this outbreak has spawned a new disease called COVID-19, a particularly harsh respiratory condition that can lead to death.
Health officials believe COVID-19 spread from animals to humans somewhere in China. It spreads among humans by physical person-to-person contact, including via coughs. That’s why health officials urge sick individuals to avoid contact with other people.
For more information, visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms are similar to the flu and include fever, coughing and shortness of breath.
How can I stop the spread of the coronavirus?
Wash your hands regularly with soap and water, and cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze.
If you develop symptoms similar to the coronavirus, you should seek medical attention. Stay home from work or school and avoid contact with others. It can take up to 14 days after coming into contact with the virus to develop symptoms.
COVID-19 is a new condition and there’s much about the disease we still don’t understand. For now, taking precautions is the best way to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
This story was originally published March 11, 2020 at 5:18 PM with the headline "Top DHEC scientist discusses COVID-19, Camden, crowds and more."