Coronavirus: Why Lancaster County already is talking phase three reopening, and when.
Coronavirus cases are down and opened sites up in Lancaster County.
On Tuesday night, top county officials updated Lancaster County Council on everything from protective equipment availability to rules for swimming and the possibility of a third phase of reopening from social distancing measures.
Darren Player, emergency management director for the county, said despite a more upward trend statewide there is reason for optimism here.
“In Lancaster County we have somewhat of a downward trend going,” he said. “Now it’s not a steep downward trend, but it is a gradual trend.”
Player said his department relies solely on the numbers given to them by the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. As of the meeting Tuesday the county had 23 active COVID-19 cases. Player said that number fluctuates, but tends to run lower than neighboring areas.
“We’ve never come up to those counties around us,” he said, “even though our population is larger than a lot of the counties.”
Personal protective equipment
Federal and state allocation for items like masks and gloves have come thus far at no cost to the county. Player estimates his department provided “several million dollars” worth of equipment to the hospital and other agencies.
“Most of the agencies in the county that have asked for PPE, we’ve been able to provide them those items,” Player said.
The county is now at a point where Player hopes to replenish some stock sapped by coronavirus response.
“We are beginning now to try to stockpile,” he said.
Player will continue to put in resource requests for all public service agencies in the county. Because the hospital in Lancaster County runs through the Medical University of South Carolina, it’s considered a state agency and is eligible for more public resources than a private hospital would be.
Player and his counterparts in other counties were asked to give the state emergency management director an estimate for how long they’d need equipment funding. Many on the recent call, Player said, estimated it would be mid- to late June at least. He would like to see it remain until July or early August.
“We’re going to try to get as much supply out of the state as possible,” Player said.
Nursing homes and dentists
There are groups like nursing or hospice homes that reached out to the county about protective equipment, that may not be eligible for the allotment from the state. Player said his department worked to get equipment to them or get them information on how to get it elsewhere.
“We’re going to continue to ask for those things that the agencies ask us to ask for on their behalf,” he said.
As more businesses open, there will be continued need for equipment.
“I have begun to get a few requests in from dentist offices, who just began to open up,” Player said. “They’re having trouble finding masks, and they’re having trouble finding gloves.”
Gloves are and will remain hard to get. Player told council some information from medical glove manufacturers estimates it could be March before the supply chain is up and running at full strength. Shoe covers, a need for the hospital and coroner’s office in particular, are another tough item to get.
Phase two reopening
The meeting Tuesday night happened the same day Lancaster County entered the second phase of its reopening plan. Libraries, opened on a limited schedule two weeks earlier, are now on full schedule. County offices are now open.
“It doesn’t look like what it did when we were operating under normal procedures in February,” said Alison Alexander, deputy county administrator. “A lot of our services are still requiring appointments.”
The county still recommends its citizens conduct business via phone and online when possible, rather than coming to county offices.
“We want to enforce as much social distancing as we can,” Alexander said.
Some of phase two involves recreation. Wylie Street Pool in Lancaster will open Friday.
“We are having some significant procedural changes,” Alexander said.
Swimmers must sign a waiver. Anyone under age 18 must have a parent with them the first trip to the pool. There also will be capacity restrictions and additional cleaning.
Phase three reopening
June will be the first month since March when county boards and commissions will meet on their regular schedule. Some county changes related to coronavirus may have lasting impact. The county will continue to live stream public meetings, something it hadn’t done prior.
“We’ve gotten some good feedback from citizens and staff that they have enjoyed being able to watch meetings remotely,” Alexander said.
The county operates on an emergency ordinance now that expires June 27. It could expire sooner, if Gov. Henry McMaster changes the state emergency status. Or, Lancaster County could extend its status further if conditions warrant.
Alexander said it isn’t certain yet when the county will decide of further openings, or phase three. It could happen soon if the county maintains its downward coronavirus case trend.
“The earliest we can make that determination under our plan is next Monday, June 1, to have it effective June 8,” Alexander said.
