Coronavirus impacts schools, alcohol sales as York, Lancaster, Chester cases rise.
COVID-19 cases in York, Lancaster and Chester counties spiked again Friday.
York County has 76 new cases, its second highest total since the coronavirus pandemic began. Lancaster County added 20, its highest number since July 4. The 14 Chester County cases announced Friday mark the most there since May 30.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 1,725 new confirmed cases statewide.
There were 26 deaths reported. The state has 1,438 hospital beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, or patients in testing for it. There are 177 patients on ventilators.
“Nearly half of the COVID-19 cases in the State of South Carolina have occurred in the past two weeks,” said Joan Duwve, state director of public health.
The top administrators for Chester and Lancaster counties urged Friday for the public to wear masks and use social distancing.
Neither Lancaster County Council nor Chester County Council has enacted any countywide mask requirement, although Lancaster County Adminstrator Steve Willis and Chester County Supervisor Shane Stuart said they support people wearing masks.
“Now is the time to be a good neighbor, to wear a mask, to use social distancing, and look out for others,” Stuart said.
Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order Friday that prohibits the sale of alcoholic beverages in restaurants and bars past 11 p.m. It begins Saturday night.
“It will eliminate a lot of the congregation and the close contact that we know goes on,” McMaster said.
State data shows more people age 21-30 test positive for COVID-19 than in any other decade of life.
“Many of the young people in our state, as well as around the country, seem not to be taking the virus as seriously as they should,” McMaster said.
The order doesn’t apply to gas stations, grocery stores or other places where people buy alcohol. It applies to about 8,000 on-premise bars and restaurants. Beer, wine and liquor permits could be revoked if bars and restaurants don’t comply. Tickets and fines are options.
McMaster points to data that shows younger adults tend to test positve for coronavirus more often, but deaths largely impact senior citizens. He said he is hopeful the alcohol cutoff will limit the type of social gathering that can lead to outbreaks.
“It’s time for our younger adults to behave like mature adults,” McMaster said.
McMaster made the move which he said he believes the state can enforce, compared to a statewide mask requirement, which he hasn’t called for largely because he said it’s not enforceable.
“This is an order that the state can enforce,” he said of the alcohol order.
State mask mandate
McMaster reiterated his position Friday, that any decision to mandate masks should be made at the local level. He also affirmed local authority to make them.
“Local authorities — counties, cities and towns — have the authority to pass mask ordinances that are tailor made for their kinds of businesses and the people and clientele,” McMaster said. “They know their businesses and local law enforcement can do that.”
Having the state enforce a mask ordinance for 5 million people would be impractical, the governor said. McMaster said the alcohol cutoff at 11 p.m. works because there are existing ways — department of revenue, licensing — to enforce it.
“Cities and towns can enforce the mask ordinances better than the state authorities,” McMaster said. “That’s where it ought to be done.”
Rock Hill mask rule
Rock Hill’s mask requirement went into effect Friday.
Rock Hill City Council member Nikita Jackson, one of the proponents of the mask mandate, said York County needs to step up and act quickly on a similar measure.
“With the governor enacting new measures today, on Friday, he still refuses a mask requirement for the entire state of South Carolina,” Jackson said. “That means municipalities, towns and cities and counties, must act to protect our citizenry. I call on York County Council to, as soon as possible, act on this issue that will help protect the public.”
Jackson said Friday’s case count of 76 new cases in York County -- the second highest single day number yet -- should tell county leaders that the time for a mask requirement is now.
“We are in a public health crisis in Rock Hill, York County and South Carolina,” Jackson said. “If state political leaders will not act, we as local leaders must act. We must do all we can to protect the public so that businesses can stay open and the community does not suffer.”
York County Councilman William “Bump” Roddey said he will push on July 20 at the next county council meeting for nothing short of a mask requirement. Anything short of a mandate is a failure to protect the public, Roddey said.
Stay at work, return to school
South Carolina won’t go back to measures that shut down businesses and much of the state economy this spring, McMaster said.
“We’re not going to go back and close businesses,” he said. “We cannot do it.”
Part of that course forward involves schools this fall.
“Our plan is to have the schools open,” McMaster said.
While coronavirus can have obvious health impacts, McMaster said there are others, like emotional health, that can be harmed if children are isolated. He referenced national and state pediatrician group statements promoting in-person education this fall. McMaster also spoke of students statewide who schools lost contact with when social distancing abruptly led to distance learning.
“It’s not healthy for the children to be out of school,” McMaster said.
The governor also stated the correlation between school and business. If children don’t have a school to go to, he said, many of their parents won’t be able to go to jobs.
“South Carolina’s business is business,” McMaster said. “We must go to work. We must stay working. If we can’t work, then we cannot survive as a prosperous state.”
Area school districts have in-person, virtual and hybrid education models in the works. Many say final plans haven’t been determined. Pressed on how safe it is to send students to school given high case counts during the pandemic, Duwve said a critical piece is how well South Carolinians do in curbing virus spread the rest of the summer.
“If we all work together now,” she said, “in six weeks we will be a healthier and safer South Carolina.”
Clover plans return
The Clover School District announced plans for a hybrid return to school this fall. Students can participate in a virtual academy if they wish, or return to school with new elements that limit student mobility and increase disinfection processes in schools.
Sheila Quinn, district superintendent, posted a video outlining plans based on coronavirus spread figures for July 6. A significant spike or dip in cases between now and the start of school Aug. 10 could change plans.
Fort Mill plans fall return
The Fort Mill School District emailed parents Friday to update plans for an August school. Like Clover, the Fort Mill district will have an all-virtual and hybrid option. In the latter, older students alternate days and younger students remain with their classrooms.
Shutterfly employee tests positive
A second Shutterfly employee tested positive for coronavirus, the Fort Mill company announced. The business with 400 employees had another positive test in May. The employee and others who came in contact will quarantine for 14 days.
Lancaster County jail positive
A correction office at the Lancaster County jail tested positive for coronavirus. The officer and other officers in contact were sent home to quarantine, according to the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office. It’s the second law enforcement officer postive test in Lancaster County, following one in April.
Clinton College
Clinton College is one of eight historically black colleges and universities to receive part of $2.4 million in Governor’s Emergency Education Relief Fund dollars to support online instruction.
McMaster’s office announced the funding Thursday. It was a recommendation of accelerateSC and allows for hardware upgrades and purchase of software, e-learning and electronic textbooks.
“This spring when learning went from in-person to online, the faculty and students at our HBCUs faced significant technology challenges,” McMaster said in a statement Thursday. “These funds will be used to upgrade the capabilities of these institutions to serve students with online learning.”
The Rock Hill college will receive $53,493.
Tourism impact
Recent case count increase in South Carolina impacts one of the top industries in the state, one already reeling from social distancing measures earlier in the pandemic. Duane Parrish, state parks, recreation and tourism director, said South Carolina has about 225,000 tourism industry employees. But there have been record job losses since mid-March.
Hotels have been hit hard.
“Statewide hotel occupancy dropped to around 15% in mid-April,” Parrish said. “We saw nine consecutive weeks of growth after that.”
That growth brought occupancy rates to 58% the week before July 4. The week of July 4 saw a dip to 52%.
“Clearly the national publicity surrounding the number of cases has had an impact on tourism, not just for South Carolina but for other states too,” Parrish said.
Some of the higher case count areas for coronavirus spread have been reported in coastal areas, which typically thrive this time of year.
“Spring and summer are our busiest times of year, particularly for the coast,” Parrish said.
This story was originally published July 10, 2020 at 3:39 PM.
