A new wave of coronavirus may be coming to the tri-county area. Here’s what we know.
Earlier this month, South Carolina health officials warned of a fall coronavirus surge. In recent weeks, case totals across York, Lancaster and Chester counties have started to reach numbers reported at the height of the virus in the summer, and some county officials are saying virus activity now is the “highest it’s ever been.”
Daily statewide case counts have spiked above 1,000, like what officials saw in July. For the past two weeks, York County, which averaged 60 cases in July, has been consistently reporting cases in the high 90s and 100s. Lancaster County has more than 400 active cases, and Chester County has reported multiple deaths a week.
“That does concern us,” Lancaster County Emergency Management Director Darren Player told The Herald Thursday. “I’m afraid people have gotten COVID-tired, and we have gotten COVID-tired right at probably the worst time of the season because the weather has changed. It’s getting cooler. People are going to be inside more.”
And as cases climb, another trend from the pandemic’s beginning is reemerging — a mass scramble for basic necessities, like toilet paper and cleaning supplies, leaving stores nearly empty as soon as supplies are restocked.
“We as human beings are good at adapting to tough situations, but with that adaptation comes a little bit of numbing to the danger,” Player said. “While there’s not a lot of danger for the majority of the population, for those people who there is danger for, it is a truly life-threatening danger.”
‘The virus is out there’
From Nov. 6 to Nov. 19, Lancaster County has recorded 458 new confirmed cases, which marks a new high for the county, Player said. Even at the virus’s height in the summer, Player said the county’s active cases went “a hair over 300 then.”
“That’s concerning,” he said. “That’s the highest it’s ever been. This is the first time we crossed out of 300 into 400.”
Friday, Lancaster County reported its highest case count to date with 55 confirmed cases. The previous high was 51, which was reported Nov. 14, according to information released by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control.
Four of York County’s top seven daily confirmed case counts have come in the last week. From Nov. 6 to Nov. 19, the county has recorded 1,281 new confirmed cases, which is about 15% of the county’s total cases.
During the week of July 22, York County’s seven-day case average was 71. This week, it’s 113, according to DHEC data.
According to DHEC data, the county is testing on average more individuals daily than it had in previous months. On Nov. 6, the county tested 864 people — the highest number tested in one day — resulting in 124 positives, which is the county’s second highest case count to date.
An official with the York County Emergency Management office did not respond to a request for comment.
And in Chester County, although cases continue to fluctuate, the number of reported deaths has jumped to a “concerning” level, county Deputy Emergency Management Director Ed Darby told The Herald Thursday. So far in November, the county has reported four deaths. It’s had a total of 31.
“We’ve had more deaths attributed to COVID-19 than we did at the outset of this virus,” Darby said. “We’re seeing deaths basically reported weekly that are attributed all or a portion to COVID-19.”
This month, the county has opened free testing sites three days a week but continues to test around 100 people a day, which is roughly how much testing was done in the county in the summer, according to DHEC data.
“We’ve noticed this week, with the testing Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, the numbers were almost double of what we had gotten in the few weeks before,” Darby said. “I think people are taking heed to the holidays coming up. They want to make sure they’re good but the virus is out there.”
Officials worry about rising hospitalizations
Spikes in positive cases in the last five days have officials in Lancaster and Chester Medical centers bracing for a new wave of hospitalizations, Brian Grieg, chief nursing officer of the Medical University of South Carolina’s Chester and Lancaster centers told The Herald Thursday.
“We never really went off our national disaster plan,” Grieg said. “But last Thursday, we did a look back to make sure that everything was in place (for another spike).”
Grieg said the recent jump in positive cases won’t translate to hospitalizations right away, but the numbers will start to climb in weeks to come. This is because hospitalizations typically don’t occur until 10 days after a positive result, he said.
“In probably a week or so, we’re going to be right back to where we were,” Grieg said. “If (positive cases) continue to climb, which we anticipate after Thanksgiving, and the fact that mask wearing has gone down to next to nothing, that will probably be a problem in the deep winter.”
Residents stock up
At several grocery stores in Rock Hill Thursday, stock on basic necessities, such as toilet paper, cleaning products and hand sanitizer, was slim as locals appeared to be preparing for another lockdown.
Thursday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster insisted he will not reinstate previous coronavirus restrictions, similar to other states. He has continued to refuse to pass a statewide mask mandate.
“We have not closed,” he said at a press conference. “And we will not close.”
Food Lion spokeswoman Emma Inman told The Herald in an email that there’s been an uptick in purchasing of paper products at all stores.
At the Food Lion on Ebenezer Road in Rock Hill, about a dozen single rolls of toilet paper were left on the shelves around 1 p.m. Thursday, leaving nearly the entire left side of the aisle empty. The shelves on the right side, which once displayed paper towels, were completely empty.
Around noon, Lidl on Herrons Ferry Road in Rock Hill was out of Febreze aerosol and disinfecting wipes, items that flew off shelves when the pandemic began. The store also was out of some kinds of toilet paper, while low on others.
At 1 p.m., Aldi on N. Anderson Road had a full stock of most paper items, though several customers were stocking up on paper towels and toilet paper. Walmart also had scarce stocks of paper towels on the shelves.
What You Can Do?
With another spike appearing to start in South Carolina, Lancaster and Chester counties officials have advised the public to continue doing what they’ve been doing to mitigate spread.
“Nobody wants the holidays that are supposed to be a happy, family time to culminate with funerals,” Player said. “I’m not going to be one of those people to tell people not to celebrate the holidays, but do it safely. There’s ways to do it and do it safely.”
Darby said if possible, limit family gatherings during the holidays. And when in public, he insisted it’s important that people wear masks and maintain an appropriate six-foot distance as much as possible.
“We all have to go to the grocery stores,” Darby said. “We all have to go to the gas station and other places. This is just something we have to do, but when you do, try to keep your distance and wear a mask, use hand sanitizer, wash your hands.”
This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 4:52 PM.
