Here are the COVID trends in York, Lancaster, Chester counties after one week of school
The COVID surge is not slowing in York, Lancaster and Chester counties.
York County on Wednesday reported more than 150 new cases. The county’s seven-day average was 158 new infections per day, according to data from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. At the pandemic’s height in mid-January, the county was averaging around 180 cases a day.
And four new COVID-19 deaths were reported in the county Wednesday.
Lancaster County reported 42 new cases Wednesday, pushing its seven-day average to 62 new cases per day. In mid-January, the county was averaging around 90.
And Chester County’s recent seven-day average was 25 cases per day, according to DHEC. The county was averaging around 30 in mid-January. The county reported 28 cases Wednesday.
South Carolina health officials continue to plead with residents to get vaccinated as they expect the state’s recent coronavirus outbreak to worsen now that the school year has started.
“As we’ve said for many months and we’ll continue to say, we need as many people as possible to get vaccinated because it doesn’t just protect you,” Dr. Brannon Traxler, DHEC’s public health director said at a media briefing Wednesday. “It helps to protect our children under the age of 12 who can’t get the vaccine yet.”
And after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued on Monday approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, Traxler said there’s no reason for eligible South Carolinians to not get vaccinated.
“For anyone who is still on the fence or still undecided about getting the vaccines because they had that emergency use authorization and not full approval, there’s no longer anything to wait for,” she said. “If you’re 16 or older, the Pfizer vaccine has received the fullest approval possible by the Food and Drug Administration.”
There’s been a steady uptick in the number vaccinations across the state since July, but vaccinations need to continue to increase, Traxler said. She anticipates more state residents will get vaccinated with Pfizer’s full FDA approval, she said.
“I can’t strongly recommend enough that everyone who’s eligible to get the COVID-19 vaccine get fully vaccinated now,” Traxler said.
Impact on schools
Less than two weeks into the 2021-22 school year, Traxler said cases among students and employees are already higher this year than at the same point last year.
And York, Lancaster and Chester schools are experiencing the impact.
Fort Mill’s Forest Creek Middle School will go virtual for all students until Sept. 9 due to COVID concerns, officials said Wednesday.
Clover schools had to stagger start times after more than 1,000 students who weren’t registered for buses showed up to ride one on the first day. The district currently has 68 students and 10 staff positive for the virus.
Since Aug. 3, about 7% of the students in Rock Hill Schools have had to quarantine.
A Lancaster County high school student died before the start of the school year from COVID complications, officials said. More than 1,000 of the county’s students are currently quarantined, which accounts for 7% of its student population.
And on Monday night, the Chester County School District enacted a mask mandate.
“Based on our current trends, both in South Carolina, and nationally, I worry about what we may be seeing in the fall when cooler weather arrives and more people are indoors,” Traxler said.
County level data
Here’s the latest coronavirus data for York, Lancaster and Chester counties:
York County
New cases reported Wednesday: 127 confirmed, 29 probable
New deaths reported Wednesday: 3 confirmed, 1 probable
Seven-day average of new cases: 158 confirmed infections per day
Two-week incidence rate: 750 cases per 100,000 people
Vaccination rate: 42.4% of the county’s population has been fully vaccinated
Lancaster County
New cases reported Wednesday: 34 confirmed, 8 probable
New deaths reported Wednesday: None
Seven-day average of new cases: 62 confirmed infections per day
Two-week incidence rate: 753 cases per 100,000 people
Vaccination rate: 37.5% of the county’s population has been fully vaccinated
Chester County
New cases reported Wednesday: 16 confirmed, 12 probable
New deaths reported Wednesday: None
Seven-day average of new cases: 25 confirmed infections per day
Two-week incidence rate: 930 cases per 100,000 people
Vaccination rate: 39.6% of the county’s population has been fully vaccinated
