Coronavirus updates for Sept. 8: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back each week for updates.
More than 12,300 COVID cases in SC last week
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Wednesday, Sept. 7, reported 12,335 COVID-19 cases and seven coronavirus-related deaths for the week ending Sept. 3. The counts include probable and confirmed coronavirus cases and deaths.
At least 1.6 million coronavirus cases have been reported in South Carolina, and more than 18,200 people have died of the virus since March 2020, according to state health officials.
Data shows COVID-19 cases are down nearly 7% compared with this time last week, with hospitalizations falling about 3%. As of Sept. 3, an average of 495 people in the state were hospitalized with the coronavirus, including 60 patients being treated in intensive care and 18 patients on ventilators, the latest data shows.
The omicron subvariant BA.5 accounted for nearly 78% of coronavirus strains identified in South Carolina for the week of Aug. 22, followed by BA.4 (10%) and BA.2.12.1 (0.7%), according to the latest data. The DHEC’s Public Health Laboratory conducts sequencing on randomly chosen samples as part of nationwide efforts to find out about new strains of the virus, the agency’s website reads.
Nearly 53% percent of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and nearly 61% have received at least one dose, state health data shows.
Omicron boosters now available in SC. What to know
South Carolina residents can roll up their sleeves to receive new COVID-19 booster shots designed to target omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, the Rock Hill Herald reported.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control said the updated Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech boosters, recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will be available at vaccine providers across the state starting this week. Some pharmacies may already have the shots, however.
Pfizer-BioNTech’s updated booster is authorized for people 12 and older, while the Moderna booster is authorized for those 18 and older, according to the newspaper.
Individuals must have also completed their primary vaccine series to receive the new shot.
To learn more about updated COVID-19 boosters, read the full story here.
Can you get your COVID and flu shot in the same visit? What experts say
Flu season is officially underway, and people are preparing to get the seasonal shot. Updated COVID-19 booster shots are also available to protect people against omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5.
Getting both shots is recommended, and public health experts say they can be administered during the same visit.
“There is no recommended waiting period between getting a COVID-19 vaccine and other vaccines,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“While limited data exist on giving COVID-19 vaccines with other vaccines, including flu vaccines, experience with giving other vaccines together has shown the way our bodies develop protection and possible side effects are generally similar whether vaccines are given alone or with other vaccines,” the agency’s website says.
Read the full story here.
This story was originally published September 8, 2022 at 7:08 AM with the headline "Coronavirus updates for Sept. 8: Here’s what to know in South Carolina this week."