When the COVID-19 virus appeared, South Carolina chose an intelligent, carefully targeted, fact-based approach to be most effective. It worked. This is the same approach that we use for vaccinations.
As our priority must be to save lives, we must first protect those who are most at risk of dying and those who keep them – and the rest of us – alive. This includes healthcare professionals and hospitals, first responders, residents and employees of nursing homes and long-term care institutions and our elders aged 65 and over.
The average age of Southern Carolinians who die from the virus is 75, with 88% of all deaths occurring in those aged 61 or older. Our moral and ethical duty is to keep them alive before resorting to less or minimally threatened groups in our population.
Our supply of vaccines is increasing. New filming locations are opening every day. Our hospitals, pharmacies and health care providers are becoming more efficient in getting large numbers of registered and vaccinated senior citizens. In a few weeks, we hope to accommodate more people.
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster. (AP Photo / Jeffrey Collins)
Still, last week, a measure was proposed by state senators to put teachers ahead of senior students in the vaccination line in the hope that closed schools would reopen. This is an ill-informed and ill-informed idea that would disturb our constantly evolving system and put lives at risk. Putting a younger, healthier person between a veteran and a chance that can save your life is irresponsible and unfair.
Experts agree that vaccination is not a prerequisite for teachers to return to classes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite extensive data showing that there is “little evidence that schools have significantly contributed to increased transmission in the community”. Research conducted by pediatricians at the Medical University of South Carolina found no increase in cases of COVID-19 in public schools in Charleston County after the return to face-to-face classes. There was no evidence of students transmitting the virus to teachers. At a press conference in December, DHEC’s chief epidemiologist, Dr. Linda Bell, said: “We don’t see significant evidence of transmission in schools.” Our classrooms can be the safest place against the virus.
For these reasons, I asked the General Assembly to send me a bill requiring schools to offer all parents the option of face-to-face instruction, five days a week, for their children. I am still waiting.
Today, only 34% of public school students – in just 27 school districts – are taking classroom lessons in the classroom five days a week. In stark contrast, almost all private schools have their doors open every day, as do 92% of daycare centers in our state. School districts in our state have received more than $ 1.2 billion in COVID-19 relief from the federal government and have all the personal protective equipment, test equipment and other resources they need to operate full-time. Hundreds of thousands of people in other occupations will work every day across our state – safely.
In order for teachers to be vaccinated as quickly and efficiently as possible, we must know in advance how many want the vaccine and whether the state has a sufficient stock of doses on hand or in preparation. That is why I recently instructed school districts to coordinate with local health providers, finalize their vaccination plans and send those plans to the Department of Education.
In addition, I instructed school districts whose classrooms remain closed to immediately send plans to reopen and operate schools in person, five days a week, for approval by the Department of Education.
Students missed significant progress in learning simply because they were out of the classroom. Parents should not have to choose between their work and their children. They should have the option to send their children to school five days a week. That’s why they pay taxes. Our schools must be open five days a week.
Our teachers will be vaccinated soon. But not for political convenience, and not at the expense of those who are much more likely to die without the vaccine.
Henry McMaster is the governor of South Carolina.