| Associated Press / Report for America
COLUMBIA, SC – South Carolina will allow people aged 70 and over to schedule appointments for the coronavirus vaccine starting Wednesday.
State officials said on Monday they were confident that most people in the early stages of the state who wanted to be vaccinated – health professionals and those who live and work in long-term care facilities – have already received their vaccines or scheduled appointments.
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“As we saw a dramatic acceleration in vaccine use and consultations last week, we decided to speed things up again,” said Governor Henry McMaster in a statement. “We know that people over 70 are at the greatest risk of dying from COVID-19. Ensuring that they have quick access to the vaccine will help save lives. ”
Authorities estimate that about 627,800 Southern Carolinians are 70 years of age or older, and many have already received the vaccine because they were previously eligible. Those who meet the age requirement are now eligible regardless of health status or pre-existing conditions.
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Across the state, more than two-thirds of COVID-19 deaths occurred among people aged 70 and over. That’s a much higher per capita mortality rate compared to COVID-19 deaths among those under 70, said the interim Director of Public Health, Dr. Brannon Traxler.
Qualified southern Carolinians can sign up for appointments with vaccine suppliers, including major hospitals, seven locations and a mobile clinic run by the Department of Health and Environmental Control and some emergency care centers. The health agency said it would add another 50 locations by the beginning of next week.
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States are taking action to accelerate their vaccine launches, as cases have skyrocketed across the country. In South Carolina, the average number of new daily cases has increased by 1,440.4 in the past two weeks, an increase of 44.3%, according to Johns Hopkins.
The governor’s office said on Monday that McMaster still planned to deliver his annual State of the State address in person this week, resisting calls to hold the event virtually by Democrats who considered a face-to-face meeting “deeply irresponsible” during a pandemic.
Nearly 200 state officials, along with officials, media and other participants, usually gather in the Chamber to hear the governor’s comments, which are scheduled for Wednesday. But in a pandemic, the state of the state could become a widespread event, Democratic Senate leaders Brad Hutto and Ronnie Sabb wrote in a letter to the governor on Monday.
“Maintaining the tradition for the State of the State this year is simply not worth the destruction it could bring to our colleagues and their communities when they return home,” says the letter. “If the greatness of a personal audience is what you seek, we ask that you consider placing public health interest above vanity.”
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McMaster’s spokesman, Brian Symmes, said the governor’s office worked with House and Senate staff to limit the number of people in the chamber and ensure social distance.
Some schools in South Carolina are also reinforcing social distance, while others have returned to virtual learning as districts begin their spring semesters this month.
The group of grassroots teachers SC for Ed said in a statement that many schools are continuing face-to-face learning, an option that the governor and some lawmakers have advocated in recent months, despite the high rate of dissemination across the community. The group added that the decision to keep schools open among the highest numbers ever and hospitals with no capacity put students and teachers in danger.
Mayors across the state are again tightening restrictions on coronavirus. In Charleston, Mayor John Tecklenberg delayed the city’s reopening plan by one phase, sending city officials back to work at home and suspending the issuance of city licenses.
In Clemson, Mayor Robert Halfacre said on Facebook that the city would close deals that would not disperse crowds and abide by city rules, as well as inform Clemson University of any arrested or fined students. This followed a weekend of reports of several meetings in bars in the university city center where students returned for the semester.