COVID vaccine live updates: Here’s what to know in South Carolina on Dec. 9
We’re tracking the most up-to-date information about the coronavirus and vaccines in South Carolina. Check back for updates.
Over 650 new cases reported in SC
At least 741,062 people have tested positive for the coronavirus and 12,411 have died in South Carolina since March 2020, according to state health officials.
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control on Thursday, Dec. 9, reported 664 new COVID-19 cases and 12 coronavirus-related deaths. There were also 499 probable cases and one probable death, data shows.
At least 478 people in the state were reported hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Dec. 9, including 133 patients being treated in intensive care units and 74 on ventilators. Roughly 5% of hospitalizations across the state are coronavirus-related, data shows.
As of Dec. 9, 6.8% of COVID-19 tests were reported positive. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said 5% or lower means there is a low level of community spread.
More than 50% of South Carolinians eligible to receive a coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated, and nearly 59% have received at least one dose, according to health officials.
SC lawmakers push back against COVID-19 vaccine mandates
Efforts requiring employers to require their workers to get the COVID-19 vaccine is getting major pushback from some South Carolina lawmakers, according to The State.
A handful of lawmakers, including Reps. Murrell Smith, R-Sumter; Gary Simrill, R-York; and Bill Whitmire, R-Oconee, have thrown their support behind new legislation aimed at preventing employer-driven vaccine requirements.
The bill would provide funding for employers to pay for weekly coronavirus testing for workers who are opposed to getting the jab, the newspaper reported. Under the proposed legislation, companies would also be required to re-hire employees who were fired for not getting vaccinated and pay their potential court costs.
“We just want to our jobs,” John Baker, a Charleston firefighter who’s against vaccine mandates, said at a hearing Tuesday, Dec. 7. “We want to do what we were trained to do, and we want to continue to do it for a long and healthy career.”
Read the full story here.
Free COVID test site to run through December
A site offering free COVID-19 tests on Hilton Head Island is extending its clinic through December.
The testing center launched in September and was expected to stay open through November. Now, it will continue to run this month as demand for tests typically rises before Christmas and other holidays.
The site will be open 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Mondays, except for Dec. 27, according to town and state officials. The clinic is at Fire Station 4 on Squire Pope Road, The Island Packet reported.
