CHESTER COUNTY, South Carolina — After weeks of record-breaking numbers of COVID-19 cases in South Carolina, officials report cases and hospitalizations are now declining. Still, the number of people dying is still high in the Palmetto State with more than 30 COVID-19 deaths on Wednesday.
"Unfortunately, today alone we've announced 32 new deaths,” DHEC public health director Dr. Brannon Traxler said.
Traxler said it brings the state's total number of COVID-19 deaths to 16,018 as new forms of the virus emerge.
“Today, we have also confirmed the first two cases of the BA.2 subvariant of the omicron variant," Traxler said.
Traxler said preliminary information suggests it may be more transmissible than the original form of omicron – but there is good news.
"It does not appear to cause more severe disease nor are vaccines less effective against it,” Traxler said.
To help increase vaccinations, MUSC’s mobile vaccine unit parked at Lewisville High School for easy access to those in Richburg.
"Of course, we want to extend that to our students and staff as well,” Chris Christoff with the Chester County School District said.
You can find out if MUSC’s mobile vaccine unit is at a location near you by using DHEC’s vaccine locator.
To help keep COVID-19 out of schools, DHEC has also developed a test to stay program, allowing students who've been exposed to COVID-19 to take an at-home test to prove a negative status.
Christoff said they will not be participating in it.
“Our nurses, in particular, have concerns about how easy it is to get a false negative either from user error or faulty test,” Christoff said.
“There is the potential for that to occur either intentionally or accidentally," Traxler said. "We really are counting on parents and guardians to do the right thing in this situation. We’re talking about the health of their children and their children’s friends and teachers.”
Christoff said the district will use a modified version, asking students to get tested at school or an offsite facility.
Contact Lana Harris at lharris@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.