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State leaders, DHEC discuss schools reopening

Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette, Dr. Linda Bell and more discuss school plans in virtual meeting

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Thursday morning, state leaders joined SCBIO’s virtual panel to discuss South Carolina’s economy and growth opportunities during the coronavirus pandemic. 

SCBIO is a statewide nonprofit that supports and promotes life science and healthcare industries, but their Thursday meeting quickly circled to reopening schools in South Carolina. 

Lieutenant Governor Pamela Evette said distance learning is a struggle for many because of broadband issues and different learning styles of students.

"Finding good and safe ways to get our children re-engaged and back in school is very important. There are sectors of our state where virtual learning isn’t happening because it can’t.”

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Senator Thomas Alexander joined in the conversation as well. 

“The Academy of Pediatrics pointed out how vital and how critical it is that we get students back, where possible, into the classroom. That is the ideal setting for folks to learn but at the end of the day it’s going to be up to the parents,” he said. 

According to Dr. Linda Bell, SC State epidemiologist, South Carolina is currently ranked sixth in the nation in terms of the rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people.

“45 of our 46 counties are on an upward trend based on the number of cases reported in the last 14 days. Through our entire pandemic experience, approximately 37% of all the cases that have been reported to us, have been reported in the last 14 days. So, that tells us we’re not going in the direction we want to go in,” Dr. Bell said. 

RELATED: South Carolina passes 1,000 total virus deaths, 69 more reported

With the school year starting soon, Dr. Bell says the state needs to get the virus under control. 

“We can be in a completely different place in 4 to 6 weeks if South Carolinians will practice physical distancing and use this low-tech option of masks. We can completely turn this around and have safe environments for our business recovery, for our lifestyle recovery and particularly for children returning to school in a few short weeks.”

Representative Murrell Smith and SC BIO’s CEO Sam Konduros were also on the call.

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