‘Don’t wait any longer,’ SC public health director warns the unvaccinated
No cases of omicron COVID variant found in SC, despite first U.S. case discovered in California
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCSC) - The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control urged those who have not yet been vaccinated against COVID to do so now after the first U.S. case of a new variant was detected.
DHEC Publlic Health Director Dr. Brannon Traxler said no case of the COVID-19 omicron variant has been detected in South Carolina so far. But Wednesday’s weekly DHEC briefing came moments before news broke of the first confirmed U.S. omicron case was detected in California.
Traxler said little is known so far about omicron, the latest to be called a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization.
“Currently, we don’t have confirmed data about the transmissibility, the clinical presentation, disease severity, risk of infection, vaccine or treatment effectiveness or much else about omicron,” Traxler said. “However, regardless of omicron or delta or any other variant, the actions you can take to protect yourself and protect others around you remains the same: vaccinations, masks, testing, physical distancing.”
DHEC hoping to prevent repeat of January post-holiday COVID surge
Traxler said South Carolina, like most other states, experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths in the weeks after Christmas and New Year’s.
“Jan. 6, 2021, remains our highest single day case count to date with 7,686 [new cases detected],” she said. “Luckily, because of vaccines, we do not have to repeat last year with abundant access statewide to these life-saving vaccines. We’re hopeful that we won’t even come close to seeing that deadly spike that we saw last holiday season and shortly afterwards.”
But she had a clear message for those who have not yet been fully vaccinated.
“For anyone who hasn’t received their first shot against COVID-19 or hasn’t gotten their second shot in the series, or received their booster, please don’t wait any longer,” she said. “There are hundreds of locations around the state offering these free vaccines every day because of these incredibly effective and safe life-saving vaccines. We don’t have to repeat history.”
She said only half of all eligible South Carolinians are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and nearly 60% have received at least one shot. She said more and more young people are getting vaccinated each day.
More than 502,000 South Carolinians have received a booster dose of the COVID-19 as of Tuesday, Traxler said. That figure, she said, includes those who are immunocompromised.
“This clearly tells us there is a great deal of public interest in remaining protected against COVID-19,” she said.
But she said viruses, when given the opportunity and time, will mutate to survive, urging vaccination as the “best defense.”
“We have seen a significant increase in the booster dosing since approval for that and the rate of the current booster dosing does exceed the rate of primary vaccination in South Carolina,” she said.
Starting next week, the agency will shift to every two weeks, the first and third Wednesday’s of the month.
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