The CDC says only 6 SC counties should still mask up often for COVID. Here’s the list
Only people in six South Carolina counties should still be masking up often for COVID-19 after a spike of virus across the state earlier this summer, federal health officials say.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest community levels map shows six counties with high levels of COVID-19. Another 19 counties have medium levels and 21 counties reported low levels of the virus.
In early August, the CDC reported 32 counties had high levels of COVID-19. That number has slowly dropped ever since.
The CDC recommends communities with high levels of COVID-19 wear masks indoors in public and on public transportation. It also recommends staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if you have symptoms and, if you are at high risk for severe illness, to take additional precautions.
For communities at medium levels, the CDC recommends people wear masks if they have symptoms, have had a positive test or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19.
The latest South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control statistics show that as of Sept. 10, cases of COVID-19 were down 33.6% from the previous week. Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 were down 9.6% from last week.
Here are the six counties with high COVID-19 levels, according to the CDC.
Oconee
Pickens
Lexington
Richland
Chesterfield
Dorchester
Here are the 19 counties with medium COVID-19 levels.
Anderson
Greenville
Spartanburg
Cherokee
Laurens
Union
Chester
Newberry
Fairfield
Marlboro
Darlington
Florence
Williamsburg
Berkeley
Charleston
Calhoun
Orangeburg
Hampton
Colleton
Here are the 21 counties with low COVID-19 levels.
Abbeville
McCormick
Greenwood
Edgefield
Saluda
Aiken
Barnwell
Allendale
Bamberg
Jasper
Beaufort
York
Lancaster
Kershaw
Lee
Sumter
Clarendon
Dillon
Marion
Horry
Georgetown
