A week of change: Myrtle Beach, Horry County adapt to life during coronavirus outbreak
Coronavirus has changed Horry County and Myrtle Beach.
Traditionally packed hotels are now empty, amusements are devoid of laughter and smiles, picked-over grocery store shelves are commonplace and children are now learning at home.
Residents experienced massive shifts, with little warning, to their daily lifestyles in the past week.
What is traditionally a busy time of the year for the Grand Strand with spring breaks and warmer weather has devolved into new laws and an uncertain future.
“This is going to impact millions and millions of people. If all these shutdowns happen, hourly wages go away,” said Chip Smith, who works at a Grand Strand golf course. “That’s a bigger concern to me than anything. I’m more concerned about the everyday person who lives paycheck to paycheck. Are we going to have a depression or what’s that going to do?”
Horry County has doubled the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the past week. On March 22, there were 11 cases, today there are at least 24, according to the latest data from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The area also had its first death from coronavirus when health officials announced on Tuesday that an elderly person with no underlying health conditions died. That person’s name has not been released.
In total, 13 people have died in South Carolina from coronavirus and 542 people have tested positive.
Tourism ends
Local government agencies took the step to close many tourist activities and accommodations along the Grand Strand during the past week.
North Myrtle Beach and Myrtle Beach announced on Thursday that they passed ordinances to ban short-term rentals.
Visitors in Myrtle Beach hotels or rentals must leave the properties by noon today. Any reservations through the end of April must be canceled or rescheduled. All amusement, such as movie theaters, miniature golf courses and arcades, are now closed
“We have to protect our community is the bottom line,” Mayor Brenda Bethune said. “We must act to stop the spread of this virus.”
North Myrtle Beach started its ban on short-term rentals Friday and that ordinance will remain in place through April.
Hours after Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach announced their changes, Horry County enacted similar changes after an unannounced meeting.
Other municipalities followed over the next day and announced the closure of their hotels and rentals. Golf courses, whether by choice or governmental decree, have also closed their doors. The area’s two state parks are now also closed to visitors.
The moves shut down the area’s most prominent economic driver - tourism. The impact from those decisions won’t be known for months.
Locals feel coronavirus impacts
While there was a massive shift in tourism rules in Horry County, permanent Myrtle Beach area residents are also adapting to life under the coronavirus threat.
The biggest change for many is the closure of schools, which is now through the end of April. Children are being homeschooled and learning virtually, unable to attend their Horry County school.
The decision has also led to the postponement of high school proms and galas.
Though some schools have taken dealing with the isolation between students and teachers in their own hands. A couple had teachers drive along students’ homes and wave.
“We want to keep it as normal as we can for these kids,” Burgess Elementary teacher Laura Randolph said. “To let them know they’re thought about, cared for and loved through this whole situation.”
Local restaurants are also struggling after Gov. Henry McMaster’s order to limit them to take-out only. Crafty Rooster owner Sean Kobos said they are still seeing a steady stream of customers, and people have been generous with tips
“We’ve been pleasantly surprised with the traffic, but it’s way down,” Kobos said. “Is it sustainable? No. But at least we are stopping the bleeding a little bit.”
Find the silver-lining
Health officials continue to preach the importance of social distancing and remaining home except for trips for necessities. People are urged to stay 6 feet apart and frequently wash their hands to prevent the spread of the disease.
Despite the plea, state health officials and local hospitals have been less than forthcoming - though that changed towards the end of the week - with providing information on who has tested positive, where they live and hospitals’ capacity to care for the ill.
McMaster has resisted pushes to order a “shelter in place” for all state residents and continues to say he believes locals will act smart and be responsible as they combat the spread.
Experts are also sharing the importance of taking care of mental health. Vice President of medical affairs at Tidelands Health Gerald Harmon said people can find safe outdoor activities, draw, read or journal to deal with stress.
“Don’t socially isolate yourself to the point of not talking to your support group,” Harmon said, referring to loved ones, whether it be your family, friends, clergy, therapists, etc. “Go out and walk and exercise, just don’t go to large social functions.”
While a significant portion of the coronavirus news in the Myrtle Beach area is negative, that’s not to say there aren’t stories of the community coming together.
Gestures as simple as posting a funny video online, volunteering to pick up groceries for an elderly neighbor and sewers making medical masks usable again are becoming more prevalent.
Owner of Bryant Allstate Agency Dakota Bryant bought $5,000 worth of gift cards from local restaurants offering take-out service. Those gift cards will go to the medical staff at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center.
“We’re all in the same boat here,” Bryant said. “Any action can make a difference. I would challenge anyone to do what they can to help their community.”
