Grand Strand leaders react to McMaster’s decision to open beach access amid coronavirus
With S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster allowing local officials to re-open public beach access points statewide, leaders along the Grand Strand are divided on if the decision is the right call as coronavirus cases remain on the rise.
Despite public beach access points being closed since March due to the spread of COVID-19, McMaster released Monday details of his economic recovery plan, which he’s calling “Accelerate SC.” The plan would involve reopening beaches at noon Tuesday and lifting restrictions on some retail stores, including clothing, furniture and jewelry stores.
Public docks and boat landings were reopened in South Carolina on Friday.
However, while Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said she wants to see businesses opened and beaches enjoyed again, she said she’s cautious, noting several factors need to be considered before anything can open locally. City Manager John Pedersen issued an executive order Monday night keeping all public access to the beach and adjacent parking lots closed until further notice.
“I’m cautious because I want to ensure the safety of our community long term and not put us at risk of having a second peak later in the summer,” Bethune said. “Myrtle Beach is very different than most areas of the state, and we cannot risk opening too soon and having visitors from hot spot areas coming here to get away.”
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She added the city will need to have a well-thought-out plan prior to re-opening.
During an emergency City Council meeting held Monday via conference call with health and epidemiology experts, Dr. Edward Schwartz, Chief Medical Officer with CareHere, stressed that the virus is not expected to just go away, and at some point everyone will be exposed to it.
Schwartz advised city officials should consider loosening some restrictions only when they can show there’s enough testing supplies, hospital space and personal protective equipment available in the event of an uptick in confirmed cases.
Currently, there are not adequate testing resources available in the Myrtle Beach area, according to the city’s emergency manager Bruce Arnel. Additionally, Horry County doesn’t have drive-thru testing available unlike other areas in South Carolina, Debbie Borst, an infectious control nurse for the Myrtle Beach area, said.
“In our emergency meeting this morning we heard from a doctor that there are some things to consider such as do we have enough tests when we open and do we have the ability to track cases,” Bethune said. “Those are critical points that we can’t ignore.”
South Carolina wouldn’t be the first state to loosen its coronavirus restrictions on beaches. On Friday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis gave municipalities the go-ahead to open beaches. Texas also is relaxing some stay-at-home orders.
Yet in South Carolina, the number of COVID-19 cases statewide is expected to keep climbing, with a peak around May 2.
As of Monday afternoon, Horry County has 186 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 12 deaths, according to the South Carolina Department and Environmental Control. Georgetown County has 34 total cases and remained at two overall deaths as of Sunday.
In South Carolina, there’s a total of 4,439 cases and 124 deaths.
Horry County Council Member Johnny Vaught said the beaches should have been open this whole time for recreational purposes. He said just because some college students were having parties doesn’t mean all residents should be punished.
Vaught doesn’t think re-opening the beach will result in tourists flocking to Myrtle Beach given all the other social distancing precautions still in effect, including hotels remaining closed.
County Council Member Tyler Servant, who represents the Surfside Beach area, said he believes the government should trust its citizens to do the right thing. If Horry County beaches do open public access, Servant believes a vast majority of residents will take appropriate precautions.
“The entire concept of America works because we trust people to do the right thing with good information,” Servant said.
North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley is in favor of re-opening beach access to give residents a “sense of normal” during the remainder of the pandemic.
Hatley said she has spoken to other city council members and listened to what the public wants. She said the decision to open up will be made by council, but it’s clear their constituents miss being able to go onto the beach.
Even if public beach access is opened, Hatley said it is up to citizens to follow social distancing guidelines like adequate separation, wearing masks and regularly washing their hands.
“If our citizens will abide by the safety procedures, I think we will be fine,” Hatley said. “But if we find people aren’t listening … we can always go back and close them down.”
North Myrtle Beach, Myrtle Beach and Surfside Beach enacted an emergency ordinance closing hotels and other short-term rentals. Hatley said she doesn’t know when hotels will ultimately re-open, but she thinks them being closed will keep tourists from visiting the city.
Surfside Beach Mayor Bob Hellyer said he would be meeting with town officials to formulate a plan moving forward. While he didn’t have an opinion on McMaster’s decision, he said he’ll do what’s best for the town.
“I’m not a scientist, but I’m here to protect the people of the Town of Surfside Beach and their health and well-being,” Hellyer said. “We’ll do what’s in the best interest of our town and residents.”
It’s unclear what North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach and Horry County officials will choose to do at this time.
This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 4:20 PM.
