‘People aren’t following the guidelines’: How Myrtle Beach became a COVID-19 ‘hot spot’
With Horry County now considered a hot spot for coronavirus cases, Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune said her main concern is finding a way to slow down the virus with the city in the peak of its tourism season.
After the county saw a large spike in confirmed coronavirus cases last week, S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control labeled the area of “hot spot” for the virus, meaning it’s being targeted for increased monitoring. The designation comes nearly one month after businesses were allowed to reopen and a recent increase in testing availability.
Bethune, who expressed opposition in allowing hotels to reopen back in April, alluded the spike in cases could be tied to the influx of people who she said aren’t following proper health guidelines.
“We have more and more people coming here and people are falsely under the assumption there is not a virus any longer,” Bethune told The Sun News. “We’re still in a pandemic, but people aren’t following the guidelines.”
The Sun News had reporters placed along Ocean Boulevard and other tourist attractions the first two weekends after the city reopened — one being Memorial Day Weekend. Hoards of people packed the boulevard, the beaches, Broadway at the Beach and the Murrells Inlet Marshwalk. Only about 10 percent were seen wearing face masks.
Bethune said that while the city is monitoring the situation, she doesn’t know what kind of action could be taken locally to flatten the curve of the coronavirus. With further discussions anticipated with city and state health officials, she said she will take any measure needed to assure the health and wellness of both locals and tourists.
Following the county’s designation, DHEC issued a statement on Tuesday urging the use of face masks and the practice of social distancing.
“There is rapidly growing medical evidence that the use of face masks along with social distancing can greatly reduce the transmission of the COVID-19 virus in public spaces,” the statement reads, “and places where people at higher risk of severe illness and death from this virus are likely to be present. We must all commit to wearing face masks in public spaces — if we all wear them, we’ll all be protected.”
However, only some city employees and few elected officials have been seen wearing face masks during public gatherings and meetings in recent weeks. During a protest held at The Market Common on Sunday, which attracted hundreds with a majority sporting face coverings, Bethune, City Manager John Pedersen and Police Chief Amy Prock were not wearing protective gear.
The city also resumed in-person council meetings at the Ted Collins Law Enforcement Center on May 26, following roughly two months effectively conducting virtual forums. Meetings are now limited to about 50 people with seating roped off with police tape to encourage social distancing.
The use of face masks is also encouraged but not required, though only a handful wear them. Aside from some members of the press and various attendees, Pedersen, Prock, Chief Financial Officer Mike Shelton, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President Karen Riordan and Councilman Gregg Smith wear face coverings.
Councilman Mike Chestnut did wear his mask during the first few council meetings but removed it during Tuesday’s forum. Pedersen has also been observed removing his mask during meetings to speak with other employees in close proximity.
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Back in April, the city was forced to quarantine about 10 percent of the city’s workforce due to exposure to the coronavirus. Currently, Myrtle Beach has two employees in quarantine as a precaution.
Horry County also had 66 employees in quarantine as of Monday, 10 of which work in the public safety divisions of the county. Nineteen part-time North Myrtle Beach employees were in quarantine this week but planned to return to work on Thursday, officials said. Five additional employees in quarantine are returning in the coming days.
Conway Mayor Barbara Blain-Bellamy and her husband have also tested positive for coronavirus.
Smith believes many have lost focus of the pandemic as time has gone on, stressing how important it is to continue social distancing and wear face masks. He noted that he is concerned with people not wearing protective gear, adding that he wears his everywhere except his home.
“My thought is it might keep me a little bit from getting sick. Also, if I am sick it will keep other people from getting sick,” Smith said. “I think it’s the considerate thing to do.”
Bethune noted the spacing between council members on the dais as her reasoning for not wearing any protective gear.
Currently, city leaders sit next to each other with a few feet between one another. Other officials, such as Pedersen and City Attorney William Bryan Jr., who would normally sit on the dais are now seated at a table together facing council, with the remaining core staff huddled at another table across the room.
“I don’t wear it here because we are socially distanced and there is space between us,” Bethune said. “I’m very careful when I’m out in the crowd. Whenever I’m out in the grocery store, I have a mask on and in certain cases I wear a mask. It depends who I’m around and what the situation is.”
Over in North Myrtle Beach, city leaders held their first in-person meeting on Monday after hosting months’ worth of teleconference forums via YouTube. While most elected leaders and city employees went mask-less, the city installed plexiglass partitions between council members.
The first three rows in council chambers also are blocked off from the public to allow for city employees to spread out if they so choose.
Attendees are encouraged to wear face masks when attending meetings, but it is not required. Additionally, there is no limit on the number of people who can attend City Council meetings or workshops, City Spokesperson Pat Dowling said, adding that space will be made in the atrium if it becomes too congested.
While Dowling said he doesn’t know what factors led to DHEC giving Horry County the “hot spot” designation, he said it’s a good reminder to all that COVID-19 is still a prevalent issue both locally and nationwide.
“If we work to follow recommended guidelines, such as wearing facemasks when patronizing businesses of any kind and in crowded areas, and practice social distancing, we can help reduce opportunities for the virus to spread,” Dowling said. “COVID-19 is highly infectious and opportunistic.”
The Sun News Reporter Tyler Fleming contributed to this report.
This story was originally published June 10, 2020 at 3:00 PM.
