This week’s local COVID news: 50 vaccination jobs available; Horry nears 20,000 cases
To assist with the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine, a local health care provider has taken extra measures, including opening jobs and bringing in the South Carolina National Guard.
Tidelands Health announced this week around 50 temporary jobs will be available for those with previous healthcare, data entry or customer service experience. Those who are hired for these temporary positions will be vaccinated themselves and provided with personal protective equipment, according to a news release from Tidelands Health.
Officials at Tidelands called on those with healthcare experience who have left the workforce to return.
“Our goal is to vaccinate as many people as we can, as quickly and safely as we can, in accordance with state guidelines,” Gayle Resetar, the health system’s chief operating officer, said in the release. “To do that, we need support from our community. If you are a retired nurse, if you’ve left the work force or even if you’re already working in our community but would like to earn additional income, this is a great opportunity to serve.”
Tracking COVID-19 in Horry and Georgetown counties
Horry County is closing in on 20,000 cases since the start of the pandemic and the latest numbers show a worrisome surge that has landed a prominent Horry County Schools board member in the hospital on a ventilator. This week, the county added 1,087 cases to its total count and an additional five people have died of the virus, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. The county has now recorded 282 deaths due to COVID-19 since mid-March.
At Tidelands, 54 COVID-19 patients are hospitalized, 17 of which are in the intensive care unit, according to spokesperson Dawn Bryant. The overall Tidelands occupancy is at 105% as of Friday, Bryant said.
Georgetown County has reached 3,224 cases since the beginning of the pandemic and 65 people have died of COVID-19, DHEC reports. After originally planning to keep classes remote until Jan. 11, Georgetown County Schools announced fully virtual classes until at least Jan. 19.
Grand Strand vaccine distribution update
The state’s National Guard arrived in the Myrtle Beach area Thursday to help Tidelands administer vaccines to people in the “1A” category, which includes healthcare workers, dentists and pharmacists. More than 1,400 people have been vaccinated at Tidelands facilities since the vaccine became available in South Carolina last month.
The Guard worked on the Grand Strand last summer, when the area faced a serious surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths.
The moves by Tidelands to expedite the vaccine distribution come after S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster expressed frustration Tuesday with the slow rollout, threatening to step in with executive orders if the state health department didn’t act. He said the members of phase 1A will face a “hard deadline” of Jan. 15 to either get vaccinated or set up a vaccination appointment.
Local health care providers Conway Medical Center and McLeod Health are also giving vaccines to people who fall under phase 1A of the vaccine distribution. Once 70% of people in phase 1A have received the vaccine, agencies across South Carolina will start vaccinating those in phase 1B under direction from DHEC.
DHEC announced Friday admitted patients over the age of 65 should be considered part of the phase 1A group of vaccinations as long as they don’t have COVID-19 and a provider feels they should receive the vaccine.
If you’re unsure when you’ll be able to get the vaccine, check DHEC’s list of categories at https://scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-vaccine. To apply to one of Tidelands’ temporary positions, visit https://www.tidelandshealth.org/careers/.
Wash hands, wear masks, get tested
This is your reminder to wash your hands often, wear a mask and practice social distancing.
DHEC asks people to wear a mask when visiting public places and practice social distancing to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is now mandatory to wear face masks in certain public areas in the City of Myrtle Beach, the City of North Myrtle Beach and Georgetown County.
To get a free DHEC-sponsored test, visit scdhec.gov/findatest for a testing location near you. DHEC testing is free, doesn’t require insurance, and results are available within 72 hours. DHEC’s testing options have expanded to include shallow nasal testing, an oral swab, or a saliva test at different locations.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREHow we did this story
At the beginning of the new year, The Sun News shifted from daily coronavirus case updates to weekly updates in order to better track trends, provide context and better understand the impact of the pandemic on the Grand Strand’s families, health systems, economy and government.
A note about the data: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control’s news releases sometimes show case numbers that differ from the department’s map. Officials have said the map is the most accurate source, so The Sun News will use those numbers. DHEC also lists “probable” coronavirus cases and deaths, but because those cases are not confirmed they are not included in The Sun News’ reports.
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 3:02 PM.
