Check how much of your Horry County ZIP code is vaccinated as Omicron threat looms
As Horry County joins the U.S. in preparing to grapple with yet another surge of coronavirus cases sparked by the fast-spreading Omicron variant, public health experts urge vaccinations and booster shots are perhaps more important than ever.
The Pee Dee region of South Carolina hasn’t reported any Omicron cases yet, but that doesn’t mean the variant hasn’t made its way to the Myrtle Beach area. The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control conducts random testing to get a sense of the spread of specific variants, but not every positive COVID-19 case is tested for different variants. Three Omicron cases have been identified in the state, all in the Lowcountry region.
But as holiday gatherings, cold weather and cross-country travel threaten to cause a jump in infections, it’s important to know where your community stands.
The Sun News analyzed vaccination rates for each ZIP code in Horry County. Some are nearly 100% vaccinated while others haven’t yet cracked 50% of people getting a shot. Since the last count, eligibility for vaccinations has opened to kids ages 5-11, boosting the percentage of the overall population who’s able to get a shot.
Horry County’s vaccination rate has jumped from around 58% in September to around 65% of its overall population vaccinated as of Wednesday. The county falls above the state average of around 59%.
The data below represents how many people in each ZIP code have gotten at least one shot in the COVID-19 vaccine series, according to the state health department.
Here’s Horry County’s ZIP codes ranked by vaccination rate
1. 29572 - Myrtle Beach
One of the ZIP codes that covers the hub of the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach, has cracked the 90% threshold of residents vaccinated. More than 8,700 of the area’s 9,672 residents have been inoculated, according to data from the state health department.
2. 29582 - North Myrtle Beach
The northern part of the Grand Strand boasts a vaccination rate of just over 88%, nearing its neighbor Myrtle Beach in the rankings.
3. 29566 - Little River
The third ZIP code to record a vaccination rate above 80% is 29566 in the Little River area of Horry County at around 83%. The top three ZIP codes fall in the same ranks as they did in September during a previous Sun News analysis.
4. 29579 - Carolina Forest
With more than 71% of its population vaccinated, the 29579 ZIP code ranks fourth. The Carolina Forest ZIP code is one of the most populous in Horry County.
5. 29588 - Socastee and Forestbrook
The 29588 ZIP code rounds out the top five vaccinated areas in the county. It records nearly 71% of its overall population vaccinated.
6. 29577 - Myrtle Beach
With more than 22,000 people inoculated as of late December, the 29577 ZIP code covering Myrtle Beach has reported around 70% of its population immunized through vaccination.
7. 29575 - Surfside Beach and Garden City
Nearly 13,000 people in the 29575 ZIP code of Horry County have been vaccinated. That comes out to a vaccination rate of around 68% in the area.
8. 29526 - Conway and Red Hill
In Horry County’s largest ZIP code by population, 61% of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
9. 29568 - Longs
Coming in around 58% vaccinated, the Longs area has around 9,400 residents who have gotten the shot to protect themselves against the coronavirus.
10. 29576 - Murrells Inlet and Garden City
In September, the 29576 ZIP code of Horry County hadn’t yet cracked the 50% threshold for its vaccination rate. Now, the area has barely pushed past that point, recording around 53% of its overall population inoculated.
11. 29569 - Loris
The small town of Loris and its surrounding areas contribute more than 17,000 residents to the ZIP code. Fewer than 8,000 residents have been vaccinated, bringing the area’s vaccination rate to 46%.
12. 29544 - Galivants Ferry
The 29544 ZIP code records a vaccination rate of around 44% as of Wednesday.
13. 29527 - Conway, Bucksport and Bucksville
In the bottom-five ZIP codes by vaccination rate, the 29527 ZIP code has around 42% of its residents vaccinated, according to DHEC.
14. 29511 - Aynor
In western Horry County, the ZIP code covering the Aynor area has recorded just over 41% of its residents inoculated.
15. 29545 - Green Sea
Horry County’s smallest ZIP code by population is ranked second-to-last in the county for its vaccination rate. It hasn’t yet passed 40% of people getting the shot — at around 640 people vaccinated, the rate falls around 39%.
16. 29581 - Nichols and Ketchuptown
The 29581 ZIP code has consistently fallen last in the county for its vaccination rate. Its population has about 10% less of its population vaccinated than the next-highest area. At 29% vaccinated in the Nichols and Ketchuptown area, more than 3,000 of 4,400 residents have yet to get the vaccine.
