COLUMBIA, S.C. (WCBD) – Governor Henry McMaster issued an executive order on Thursday that requires all non-essential state employees to stay home from work.
During a press conference from the state’s emergency operation center, Gov. McMaster said all college, university and technical college presidents should determine which employees are essential in helping students continue virtual education to finish out the semester.
Gov. McMaster said the approval period for unemployment benefits has been extradited. “We are trying to speed it up as fast as we can,” he said during Thursday’s briefing.
For employers, he said unemployment insurance benefit payments are suspended until June 1.
SLED, sheriffs’ departments and local law enforcement agencies are directed to vigorously enforce the laws as necessary during the pandemic to prevent looting, robbery, theft, acts of violence and anything else associated with lawlessness during this time of emergency.
“We want the message to go out loud and clear to those who attempt to take advantage of this situation,” he said. “Lawlessness will not be tolerated.”
He said law enforcement is working harder than ever to make sure no one is harmed by lawless behavior during the pandemic.
Gov. McMaster also asked hospital and overnight medical facilities to immediately restrict visitation to patients (with an exception of end-of-life situations); “Visitors are going in are asking for masks, gloves and gowns and other things. That takes them away from the people who need them to treat this virus.”
He also asked South Carolinians to use common sense, treat neighbors courteously and compassionately and asked citizens to stay home if you don’t need to be in a public space.
“If we are going to prevent this spread then we are going to have to follow the rules that have been pronounced all over the country – washing your hands, don’t touch your face, and clean counter surfaces,” he said.
The Governor also asked that people do not hoard supplies.
“We have reports of stores running out of the run-of-the-mill things, routine things – it’s not necessary to hoard supplies. We have plenty of retailers as well as wholesalers to see that you don’t run out of these common everyday items that you need,” he said.
He encouraged citizens to listen to information that is given by official sources. “There is a lot of misinformation out there and you’re scaring people,” he said. “It’s not necessary to do that.”
Gov. McMaster said the federal government is moving heaven and earth to make sure supplies and things that we need will be provided, from unemployment benefits to medical supplies and food and more.
“We just need to be calm and not lose our heads,” he said. “Be courteous to our neighbors and act like South Carolinians. We’ve been through these things before and we’ll go through them again.”
State epidemiologist Dr. Linda Bell said DHEC has received 81 confirmed cases from our Public Health Laboratory and private laboratories, and our Public Health Laboratory has performed 906 tests – of which 833 have been negative.
The numbers include confirmed cases in 17 counties across the state.
“According to the CDC, this is a historic and unprecedented outbreak, the likes of which have not been seen since the influenza pandemic of 1918,” she said. “This will likely be an extended response and we want people to be prepared for more cases to occur.”
She encouraged people to follow recommendations from public health officials. “If people don’t follow current recommendations for social distancing and avoiding crowds, we may see a doubling of the rate of cases similar to what we’ve seen in other states.”
Bell said they expect to see a dramatic increase in case counts from one day to the next and said the public should be prepared for that.
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