As we approach the holiday season and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations spike across South Carolina and the nation, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) urge all South Carolinians to rededicate themselves to individual actions to protect public health amid this pandemic. These actions include:
• properly wearing face masks,
• staying physically distanced from others, and
• routinely getting tested.
To help protect themselves and their loved ones, we encourage all college and university students to get tested and know their results before going home for holiday breaks and also before returning back to campus. Additionally, we recommend getting tested before attending any family gatherings. Asymptomatic individuals can unknowingly carry the virus and pass it along to friends and family who could experience severe illness, hospitalization, or worse.
We recognize that the holiday season is a sacred time, and we encourage South Carolinians to avoid indoor gatherings and maintain their commitment to activities that reduce the spread of COVID-19. We applaud the sacrifices our residents have made over the past many months, and at the same time we appeal to all South Carolinians to remain committed to our fight against this deadly disease. Your daily commitment to wearing a mask, socially distancing, and getting tested can help save lives.