COLUMBIA, S.C. — Nearly twice as many children are contracting COVID-19 in South Carolina than they did at the height of the pandemic, according to data released by the Department of Health and Environmental Control.
The agency announced 3,376 new coronavirus cases across the state on Wednesday. Data shows that at least 12% of Wednesday's new cases were children ages 10 and younger who are unable to get vaccinated. That's more than double the rate of children contracting the virus at the height of the pandemic between December and February.
Between December and February, an average of 5,743 children ages 10 and under caught the virus each month. Through just 16 days in August, the same age group have made up 5,354 new cases.
As schools began to reopen, South Carolina health officials warned that children would be at risk and could spread the virus to others.
"I'm greatly concerned that this school year could be a perfect storm for disease spread if we have unvaccinated and unmasked students and teachers together," state Epidemiologist Linda Bell said last week.
Despite Gov. Henry McMaster and Attorney General Alan Wilson arguing it was unlawful for schools to mandate masks in schools to help limit the spread of the virus, Columbia and Richland County officials did so anyway. So did Richland District One and the Charleston County school district.
"Let's save our babies. Let's protect our babies. Let's protect the men and women who educate them every day," Columbia Mayor Steve Benjamin said last week.
McMaster has said parents should decide whether their children wear masks in school. South Carolina Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman disagreed, also saying schools should be allowed to enforce masks.
"I do believe this issue is best handled by local school districts," she said Tuesday. "I disagree with the governor."
Lexington-Richland 5 schools, however, won't require masks for students and teachers, the district announced Monday. Some have even protested against the mandates in schools.
Though people aged 71 and up make up 66% of South Carolina's death toll, more young people are seeing the effects of coronavirus and are spreading it to others at rates not seen in the state before.
When the pandemic was first affecting the state in March and April 2020 during lockdowns, kids ages 10 and under made up just 1.6% of all cases. That number grew to 5.8% during December, January and February, when case counts were at their highest totals around the state.
So far in August, the age range makes up 10% of all positive cases.
At least five children ages 10 and younger have died from COVID-19 in South Carolina, according to DHEC.
Those who are between the ages of 11 and 20 have also seen an increase. Approximately 16% of all new cases in August are in that age group, up 4 percentage points from December and January.
At least 10 people between the ages of 11 and 20 have died from COVID-19, DHEC data shows.
More than 673,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in South Carolina since the start of the pandemic. The median age for those who contract the virus is 39, while those ages 21-30 make up the state's largest affected population at 17.4%.
Health officials recommend wearing a face mask and getting the coronavirus vaccine to help limit the spread of the virus. Social distancing is also recommended. South Carolina currently has a 46% vaccination rate, one of the country's lowest.
