COLUMBIA, S.C. – South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Monday he will not enact any new mask mandates to protect against the spread of COVID-19 and the highly transmissible delta variant, saying hospital occupancy rates are lower than where rates were last year.
Standing alone at the lectern without any health officials at his side, McMaster said the delta variant poses a new threat and spreads more easily, but mandating masks in schools or adding restrictions will not happen, he said.
“Shutting our state down, closing schools and masking the children, who have no choice, for the government to to mask children who have no choice, to protect adults who do have a choice, is the wrong thing to do. And we’re not going to do,” McMaster said. “We’re not going to shut our state down as other states did mandating masks is not the answer, personal responsibility is the answer.”
As McMaster said people should “strongly consider getting vaccinated,” the governor reiterated said the vaccines are effective, and hospitalization rates are still lower than last year’s peaks.
“What I wanted to remind people is if you are going to get a vaccination, now is a great time to do it, while we’re getting ready for the fall. All the activity going on football games are starting again, classes are starting again,” McMaster said. “Now is a great time. If you’re ready to get vaccination, go ahead and get it, now is the time.”
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