COVID-19

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for October 19, 2021, we look at Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-SC) comments about his recent trip to the southern border, the future of the bipartisan infrastructure bill in Congress, and what the Virginia governor's race could mean for the 2022 midterm elections. Also in this episode: the latest on broadband expansion in the state; updates on Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine boosters shots; and more.

Not all pandemic victims walk on two legs. Four-legged victims are flooding area animal shelters. The impact goes beyond finding homes for dogs. Staff at shelters in Abbeville and Greenwood are squeezed for time to work with animals to assure they remain adoptable. Finding homes for humans is part of the problem. Eviction moratoriums started expiring in August.

The operator of a sprawling federal nuclear reservation in South Carolina says the vast majority of its 5,500 workers are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19 after the company mandated the shots. But nearly 80 Savannah River Site employees who have refused to get inoculated sued Savannah River Nuclear Solutions over the requirement in South Carolina state court Thursday. Employees who don't get inoculated against the highly contagious virus face firing. The federal contractor says 95% of its workers have gotten the shots ahead of a fall deadline so far. Gov. Henry McMaster says he won't issue an executive order to stop South Carolina businesses from requiring vaccines.

The Boeing Co. has told employees they must be vaccinated against COVID-19 or possibly be fired. The Seattle Times reports the deadline for workers at the aerospace giant is Dec. 8. Employees can request exemptions "due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief." The policy will apply to roughly 125,000 US-based employees company-wide. On Monday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued an executive order barring private companies or any other entity from requiring vaccines. Boeing has more than 5,000 employees in Texas. It has about 32,000 more at facilities in Alabama, Arizona, Missouri, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

On this episode of the South Carolina Lede for October 9, 2021: Charleston County pauses its emergency rental assistance program; Pfizer asks the FDA for an emergency use authorization for its COVID-19 vaccine for children as young as 5; viral videos show Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) being booed by his supporters over comments about vaccines; and much more.

South Carolina districts can continue to require face coverings to protect against the coronavirus in the state's schools under an appellate court's decision this week. On Tuesday, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied state Attorney General Alan Wilson's request that South Carolina's law prohibiting school mask mandates be allowed to take effect while a lawsuit over the COVID-19 pandemic measure goes forward.

This episode of the South Carolina Lede for October 5, 2021, features: a look at the closely-watched Columbia mayoral election; former University of South Carolina President Bob Caslen's choice words regarding his tenue at the school; the impact of COVID-19 on children; and more.

Pediatricians are frustrated by what one outspoken Columbia doctor calls a tendency to 'compartmentalize' COVID-19 deaths in children. Meanwhile, a Greenville mom's small children were part of a vaccine trial that could soon lead to shots for children as young as 5. (And, by the way, Mom's really frustrated too.)

This episode of the South Carolina Lede for October 2, 2021, features: a look at the latest legal decisions regarding mask mandates in the Palmetto State; Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) on the debate in Washington over infrastructure; updates on COVID-19 vaccinations for pregnant people; and more.

South Carolina's Supreme Court has ruled lawmakers can try to prevent local school districts from requiring masks in classrooms. But the ruling is trumped by a federal court decision two days ago that suspended the ban because federal law trumps state law. The state Supreme Court ruling Thursday does say districts can both require masks and follow the state rule if they can find a way to not spend state money enforcing the wearing of face coverings. The federal ruling says the South Carolina Legislature's ban on mask requirements discriminates against medically fragile students who can't feel safe in public schools without face coverings.