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Premier Medical Laboratory Services in Greenville is the first commercial lab in South Carolina to be validated, via FDA and CDC protocols, to test for COVID-19 in fluid samples.

That’s an increasingly important job as the number of test kits ramps up and the number of people being tested for the coronavirus climbs along with it. But the growing number of tests is putting a lot of pressure on small labs like Premier, which are increasingly tasked with getting results back fast.

If building a personal protection mask that could be mass produced to fight the coronavirus pandemic was a puzzle, Joshua Kim was determined to figure it out.

The 25 year-old is the Senior Designer and Program Coordinator with the Department of Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

“That moment was an epiphany moment,” says Kim.  “It was a great moment.”

It was the moment Kim realized he could use an air filter, like those commonly found in home improvement stores, to build a respirator for a mask mimicking the N95 now in demand.

Democratic presidential candidates are not exempt from the disruption the Coronavirus pandemic has caused to everyday life. Both Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have shift town halls, press conferences and fundraising events online. In South Carolina, another noticeable shift impacting both local and national politics is changing the way delegates, who will pledge their vote for either candidate during the party’s upcoming national convention, are selected.

“That’s the foundation of our nominating people to go to our national convention, Robertson said.”

The South Carolina Lede is here to keep you up to date on important news as the Palmetto State faces the COVID-19 virus.  There is so much news out there right now it’s overwhelming. This podcast is for you to get information that matters to you, your family and your fellow South Carolinians. No hype. No fear. Just COVID-19 news and resources to get us all through this.

On this episode for March 31, 2020, we discuss legal questions surrounding the emergency powers of local governments which may conflict with South Carolina state orders, speak with local restaurant owners whose business is being affected by COVID-19, learn about efforts as the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) to develop 3D printed masks, and more.

The coronavirus outbreak has brought together many organizations to fight the spread of this highly contagious disease, and that includes the military. Gov. Henry McMaster has called on the South Carolina National Guard to be on the alert in case it's needed.

The South Carolina Lede is here to keep you up to date on important news as the Palmetto State faces the COVID-19 virus.  There is so much news out there right now it’s overwhelming. This podcast is for you to get information that matters to you, your family and your fellow South Carolinians. No hype. No fear. Just COVID-19 news and resources to get us all through this.

On this episode for March 26, 2020, we look at measures South Carolina's biggest cities are taking to prevent the spread of the virus, get the latest on the $2 trillion federal stimilus bill, speak with a boutique in Florence, SC, making fabric surgical masks, and more.

Blood is in short supply, in large part because of the coronavirus outbreak, says Maya Franklin, a spokeswoman for the American Red Cross in Charlotte, NC.

“That’s resulted in dozens, if not hundreds, of blood drove cancellations by our sponsors,” she says.

That statement only refers to the Carolinas region between Rock Hill, SC, and Greensboro, NC. Nationally, says Franklin’s Rock Hill colleague, Ashley Collier, about 5,000 blood drives had been cancelled, through March 20.  

This story was expanded on March 26 to include a look at what the data cited in the Kaiser Family Foundation report could mean for South Carolina's rural communities.