A warm summer night filled with good food, shopping at your favorite local store, maybe going out on a boat, and fireworks at Joe Riley Stadium. Charleston is usually bustling for July 4th weekend, but this year things will feel a bit different.
According to The State, South Carolina just hit a record coronavirus death toll with 1,497 new cases right before the start of the holiday weekend. The area with the highest uptick? Our beloved Charleston, with a total of 266 newly confirmed cases.
So what is the safest way to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday in South Carolina during the coronavirus pandemic? By staying at home (according to the Department of Health and Environmental Control).
If you’ve been out and about in Charleston lately, you might’ve noticed that the Charleston Carriage Companies have continued to run operations with passengers sitting cheek to jowl. Below is an image an advocate took on Saturday, June 27th, two days after the resolution requiring masks to be worn in public was passed:
Note – No facemasks are being worn. Not even the tour guide. It is our opinion that not requiring masks on carriage tours is a risk to everyone’s health and safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
The ordinance states that the use of a face mask is required for every person within the city for the following conditions:
-
All restaurants and retail stores that include but are not limited to salons, barber shops, grocery stores, pharmacies, or other buildings open to the public.
-
While interacting with people in outdoor spaces including but not limited to curbside pickup, delivery, and service calls.
-
While providing public or commercial transportation including tours.
-
While walking in public where maintaining a six foot distance between people is not possible
-
When participating in a permitted or allowable gathering
While this 4th of July may not look like others in the past, it is up to all of us to stop the spread of COVID-19. We encourage you to stay home as much as possible, to wear a mask, to wash your hands frequently, and to listen to officials for updates.