Daily COVID-19 updates: 451 new cases, the latest models and what you can do to get tested and protect yourself

COVID-19 update: South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control announced 451 new cases of COVID-19 and 20 deaths connected to the virus on Monday.

The percent positive rate was 11.5 percent.

As of 4:52 p.m. Aug. 17, via S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control:
Confirmed cases in S.C.: 105,905 (+451 new cases since Sunday)
Positive tests in Charleston County (total): 12,853 (+31)
Negative tests in S.C.: 790,424
Deaths in S.C. from COVID-19: 2,185 (+20)

Source: Department of Health and Environmental Control, Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation

MODELING

CURRENT GUIDELINES

State and federal health officials strongly recommend the following public health precautions to keep you safe:

Wear a cloth mask when in public. It should cover your mouth and nose. Don’t take it from us, here’s the CDC on… Why you should wear a mask and How to wear a mask.
Maintain social distancing. Stay at least 6 feet from others at all times, particularly in public or in enclosed spaces.
Avoid touching your face.
Regularly wash your hands with soap.
Monitor your symptoms. Symptoms can appear two days to two weeks after exposure. What to watch for (CDC) | Watch for these symptoms (DHEC)
Disinfect high-touch surfaces daily. Cleaning recommendations.
Stay at home if you’re sick. If you’re worried or think you might be sick, stay at home.
Get tested. If you think you’ve been exposed to COVID-19, get tested. DHEC has a list of sites statewide where you can be tested.
If you think you’re sick, contact your health care provider. Related: List of virtual telehealth virtual care providers in South Carolina

What else you can do

Communicate with your peers. Let them know electronically and by social media that you take the virus seriously and encourage them to follow the precautions listed above.
Share scientific information. As businesses reopen, people may get a false sense that everything is back to normal. Let them know it isn’t by sharing resources with them.
Don’t let down your guard. There’s a reason more people are getting infected. It’s because they’re not being as careful as they once were and are coming into more contact with others. Be vigilant.
Urge state officials to require masks in public. Contact your state and local elected officials to urge them to stave a second wave of the disease by requiring masks in public.