President Joe Biden said Thursday night during his first prime-time address to make all adults eligible for vaccines by May 1 and hopes to attain “independence from this virus” by July 4.
Meanwhile, state health officials reported 756 new cases of the coronavirus and 10 additional deaths Friday. With 23,541 tests reported, 4.9% were confirmed positive.
Biden offered hope for a return to some semblance of normalcy this summer, sharing his dream of spending Independence Day with close family during his 24-minute address. However, he warned that this way only the goal, and reaching it would rely on people’s cooperation with COVID restrictions and guidelines.
As of Friday, more than 20% of South Carolinians already had at least their first vaccine dose, according to the state Department of Health and Environmental Control. Experts say as many as 70-80% of the population need to be vaccinated to achieve herd immunity.
Biden’s address came after his signage of the $1.9 trillion relief package that has been moving through the U.S. Congress the past few weeks. The next round of stimulus checks could be arriving in people’s pockets as soon as this weekend.
Stay cool. Support City Paper. City Paper has been bringing the best news, food, arts, music and event coverage to the Holy City since 1997. Support our continued efforts to highlight the best of Charleston with a one-time donation or become a member of the City Paper Club.