What you need to know today: Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus may stop covering their faces or maintaining social distance in most settings, the Centers for Disease Control said Thursday.
The announcement is seen as a turning point in the pandemic, but there are still places where masks are required, such as airplanes and school buses.
Local leaders across the state are now loosening or removing mask mandates to mixed responses. S.C. for Ed, an education advocacy group, is calling for protests in response to mask mandates ending, which they say needlessly endanger the health of teachers.
Source: The New York Times, WIS TV
Latest COVID-19 data
South Carolina health officials reported 337 confirmed cases of the coronavirus and 14 confirmed deaths on Friday.
With 14,081 tests reported Friday, 3.2% were positive.
Confirmed cases in S.C.: 487,178 (+337)
Total positive cases in Charleston County: 43,236 (+68)
Total positive cases in Berkeley County: 17,591 (+14)
Total positive cases in Dorchester County: 17,885 (+55)
Deaths in S.C. from COVID-19: 8,471 (+4)
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