28 students and school employees tested positive on Covid-19 in Orangeburg County, 408 sent in quarantine, everyone decides to wear mask

While the numbers are on the rise across South Carolina, most of the Orangeburg County students and school staff decide to follow the recommendations to wear face masks while in the school.

According to the latest data issued by the Orangeburg County School District, there have been 17 students and 11 employees positive on the virus.

As a result of that number, 408 people will spend the next 10-14 days in quarantine. The school district added that these numbers were recorded in only five days, from Aug. 16 to Aug. 20.

Orangeburg County School District’s Superintendent Dr. Shawn Foster visited 12 schools on Monday and was proud so many parents, guardians, and students made the decision to wear masks.

“At one of the first schools I visited, I noticed that only one student in the whole school wasn’t wearing a mask,” said Dr. Foster. “In many of our schools, all staff and students are electing to wear a mask,” Foster said.

While we currently are not able to require masks, it is strongly encouraged to help keep potential exposures down, especially during this major spike in COVID-19 cases around the state and nation. I am proud of these individuals for taking the extra safety precaution to keep themselves and others around them safe,” he added.

As per the current South Carolina law, school districts are not able to require students and staff to wear masks, but are strongly encouraging them.

The recommendation for wearing a mask applies for both unvaccinated and fully vaccinated.

South Carolina is among the GOP led states that bans mask requirement within the state.