South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced on Friday that he will lift the state “work-or-home” order and will allow outdoor dining at restaurants that practice social distancing, effective Monday.
The “work-or-home” order, which went into effect April 7, allowed residents to travel to work, visit family and obtain essential goods or services – but urged people to do so on their way to work or home. It was not a stay-at-home order, but encouraged people to limit their movement to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
"We have a lot of people who say we’re going too fast and others say we’re going too slow," McMaster said of the lifting of restrictions. "I think we’re doing it just right.
"It’s impossible to please everybody," he continued, "but I am confident that the steps we’re taking with the advice and insight of professionals who know what they’re talking about … are giving us good information, good data, good science and a lot of good help."
Additionally, an order restricting travelers from so-called coronavirus “hot spots” and requiring a 14-day quarantine period for visitors from those areas has been lifted in South Carolina. That order is in effect immediately.
The lifting of the orders comes as South Carolina state epidemiologist Linda Bell says that the rate of infection in the state appears to be leveling. The test-positivity rate has been around 10%, Bell said.
McMaster said he hopes to soon relax restrictions on dine-in restaurant services and personal services, such as barbers and salons.
"I know that we are thinking about that and attempting to gather the information and data and experience that we need to make those decisions," he said. "I’d like to be able to make them today and say the virus is gone. But unfortunately, we can’t say that."
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