CDC Director Dr. Robert Redfield spoke with South Carolina Governor McMaster this week about the upcoming flu season, COVID-19 statistics, mental health in South Carolina, and opioid usage during the pandemic. These topics prompted serious discussion on what needs to be addressed moving forward, however one of the statistical points that stood out during the discussion was the breakdown of COVID-19 deaths in South Carolina.
As of Thursday, October 15, 2020, there have been 3,400 COVID-19 related deaths in South Carolina, many of which reportedly had one or more of the following conditions:
- 60.4% had cardiovascular disease
- 34.6% had diabetes
- 30.9% had a neurologic or intellectual disability
- 22.7% had COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)
- 21.2% had kidney disease
- 13% had congestive heart failure
- 12.% had a previous stroke
In terms of moving forward with the pandemic and taking on the upcoming flu season head on, CDC Director Dr. Redfield stated the following:
“It’s important to continue taking this pandemic seriously,” said CDC Director Dr. Redfield. “Please continue to be smart about crowds, particularly indoors. Continue to wear a face mask. And continue to wash your hands. Also, as people spend more time indoors in the fall and winter, the risk of flu and COVID-19 will rise. We can help take flu out of that equation. I urge the American public to embrace flu vaccination with confidence.”