The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is changing the way they are reporting COVID information. DHEC stated the change is part of their continuous improvement effort to enhance the quality of information DHEC provides.
The daily COVID-19 data will be provided with a 24-hour delay beginning Nov. 27, 2020. DHEC states the delay will allow for more robust analysis of data before it is publicly reported. DHEC’s epidemiologists and data analysts will have greater time to review the vast amounts of data and information reported to the agency each day and will have additional time for data validation, verification of death reports, and improvements in processing large data files submitted from reporting partners. This also will allow DHEC’s data and medical experts more time to identify and investigate any data inconsistencies or abnormalities, the said.
According to DHEC officials, this transition in no way affects the agency’s efforts to protect public health and limit disease spread. Case investigators will continue to attempt contact with all positive cases within 24 hours of our notification of their positive result.
Hospital bed occupancy information will continue to be updated daily without a 24-hour delay, as that is information reported by hospitals directly to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services each day.
Additionally, the agency will not report daily COVID-19 numbers on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day or New Year’s Day. Data for those three days will be clearly provided in the following day’s report. We encourage all South Carolinians to safely celebrate this holiday season and to remember the importance of mental and emotional health. It’s important to take breaks from watching, reading, or listening to news stories and social media, to make time to unwind and to connect with others.
