Early Monday, Representative and House Minority Leader Todd Rutherford of Richland County held a press conference in support of a “responsible reopening” of South Carolina businesses.
Rutherford advocated against a complete reopening of the state – like the one seen in Georgia – but believes that Governor McMaster should take the next steps towards establishing a new normal for South Carolina.
The Democrat argued that the state cannot return to the status quo and must continue to enforce social distancing guidelines as issued by DHEC and the CDC, but requested the creation of a hotline run by the Department of Commerce that would address an individual business’s ability to safely and strategically reopen to the public.
Rutherford also called for reform in the metrics used by Governor McMaster and state health officials to analyze the spread of COVID-19. He argued that the numbers provided by DHEC regarding cases of the disease do not take into account those who have recovered and are no longer contagious, making this data inaccurate and obsolete.
“It is improper to use a number that is five thousand,” said Rutherford, referring to the total number of the state’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, “if seventy-two percent of that number have already recovered.”
Rutherford proposed that officials use the hospitalization rate of those affected by the disease as a new metric for projecting its potential spread and for use in drafting the state’s next steps towards reopening.
Rutherford additionally announced the wide-scale testing of those who live in the zip code area of 29203. The testing will begin Wednesday at Eau Claire High School and will be conducted by the Medical University of South Carolina. This is part of an effort to address health disparities that exist within the state, namely the accessibility of healthcare and testing to black South Carolinians.
Above all else, Representative Rutherford made clear his belief that Governor McMaster should do what is best for South Carolina rather than what is best for President Trump. Rutherford encouraged the governor to establish a reopening plan that is personalized for the state. Afterall, per Rutherford, “following the Trump administration – ingesting detergent or bleach – is simply not the way to go.”