I assure you that all of the workers of that group as well as , butting in consolidating today we have announcements to 4, ithat is, effective may am removing the home or work order as a mandatory order. That means it will be voluntary. 6 went into effect on april and will go out of effect on monday. Order to allowhe for outside dining on site at restaurants. To the takeoutn and Delivery Service we had allowed that restricted them back in april. What they will do is follow the guidelines that have been issued by the South Carolina restaurant and lodging association. Guidelines ont of the seats, distance, where menus go, all those things to provide and alert customers as to the cautions being taken and hygiene in thoselemented facilities surrounding the restaurants. Peopleconfident that our are going to be able to implement those guidelines and have good service. Also, i am removing the restrictions we had imposed on hotspotsm rentals from , notably, listed by the cdc. There was a Domestic Travel inisory position for people these areas because they were hotspots. You remember the high rates of infections and deaths in those places. Of Disease Control issued a Domestic Travel advisory asking people to stay at home and not travel outside. That has been removed and therefore we are removing our restriction on the short term rentals. Also, we are removing the quarantine order that complemented that and required people to travel from those hotspots to quarantine for two weeks. Before they were allowed in the state. We are removing that quarantine as well. Also, i have issued a proclamation. The governor has called for a statewide day of prayer this sunday, may 3. Wellnk and others agree as that it is time we pause and thank god for where we are. Consoleto recognize and those who have lost loved ones, those who have let yet to lose loved ones. We want to thank all those who stood tall with our first , doctors, nurses, and assistance and all those involved who worked to keep us safe. Want to play for our future, which we know is very bright. We have been blessed in South Carolina and every now and then its important that we get together and realizing and realize it. We will have future decisions to make about restaurants and services, about the close contact of professions and work ,ervices, barbers, hairstylists spectator sports and things of those natures. Dueof those will come in course and depend on a number of including the limitations imposed and guidance by the United States constitution. Also, the compliance and behavior of the people of South Carolina. Im very proud of the way our people have responded to this emergency contagion. Well and has done very it has been recognized by the president and other states as well. We can parent on the common integrity, and nature of people in South Carolina to do what we think is necessary. So we will be making those decisions as soon as we can and as quickly as we can as we get our economy accelerating to where we want to be and where we were before. We have the lowest Unemployment Rate in the United States is this was booming, and it will boom again. We have had enormous leadership and cooperation by people all over the state. The next decision, we hope to make it soon and will be ,atching very closely the data compliance, and the successes are coming next week from these actions and others that we have taken before. With that, dr. Bell. Thank you, governor. We are reporting 160 new cases of covid19. It brings the total number of people confirmed to 6258. We are alsoy reporting 12 additional covid19 related deaths this includes total number of people who have died with a covid19 infection to 256. We have asked south carolinians to make great sacrifices. The steps we are taking collectively have been working. To provide theng current data about covid19 in our state and will consult daily with state partners to offer asdance based on that data well as federal recommendations with the cdc. The covid19 curve appears to be leveling. Plateauing, we will continue to monitor the. Urve we do know many who are infected have not yet been tested. I know many are waiting for a time and we can loosen restrictions. There is no data i can give that is a magic number when we can give that full loosening of restrictions. Public health data and other factors will help drive these difficult decision. In Public Health, we will continue to monitor and help follow a measured approach towards relaxing these restrictions. It is critical that everyone continues to follow recommendations and guidance to protect ourselves and the community. That weso critical intensify efforts to increase ongoing transition. To do that, we are focused on two key areas. That is enhancing testing in the community as a whole and in areas of increased risk for transmission. Going to enhance our efforts to conduct Contact Tracing. Our partners across the state are working on a plan to enhance areasg, particularly in where people are underserved. Tos means we will need increase Contact Tracing. Contact tracing involves identifying causative cases, interviewing those cases, and finding out who they have had close contact with so that we can then notify those individuals of the measures they need to take to monitor for illness and prevent additional thisd for individuals extensive Contact Tracing process helped cut short the transmission of disease in our communities, and as part of our response we have surged our numbers from 20 to over 200. Additionally, the elderly and africanamericans are being disproportionately impacted by covid19. The reason africanamericans are disproportionately impacted as they also suffer from a disproportionate effect of cardiovascular disease, chronic lung diseases like asthma, diabetes, hypertension, and other issues. So it is a Chronic Health disparity that puts africanamericans at higher risk of suffering complications. We recognize there is a critical need to address these inequities and we are partnering with the state, local authorities, the state office of Minority Affairs as well as Healthcare Providers who currently serve the communities. While we are working to enhance our efforts, we need to do more. We are exploring new ways to reach these groups, including partnerships i just mentioned and working to create more homes to provide services so that those conditions can be better controlled with access to care. Testing, theo steps to stop the spread of disease and flatten the curve are those we always mention, that is to practice all the measures in the community, to wear masks in public, to social distance, to avoid large groups, unlesst public activity necessary and to observe good hygiene. These are all lessons we will continue to reinforce to reduce the risk of exposure and infection in the state. You. Is anyone have any questions does anyone have any questions . Yes maam. The restaurant portion come is that also on may 4 . Yes maam. Thats on monday. The restrictions just lifted today. Do you believe now is the right time or do you think its too soon . Role in Public Health is to monitor disease activity. Its to make sure we detect cases when they occur, and when they are identified that we can take measures to prevent the spread of disease. We will continue to monitor the data that shows us what the disease activity is in the community and provide that information to the governors office. But our primary role is to make sure we have the best measures in place to identify measures to conduct Contact Tracing. We also have in place measures to enhance our disease surveillance so that we can hotspots, potential clusters of cases. That puts us in a position to be able to respond to these activities and that is our Public Health role. How long will it take us to see the effects of reopening restaurants . Current disease curve we ive saidring, repeatedly that those are all based on how well be do in the community. What that curve looks like will depend entirely on people taking measures to protect themselves and the community. And to avoid large gatherings that will increase the spread in large groups. Are what wills frame what the curve looks like. [inaudible] dr. Bell we are making sure that all the businesses, whatever type of business it is or whatever service theyre providing, is that we are giving them the best guidance to reduce the risk of in those settings. Closely withing Business Owners and organizations that represent businesses to make sure they about theuidance appropriate spacing of tables, that they have recommendations how their staff can provide services most safely to protect and their patrons. Our role is to provide that guidance to make sure the can have in place the best practices to prevent the community. In how possible bell, is the surge of this virus, is a possible we could be seeing surge . Dr. Bell we know this is transmitted from person to person. So when people come in close and if with each other theyre not observing protective measures, obviously theres a ongoing spread. Thats one factor. But the other factor is that efforts to increase testing and as we test more we expectre widely, to find more cases because we know theres still disease transmission in the community positive monitor those cases based on the total volume of tests that were performing more aboutll tell us actual disease activity and change. Theres a real reporter a question about restaurant protocols. Outlined andn given to restaurants . Gov. Mcmaster yes, theyre on the website and theyre very thorough. I also add that since this virus appeared, we know now there are some things that have changed. Thenow the dimensions of virus. We know how its spread. We didnt know exactly how that worked before. We know that. We know its persistence. We know much more about it now than we did in early march when in southappeared another thing, having gone into this with the various changes and restrictions required, our people have learned how to do these things and the reason for mask, like youre wearing, the reason for keeping rein tance, the reason for not touching things and touching your face and washing all of those things, keeping that distance. Weve learned that and i think understand itren whether theyll do it or not, that is, the children. We have become hym and highly educated informed on what were dealing toh and also the willingness comply by the people of the state, those are the things that us to move backing into where we want to be in our economy. Reporter . [indiscernable question] aboutcmaster the one lifting restrictions about travel coming into South Carolina are lifted now. Others, 12 01 a. M. Monday. Reporter restaurants with outdoor space. Are you worried youre picking winners and losers . Gov. Mcmaster no, this was the advice of the restaurant andciation, carefully meticulously planned. Recommending that is what be followed by the restaurants and the people. Reporter are they going to have capacity . Y 20 gov. Mcmaster not for outside dining but one thing that still applies under a state of emergencies is that statute that ago, that ifars you have a group of people ofsing problems in any kind state of emergency, they can be dispersed and if they dont do so, arrested. So that rule still applies state. The board in this lawmakers pushing to limit your powers, emergency that youre not moving fast enough to reopen the economy. This . Ou heard about gov. Mcmaster yes, maam, ive heard about this. Say were going too fast, others say were going too slow. Doing it just right. Its impossible to please everybody but im confident that with the weve taken advice and insight of people and professionals that know what about and among them have seen everything at least one time before, except maybe not the details of this particular virus, are giving us good information, good data, goodscience and a lot of help. Reporter decisions on other types of businesses that have wanted to reopen gyms, hair salons do you know when you lift restrictions . Gov. Mcmaster we are thinking that and attempting to gather the information and data and need to make makeience that we need to those decisions. Id like to make them today and say the virus is gone but unfortunately we cant say that. We know thats here. But we are constantly trying to determine the best and earliest to remove the remaining restrictions as fast as we can as safely as we can. Reporter dr. Bell, the models have been assuming that restrictions would be in effect may. Gh is this going to change the forecast for how the virus could affect the state moving forward . Dr. Bell as i said, those how well thesed on communities and individuals the recommendations to protect themselves and to enhancespread and as we our efforts to find all cases responsibilityur to prevent disease spread, and investigations to make sure that those who are are not active in the community and are monitoring for symptoms so that further spread not go on. So, again, we to the make sure placee have everything in to be able to identify cases, to foride prevention messages businesses and members of the community so that we can do that can to prevent increases in disease activity. Reporter you mentioned that the curve seems to be leveling out thatany are recommending we dont open businesses until we see decline. Do you see evidence of a decline up . Ng dr. Bell were seeing a flattening the curve. Again, we will continue to do surveillance to make sure that we are identifying cases and we predict whether or not that curve will go down or when. We just have to make sure from a Public Health perspective casese can find all those and can continue to make sure that prevention and control are in place. Reporter dr. Bell, what percentage of the population is tested now . What percentage do you want to get to . The totalout of population, i cant answer that question. Its not our goal to test every in South Carolina. It is our goal to test people who are sick. And so there are plans that make sureing on to that we are adequately sampling alldequately testing populations who might be sick. Ive raised this issue about care. To thats why were increasing testing sites. The goal is to make sure that we place throughg in new testing sites, through providers, to make sure that were able to test sick. Duals who are reporter increased testing what percentage are testing positive out of those being tested . Dr. Bell the percent testing positive has been around 10 of the total number of people weve tested. Reporter even with the increased testing . Dr. Bell i have not looked at the percent recently. Reporter governor, tell us about the information you used to believe lifting these restrictions is safe to do for carolinians. Gov. Mcmaster some of the data has been described by dr. Bell and at other times, by dr. Toomey. But in addition to those figures numbers, were looking at compliance. We get numbers from the department of Natural Resources state Law Enforcement division, department of public see as about what they compliance. Were looking at traffic information on the highways. Of course, we look carefully at these numbers announced every infections and deaths. But the whole picture, the complete picture includes things i mentioned a moment ago which understanding of the we understand this virus and its its capacity a lot more than we did when this began also the people of our state things thats necessary to do in order to keep the virus from spreading. Information and understanding has reached virtually everybody in the state. To get a while for that out and took a little while for people to actually believe it thresholdcrossed that so things are getting stronger. Knowledge, the understanding, as well as the actual numbers themselves, when them all together and also look at some of the experiences theyve had in other course look at the guidance in what they think from the centers for Disease Control, to consider all of those things together and thats the decisions. Yes, maam. Reporter i haves question home and work order, as well, that being lifted. People want to know what that means for them in terms of going to lakes and parks. Gov. Mcmaster everything the recommendations there were go home to go to work, and go out for necessary things. You know the businesses that were closed. Short list of businesses that were closed. People could go to those that goe open am we asked them to only when necessary. Dont take unnecessary trips, try to stay at work and home as possible. Thats still what we advise people because the contagion is still here. About it more now but it is still very much here and if month ago, if a you were very close to someone who had the contagion, you were likely to get it yourself because it is an aggressive disease. Likewise right now, if you are very close to someone who has you likely to get it just as much as you would month ago but the understanding that we have now of it and the measures that are taken, we had, i think when we started, dr. Toomey, dr. Bell, we had about dhic thatng people in could do the Contact Tracing, when someone is tested and found the disease,e with we had about 20 people to go out out whom their contacts were in order to check them out. Now we have over 200. That numbers growing. We hope to get more. Changed. S have we are very well educated on populatione and our is educated, as well. Reporter how can people who are being contact tracers, people who have been in the medical field before, how get in touch with the department on that and are you that . G for people like dr. Bell we are. Were looking for healthcare help withwho can that, students in training, students, undergraduate students. Theres an address found on our website and if people are interested in volunteering to help with contact investigations, off the top of my head, i would say submit that our dhec email address and someone will follow up. Just wanted to add one additional part to that because had a lot of people reach out to us. We have been talking to school teachers, furloughed healthcare workers but also pastors. Faithbased individuals are very interested in helping in many different ways. We have not a surplus people that are wanting to participate and help and the other thing that is very beneficial is the association of healthnd territorial officers. We were just talking about it a theye of days ago, and distributed an online teaching ofde for tracers so instead us having to develop our own our association distributed it. So thats going to help facilitate our efforts to to add individuals to help us. Governor, a lot of rallies held around the state asking you to reopen things. Have you felt pressure from those rallies . Gov. Mcmaster pressure is butrent in Public Office what we rely on is the advice, guidance, the information we receive from the professionals which weve done throughout, the experience of people in the arena and the goodwill and the fivetion of million wonderful people of South Carolina. Yes, maam. Reporter as you move to reopen businesses, do you have a plan place for if we see another surge or spike in the number of ases and, as well, as far group gatherings, can there be more than three people in a group now . Course. Aster of that is one of the most misunderstood statutes in the law books in South Carolina. That statute is activated upon declaration upon a state of emergency it can be for a virus, war,ornado, riots, anything else. There when the statute was passed many years ago but three orthe number, more people are causing problems and that could be for a crowd of or a crowd of 1,000 or a small group of three, yes, is in effect now, is in effect every time theres an declaration, state of emergency declared. At threenot aimed people. It can be used if you have three the healthreatening of others but typically its used for larger groups. Jamie . Groups the three thats not the question i asked but thats fine. Do go up, docases you anticipate issuing another work from home, stayathome order . Gov. Mcmaster well cross that bridge when we come to it and well be very careful as we have been. We do not expect that to happen if it does, i assure you, we can ramp up quickly. How to do it. Weve gone through it this far. Lines of communication are set. Listen, weve had a lot of with this sort of thing, unlike some other states acause seems like we have hurricane just about every year so its the same network of healthwith more authorities involved this time. So now that we have been through necessary, well be able to ramp back up. We hope its not necessary. As dr. Toomey and dr. Bell and everyone else has said from this podium and the if we all follow those rules, follow the guidelines, doch that social distancing, all the things that we have been and mothers days coming up. Your momma told you to wash your hands and cover your nose and mouth if you cough, as long as we do those simple things and use common sense, we ought to be just fine because were taking calibrated and protect theteps to safety and dr. Bell has said health, that is, your physical health and economic health, Public Health, are all the same thing. Samere all part of the package. Thank you. Announcer washington journal primetime, a special evening edition of the washington journal. On the federal response to the coronavirus pandemic. Guests, dr. Michael saag, physician andase professor at the university of alabama at Birmingham School of us to talk about the latest in Clinical Care for covid19 patients. David quammen, author of spillover, animal infections and the next human pandemic at infections that pass between humans and animals. Join the conversation tonight at 8 00 eastern on cspan. Announcer sunday night on q a, how south sudanese video game developer is bringing peace aom the referee experience to wider audience. These are people raised in mindset even in the camp when iking about war so was playing, how about if these video Start Playing this game. In the video game, same thing happening in my country, killing people and and it will feel like this is how things are done. About playingw video game for peace and conflict resolution. Night at watch sunday 8 00 p. M. Eastern on cspans q a. Heard you have done yoursecurity checks in office. Members of congress dont know good cybertice hygiene. Ive taken two trips overseas and ive gotten a phone that is check out from the travel office, its not associated with me, its a travel phone and i take a travel phone and many but some dont know its a priority because you never know when you plug that in, what might get loaded on it, who might come in contact with it. Iats one of the steps that take. Announcer virginia democratic abigail spane berger on the steps she takes to safeguard or capitol hill office. Communicators monday night 8 00 p. M. Eastern. Today, Governor John Bel Edwards gave an update on the states response to the pandemic. S the governor urged louisianans stayathomeh a order, extended to may 15. He talked about allowing people at outdoor restaurants as long as they w