The Town of James Island remains at OPCON Level 2 and in a state of emergency due to COVID-19.
STAY AT HOME!
The Governor has issued a Mandatory "Stay at Home or Work" order that will go into effect today, Tuesday April 7th at 5 pm.
The Governor says everyone should stay at home unless they are working, visiting family, obtaining necessary goods and services or enjoying outdoor recreation and exercise while maintaining social distancing.
Retailers Businesses must limit customers to no more than five per 1,000 square feet or 20% of the capacity determined by the State Fire Marshal.
Violating this order is a misdemeanor, and can result in a 30 day jail sentence or a $1000 fine.
UPDATES SINCE LAST NEWS RELEASE:
MUSC health screening can be reached by phone for those without internet at: 843-792-2300
Charleston County Courts lobby will be open from 10-2 weekdays but only for drop box deliveries. Anything else you should call ahead for instructions.
JAMES ISLAND - James Island (29412) has 29 cases testing positive for COVID-19, Many more people are likely infected and have not yet shown symptoms or are already ill and have not been tested. SCDHEC is estimating a factor of 9 which would imply as many as 261 total cases on Jame Island. The positive cases are due to exposure in the past. To control spread of this disease, we must continue to practice social distancing now.
Peak demand for hospitalization in South Carolina is projected to be April 24. https://covid19.healthdata.org/projections This is 4 days earlier than the previous estimate but may change with new information. The danger from contagion will likely be increasing for the next several weeks.
Remain at least six feet away from other people, especially for extended periods of time (30 minutes or more.) Wash your hands often with soap and water. Avoid touching your face. Cough or sneeze into your elbow. Help protect your fellow James Islanders by wearing a cloth mask when making necessary trips to grocery stores, pharmacies, or for health care.
ADDITIONAL ORDERS FROM THE GOVERNOR
Governor McMaster has expanded his original order closing non-essential businesses to now include the following types of stores: furniture, jewelry, department, clothing and shoes, florists, books, crafts and music stores. Stores that can remain open include grocery stories, gas stations, hardware stores, home improvement stores and firearm retailers.This order will go into effect Monday, April 6 at 5 p.m.
His previous order closed entertainment venues and facilities, recreational and athletic facilities and activities, along with close-contact service providers such as barbershop, hair salons, nail salons and massage services. All businesses allowed to remain open should practice social distancing to protect both their employees and customers.
https://www.cdc.gov/.../commu.../guidance-business-response.html<https://www.cdc.gov/%E2%80%A6/commu%E2%80%A6/guidance-business-response.html>
Short-term rentals throughout the state have been closed to people traveling from coronavirus hotspots across the country. This includes hotels, short-term rentals, vacation homes, B&B's, timeshares, etc.
The Governor has closed all public access to beaches and boat landings including those on James Island and Folly Beach.
ECONOMIC RECOVERY ASSISTANCE
The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that distribution of economic impact payments will begin in the next three weeks and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people. However, some taxpayers who typically do not file returns will need to submit a simple tax return to receive the economic impact payment. For more information regarding what to expect, please visit https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/economic-impact-payments-what-you-need-to-know
Small Business Loans including bridge loans with advances up to $10,000 that doesn't have to be paid back, visit - www.sba.gov<http://www.sba.gov>
Charleston Chamber Resource Page https://www.charlestonchamber.org/coronavirus-resources/...
CDC Guidance for Business Community https://www.cdc.gov/.../commu.../guidance-business-response.html
Low Country Local First
https://lowcountrylocalfirst.org/what-were-doing-to-help-o.../
TOWN OF JAMES ISLAND AND SURROUNDING AGENCIES- Town Council held a special meeting on April 1st authorizing the use of electronic meetings for Town committees and councils, except the Board of Zoning Appeals. Town Council will be holding it's regularly-scheduled Town Council meeting on April 16th via Zoom and it will be also be live-streamed on the Town's YouTube channel, link found here: http://www.jamesislandsc.us/videos-and-meeting-archive. The agenda and information on how to provide public comment will be forthcoming.
On March 19, 2020, James Island Town Council adopted an emergency ordinance that deferred the Town's collection of hospitality taxes for 60 days due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. Businesses are asked to continue to collect taxes from patrons, but the businesses are not required to remit those monies at this time. Once collections resume you will be able to submit payments without penalty for the months deferred. Town Council also deferred enforcement of the plastics ban for 60 days, closed its parks, and allowed teleworking for non-essential employees.
Town Hall Operations - The Town Hall lobby is closed to the public. However, the Town continues to provide services via phone, email and through drop box operations. Many of our forms are available on our website at http://www.jamesislandsc.us/forms-and-documents and can be emailed into appropriate staff. Staff contact information can be found here: http://www.jamesislandsc.us/.../flyer_emergency-provision-of-...
The Town has closed its two parks; Pinckney Park and Dock Street Park. Charleston County Parks and Recreation and the City of Charleston have also closed their park systems.
The James Island Public Service District Administrative Office is closed the public. Payments for sewer service can be mailed or made electronically. For Wastewater Emergencies ONLY please Call 843-795-2345. The JIPSD has delayed cutoffs of sewer service. Garbage (Roller-bin) service yard debris pickup continues as usual. Pick-up of bulk items and construction waste is suspended. The JIPSD fire stations are closed to the public. For more information: https://www.jipsd.org/
Charleston County has activated a help line you can call from 9 am to 5 pm with questions concerning the pandemic. That number is 1-843-746-3900. Charleston County courts lobby will be open from 10-2 weekdays but only for drop box deliveries. Anything else you should call ahead for instructions. All Charleston County Office Buildings are closed to the public with services available by phone or email. For more information visit: https://www.charlestoncounty.org/clickandgo.php
Charleston County School District has temporarily closed all schools thru April 30th.
Charleston County School District will be offering a drive-thru "Grab & Go" Style Meal Service consisting of breakfast and lunch for students at 15 sites within the District. The site on James Island is Harborview Elementary School. Pick-ups are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between the hours of 11 am and 1 pm.
For more information and a full list of meal sites and information on further updates on distance learning, please visit www.ccsdschools.com<http://www.ccsdschools.com>
CDC GUIDANCE - The Town of James Island recommends citizens follow the guidelines from the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
DHEC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) homepage: https://www.scdhec.gov/.../.../coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19
CDC Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) homepage: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html
Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children: https://www.cdc.gov/.../201.../specific-groups/children-faq.html
Those with questions about COVID-19 can call the DHEC Care Line at 1-855-472-3432. Staff is answering calls Monday - Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
If you are experiencing symptoms, MUSC is offering free drive-thru testing at the West Ashley Citadel Mall. Please complete the information on MUSC telehealth to get an appointment before going to the drive-thru. MUSC Tele-health: https://campaigns.muschealth.org/virtual-care/index.html. You can also call 843-792-2300.
The Town remains vigilant in monitoring Coronavirus/COVID-19 and its continuing impact on our region by making every effort to educate our staff and the public. Updates will be released and posted to the Town's website at www.jamesislandsc.us<http://www.jamesislandsc.us>, the Town's social media platforms, and distributed to our email distribution list. Send an email to info@jamesislandsc.us<mailto:info@jamesislandsc.us> to subscribe to our weekly meeting notifications and news releases.