There were rumblings that South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster intended to reopen the state. The rumblings were picked up by the national news. The problem is that my Sister and Brother-in-law work in retail grocery. I’m already worried about them. What happens with an influx of visitors to the 250-plus hotels in Myrtle Beach? I checked out the Governor’s twitter feed and found a tweet that needed a reply:
On Monday, the Governor loosened restrictions on beaches, jewelry stores, and other essential pursuits. So, he got this Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request tonight:
Via Email: FOIA@governor.sc.gov
Office of the Governor,
State of South Carolina
C/O Custodian of Records
State House
1100 Gervais Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Dear Custodian of Records,
Under the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, §30-4-10 et. seq., I am requesting copies of the public records in the Office of the Governor of South Carolina as described as follows: Every record of any sort, whether digital or paper or otherwise, in any form whatsoever, including emails, text messages, memorandums, notes, or any other recorded methods, dated on or before April 20, 2020, which shows a dedicated list of each county in South Carolina and the number of Covid-19 Test kits and ventilators available therein.
If there are any fees for searching or copying these records, please inform me if the cost will exceed $50.00. However, I would also request a waiver of fees in that the disclosure of the requested information is in the public interest and will contribute significantly to the public's understanding of the Governor's recent actions regarding the Coronavirus pandemic. This information is not being sought for commercial purposes.
The South Carolina Freedom of Information Act requires a response within 15 business days. If access to the records that I request will take longer, please contact me with information about when I might expect copies. If you deny any or all of this request, please cite each specific exemption you feel justifies the refusal to release the information and notify me of the appeal procedures available to me under the law.
Thank you for considering my request.
Sincerely,
I happen to know that testing is less than insanely inadequate in Myrtle Beach. This is from a local television station report of a City Council meeting on Monday morning:
Debbie Borst, the area’s infectious control nurse, said a major concern presently is the lack of adequate testing. She noted she can currently only test first responders who are showing symptoms.
Borst questioned if the number of confirmed cases along the Grand Strand is truly accurate. She worried the lower numbers would give the public a false sense of security.
“I’m not sure we’ve hit a peak yet,” Borst said.
Dr. Edward Schwartz, the chief medical officer for CareHere, said there are three things communities must consider as they look at reopening.
First, he said they must make sure hospitals have infrastructure and availability to take care of patients who become ill.
Second, the community must have a good number of testing supplies and personal protective equipment for testing.
Finally, Schwartz said the community must be able to efficiently track cases.
You can send a FOIA or Public Records request to your red state governor to find out what information he or she used to open up their state. Here is a valuable resource for that purpose. If you have any questions or need any help in preparing your own records request, please send me a kosmail. I will be happy to help.