S.C. Governor McMaster is ordering non-essential businesses to close across the Palmetto State effective Wednesday, April 1st, due to the spread of COVID-19.
Restaurants, pharmacies, banks, grocery stores and gas stations/convenience stores will all remain open during the order, and takeout/curbside delivery by restaurants will still be permitted.
Closing will be hair salons, fitness centers, real estate offices, nail salons, clothing stores, bowling alleys and all other businesses that are not essential to daily life and survival.
Bigger stores like Target and WalMart will remain open, as they also carry groceries, an essential item.
According to S.C. Governor McMaster, the closure includes businesses in three categories:
Entertainment – bowling alleys, night clubs, arcades, concert halls, theaters, auditoriums, performing arts centers, tourist attractions including museums, racetracks , indoor children play areas (not daycares), adult entertainment venues, bingo halls, venues operated by social clubs
Athletic facilities and activities – fitness centers and gyms, spas and public pools, spectator sports, events that require shared sporting equipment, public playground equipment
Close contact service providers – barber shops, hair salons, waxing salons, nail salons, spas, body art facilities, tattoo parlors, tanning salons, massage therapy
Expect Lowe’s and Home Depot to remain open, as well as liquor stores and auto repair shops; as those are also considered essential.
This is the Governor’s most extreme move yet in fighting the spread of COVID-19 here in South Carolina.
Yesterday, he closed all public access to the state’s waterways, including boat docks, in order to stop folks from congregating on beaches and sandbars, which goes against the current social distancing guidelines from the CDC.
Stay Up To Date On What’s Going On In Beaufort
READ: Governor orders closing of all SC beaches and boat landings
READ: South Carolina state parks closed until April 30th
READ: 6 ways you can help support Beaufort’s small businesses today
READ: Free parking spaces dedicated to curbside pickup in downtown
