Here’s where the CDC wants people to mask up the most for COVID in SC right now

More people living in 32 South Carolina counties should wear masks because of high rates of COVID-19, federal health officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest community levels map shows 32 counties with high levels of COVID-19. Another 12 counties have medium levels, while the other two counties were reported to have low levels of the virus.

The CDC recommends communities with high levels of COVID-19 wear masks indoors in public and on public transportation. It also recommends staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines, get tested if you have symptoms and, if you are at high risk for severe illness, to take additional precautions.

For communities at medium levels, the CDC recommends people wear masks if they have symptoms, have had a positive test or were recently exposed to someone with COVID-19.

The latest South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control statistics shows that as of Aug. 6, cases of COVID-19 were up 4.5% over the previous week. Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 were up 1.% over the previous week.

Meanwhile, vaccinations for the virus were down 17.7% over the prior week.

Here are the 32 counties with high COVID-19 levels, according to the CDC.

1. Anderson

2. Greenville

3. Oconee

4. Pickens

5. Spartanburg

6. Cherokee

7. Union

8. Laurens

9. Greenwood

10. Newberry

11. Fairfield

12. Richland

13. Lexington

14. Edgefield

15. Aiken

16. Barnwell

17. Hampton

18. Beaufort

19. Charleston

20. Dorchester

21. Berkeley

22. Georgetown

23. Horry

24. Marion

25. Florence

26. Dillon

27. Marlboro

28. Chesterfield

29. McCormick

30. Darlington

31. Colleton

32. Jasper

Here are the 12 counties with medium COVID-19 levels.

1. Saluda

2. York

3. Chester

4. Lancaster

5. Kershaw

6. Bamburg

7. Orangeburg

8. Calhoun

9. Abbeville

10. Allendale

11. Sumter

12. Williamsburg

Here are the two counties with low COVID-19 levels.

1. Lee County

2. Clarendon County