This week, the Biden administration said it will not achieve President Joe Biden’s goal of 70 percent of American adults to receive one vaccine shot or more by the Fourth of July. 
 Biden had set two goals of having at least one shot administered to 70 percent of adults across the country and having 160 million adults fully vaccinated by the Fourth of July.
 Following the CDC’s announcement that the COVID-19 B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant has been classified as a variant of concern, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) is encouraging all eligible people to get vaccinated.
 Officials said this is especially important for young adults, who are part of the most unvaccinated age group nationwide and in South Carolina.
 “In South Carolina, only 17,000 South Carolinians age 20-24 have received at least one shot, which is by far the lowest vaccination number for any eligible age group in the state. We need to change that,” said Dr. Brannon Traxler, public health director. “The Delta variant especially can be dangerous even for this age group. In addition, unvaccinated young adults could carry the variant and pass it to their parents, grandparents, and other vulnerable people in our communities.”
 The Delta variant was first identified in India and carries a higher rate of transmission and a greater chance of severe disease than other COVID-19 variants. In South Carolina, four confirmed cases of the variant have been discovered. It is important to note that Delta variant testing is not a routine part of DHEC’s COVID-19 testing. Rather, randomly selected positive samples are tested via whole-genome sequencing in labs. That means there are likely other undetected cases of the variant in the state.
 In the state, only 40.6 percent have been fully vaccinated while only 6,333 have been fully vaccinated in the county.
 Locations in the county administering vaccines include:
 —The Marlboro County Health Department, which will have a clinic every Tuesday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. 
 — CareSouth Carolina will offer several opportunities for vaccinations in its mobile units. Dates, times, and locations include June 28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., 300 N. Main St., McColl; June 29, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Clio Community Center; and June 30, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Bennettsville Community Center.

COVID-19 update
The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control confirmed five new COVID-19 cases in the last week.
The total confirmed number of COVID-19 cases in the county rose to 3,503 with 57 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths. 
The total number of cases statewide is now 492,869 with 8,629 confirmed deaths.
Nationally, there were 33.5 million confirmed cases and 602,000 deaths.
 
      Testing
COVID-19 testing is available from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. 
Monday-Friday at the Marlboro County Health Department, 711 S. Parsonage Street in Bennettsville. People are encouraged to sign up at covidtest.dhec.sc.gov. Results can be emailed in 3-5 days or be delivered by postal mail in 7 days.
CareSouth Carolina will offer opportunities for COVID-19 testing. These screenings are free and use mouth swabs. Results are usually back in 3-4 business days.
Dates, times, and locations include:
— June 25, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., CareSouth Carolina, McColl.