SLO County could reopen for business soon, after state eases its criteria
San Luis Obispo County retail stores and restaurants could be back open for business soon.
Local officials said they believe the county will be able to enter the next level of the state’s phased reopening plan — which includes allowing for in-restaurant dining and the full reopening of retail stores — in the coming days, though they did not have a specific day on which it could happen.
“I will say we have the criteria to move forward … in a matter of days,” public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news conference Monday.
The announcement came after Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed Monday that 53 of the state’s 58 counties will be allowed to enter a deep Phase 2 of the state’s reopening plan, marking a significant step toward re-starting of California’s economy.
“We are empowering our local health directors and county officials that understand their local communities and conditions better than any of us,” Newsom said during a news conference. “This is a dynamic period that we’re in.”
Under the new looser restrictions, counties have to show they haven’t had a more than 5% increase in coronavirus hospitalizations in the past week, or that they have had fewer than 20 patients hospitalized on a single day in the past two weeks. Counties also have to show they have no more than 25 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 14 days, or a positive test rate of less than 8%.
The state has already allowed 24 counties to begin reopening, according to Newsom.
As of Monday, San Luis Obispo County had 15 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents and a peak of six residents hospitalized in the past two weeks — both well below the state’s adjusted requirements, according to Borenstein.
Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham, who represents San Luis Obispo County, applauded the governor’s announcement Monday afternoon, calling it a “major victory for the people of the Central Coast.”
“Today is a day of hope and renewal,” he said in a statement. “We have asked our residents to make incredible sacrifices over the past two months. They have risen to the challenge at enormous personal cost. Now we can begin to rebuild our lives and our communities under our own control. And together, we will rebuild.”
The county must now submit paperwork to the state showing that it meets the new requirements. The San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors will consider the attestation at its meeting Tuesday.
From there, it will wait for approval from the state’s public health department; once approved, county businesses could begin the process of reopening immediately.
In a news release Monday afternoon, the county said the state could make its determination as soon as this week.
“I am hopeful that that will happen as immediately as possible, but I cannot predict when that will happen,” Borenstein said.
Fourth District Supervisor Lynn Compton described the announcement as “the best news we’ve heard in months,” and urged business owners to start getting ready for reopening.
This includes reviewing public health guidelines, adapting workplaces to fit social distancing requirements, training employees and filling out a form with the county to show you are ready to reopen.
“We trust that you are going to do the right thing as we move forward,” Compton said during the news conference.
This story was originally published May 18, 2020 at 3:46 PM.
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