Coronavirus updates: SLO County facility makes testing supplies, virtual Easter egg hunt
San Luis Obispo County had 107 confirmed cases of coronavirus as of Friday, but county public officials say the region is “seeing a flattening of our curve.”
To prevent the spread of COVID-19, the county recommends wearing cloth face masks in public places. Meanwhile, local businesses are finding new strategies for survival as community members are promoting acts of kindness ranging from cheerful signs to oversized tips.
Here are your local updates for Friday:
SLO County health officials: Wear face masks in public
San Luis Obispo County Public Health officials now recommend residents wear masks when they leave their homes to go to certain public places.
Residents should not purchase surgical and N95 masks to ensure that medical-grade masks are available for health care providers. Instead, the county recommends people wear “cloth face coverings.”
Specifically, they should cover their faces “if they are unable to maintain a safe six feet of distance from others when conducting essential activities outside of the home, such as grocery shopping or picking up medicine,” a news release said Thursday.
Paso Robles boutique feels love from customers
General Store Paso Robles is still feeling the love from customers, even at a distance.
The downtown Paso Robles boutique, known for its curated selection of books, gifts and locally made spice blends and bath products, has been shuttered for weeks. So the store has gone entirely online — offering everything from puzzles to locally made lotions to shoppers.
“People are going out of their way to support us,” co-owner Joeli Yaguda said. “It’s been incredibly powerful to be on the receiving end of this.”
SLO County attorney shares coronavirus quarantine story
When attorney Brad Cornelius and his family were released from their home after a coronavirus quarantine earlier this week, they stepped foot into a vastly different world than the one they isolated themselves from nearly a month ago.
Cornelius and his wife — the second and third San Luis Obispo County residents to have tested positive for COVID-19 — had been in isolation in their Nipomo home since March 15.
Virtual Easter egg hunt taking over SLO County
Many things are different in San Luis Obispo County this Easter, including the egg hunts.
Because social distancing rules make a traditional egg hunt all but impossible, a Templeton resident has crafted a unique way to get kids and families into the Easter spirit: a virtual egg hunt.
Here’s how you and your family can get involved.
SLO County residents spreading kindness during COVID-19
Between stay-at-home orders and that magic six feet of social distance, San Luis Obispo County residents are more physically separated than perhaps ever before.
Despite the space between us, the community has still managed to come together as it unifies in the face of an invisible invader.
From a 5,000% tip at a local restaurant to a family dressing up and spreading smiles on Highway 1, San Luis Obispo residents are finding small ways to prove we are stronger together.
Local biotech company supplies coronavirus test kits
A Wisconsin-based biotechnology company with a facility in San Luis Obispo is helping to meet the vast demand of coronavirus test kits worldwide.
Promega Corp., which employs 75 people at its Promega Biosciences subsidiary in San Luis Obispo, has produced materials used in testing about 25 million potential coronavirus samples around the world, according to company officials.
3 more local COVID-19 cases
San Luis Obispo County added 3 newly confirmed coronavirus patients on Friday, bringing the total number of cases to 107, according to ReadySLO.org.
The number of new local cases of COVID-19 — the illlness caused by the new coronavirus — has remained low, even as Public Health officials have increased testing.
This story was originally published April 10, 2020 at 10:26 AM.
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