Coronavirus updates: SLO County offers testing for all, jets honor healthcare workers
San Luis Obispo County added five new coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the total number of local COVID-19 patients to 227.
Although the state is being to reopen, the California State University system announced that most classes will remain online through the fall.
And healthcare workers are being honored with singing, bells and fighter jets.
Here are your local updates for Wednesday:
Coronavirus testing available for all SLO County residents
San Luis Obispo County has expanded COVID-19 testing to all county residents, with or without coronavirus symptoms.
“We’ve expanded our testing capacity and I encourage everyone who would like to be tested to take advantage of this opportunity, even if you do not have symptoms,” county public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release Wednesday.
Testing is available with appointments at sites in Paso Robles and Grover Beach. The testing sites will be open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, the county said.
Fighter jets to fly over Central Coast to honor healthcare workers
The U.S. Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing will do a flyover across the Central Coast and Northern California on Wednesday to honor healthcare workers, first responders and essential personnel.
The planes are expected to fly over San Luis Obispo County around 11:20 a.m. A full schedule of their path is available via Facebook at www.facebook.com/144thFighterWing.
Most Cal Poly classes will not return to campus in the fall
California State University Chancellor Timothy White announced at a Tuesday board of trustees meeting that the university system’s plan to limit in-person classes at its 23 schools “will result in CSU courses primarily being delivered virtually.”
White also laid out some potential exceptions to those plans, including hands-on classes and projects required for engineering, agriculture and architecture. All are high-profile programs at Cal Poly.
Just one week ago, Cal Poly sent a letter to the university community saying it was hopeful to have some classes to return to campus. The San Luis Obispo university has yet to comment on the chancellor’s announcement.
Cambria community rings bells, sings for healthcare workers
Neighbors on Cambria’s Kerry Street hold mini-concerts from a rooftop each Friday night. They also ring bells at 8 p.m.
The bell ringing and singing are ways that the Cambria community are coming together while staying apart. The rituals reflect neighbors’ deep appreciation for healthcare workers.
This story was originally published May 13, 2020 at 10:15 AM.
