Coronavirus updates: SLO County movie theaters reopen, new local cases
San Luis Obispo County added seven new coronavirus cases on Friday, bring the total number of local patients who have tested positive for COVID-19 to 324, according to ReadySLO.org.
Here are your updates for Friday:
SLO County movie theaters get go-ahead to reopen
San Luis Obispo County public health officer Penny Borenstein announced Friday that local movie theaters have been given the go ahead to reopen, after months-long coronavirus closures.
They’ll be opening with some changes, however, per the state’s reopening recommendations.
Occupancy in theaters must be 25% of normal, or a maximum of 100 people — whichever is lower.
To help with this, seats could be closed or reconfigured to maintain social distancing. Some seats could be covered with disposable or washable seat covers that could be replaced between uses.
The state’s guidance also says face coverings should be worn by patrons, at least when entering or exiting the theater and when coming in contact with employees.
New coronavirus cases bring SLO County total to 324
San Luis Obispo County added seven confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, according to ReadySLO.org. A total of 324 local residents have now tested positive for COVID-19 since March.
Atascadero, Morro Bay, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo added one case each. Nipomo added two cases and Grover Beach added one.
Of the total COVID-19 cases, 35 are active.
Hotel Cerro reopens in SLO after coronavirus closure
Hotel Cerro reopened for business in downtown San Luis Obispo on Thursday after shuttering March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The hotel’s restaurant, Brasserie SLO, reopened Friday to hotel guests and the public for breakfast, lunch and dinner, with expanded outdoor seating options at its The Fig Tree Terrace.
Hotel Cerro said it’s taking several steps to ensure health and safety, including amenity bags for guests with face masks and sanitizer. All employees are required to wear masks, and housekeepers must wear personal protective equipment when cleaning rooms, changing gloves between each room.
After years of planning, Hotel Cerro announced its long-awaited opening in January — only to shut down two months later when the pandemic first hit, along with other local hotels.
SLO County sees second-highest COVID-19 case increase
San Luis Obispo County added 11 confirmed coronavirus cases on Thursday, according to ReadySLO.org.
Thursday’s increase is the second highest single-day increase in COVID-19 cases in the county. The biggest single-day jump in cases was April 24, when 14 new coronavirus cases were reported.
Atascadero and Arroyo Grande each added two cases. Paso Robles, San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay each added a single case. And the four additional new cases are in areas with fewer than five cases.
Of the total COVID-19 cases, 37 are active.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 1:30 PM.
