Coronavirus updates: Santa Barbara County beaches close, SLO cases up among young people
San Luis Obispo County added 33 cases of coronavirus on Thursday, bringing the total number of local cases to 675, according to ReadySLO.org.
As Independence Day approaches, the city of San Luis Obispo is closing bars while the county plans to keep local beaches and businesses open during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Here are your local updates for Thursday.
Santa Barbara County closes beaches for Fourth of July weekend
Following the lead of other California counties, Santa Barbara County’s public health officer decided to close local beaches for the Fourth of July weekend.
Dr. Henning Ansorg’s order came out Thursday and will be in effect all of Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the Public Health Department.
“The temporary closure of all beaches is necessary due to the anticipated high volume of people at our beaches during the July 4th weekend, which will impede the practice of safe and necessary social distancing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Santa Barba County,” he said in a statement.
When the county says all public beaches in the county will be closed, it means surfing, kayaking and other water sports are allowed, and so is walking or running on the beach, but “sitting, lying, standing, sunbathing, sight-seeing, picnicking, and all other non-exercise, passive or sedentary activities are prohibited.”
More SLO County residents under 30 test positive for COVID-19
ore than one-third of San Luis Obispo County residents who’ve tested positive for coronavirus are under age 30 — a trend that local public health officials attribute to young people going out more and spending time in riskier settings.
About 37% of people locally confirmed to have COVID-19 are 29 and younger, according to county Public Health Department data updated on Thursday.
Nearly 10% of those who tested positive for the disease are 17 and younger, while about 27% are 18 to 29 and another 27% are 30 to 49.
“We are absolutely seeing ... that young adults — older teens, young adults — are beginning to contract this disease in large numbers,” Dr. Penny Borenstein, county public health officer, said during a Wednesday news conference.
Paso Robles olive, lavender festivals postponed
Two Paso Robles festivals have been postponed due to coronavirus concerns, according to a news release from the Paso Robles Downtown Main Street Association.
The Paso Robles Olive Festival was originally scheduled to be held in early May, while the Central Coast Lavender Festival would have taken place July 11.
The two events were combined as the Paso Robles Olive & Central Coast Lavender Festival, tentatively scheduled for Aug, 22, but now the festivals have been postponed further until 2021.
“Main Street’s focus and priority is the safety and health of their attendees, sponsors, volunteers and attendees,” the association said in the release, noting that Main Street events that are scheduled between September and December have not been postponed or canceled at this time.
San Luis Obispo to close bars, breweries for Fourth of July
San Luis Obispo officials on Wednesday announced all bars in the city must close during the Fourth of July weekend.
City manager Derek Johnson — acting as emergency services director — issued the closure order, which will take effect at 10 p.m. Thursday and remain in place until Monday, according to a city news release.
The order applies to all bars, pubs, breweries, wine tasting venues and “other on-sale alcohol establishments,” the release said. Restaurants are exempt from the order.
Starting on Monday, San Luis Obispo bars and other drinking establishments can reopen —but they must operate at only 25% of capacity and must follow state and county health measures, the city said.
SLO County beaches remain open despite coronavirus concerns
Unlike their Southern California counterparts, San Luis Obispo County beaches will be open this holiday weekend.
“We are not going to be shutting things down this weekend,” county public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said at a news briefing Wednesday. ”We have an expectation the community can rise to the occasion and do the right thing.”
Borenstein said despite an increase in new local coronavirus cases, and orders from the state to shutter beaches in Southern California and beach parking lots in the Bay Area ahead of the Fourth of July weekend, San Luis Obispo County does not anticipate closing any of its local beaches or businesses.
Borenstein noted that additional law enforcement would be out and about over the holiday weekend to encourage people to comply with social distancing and mask requirements.
SLO County adds 31 cases of coronavirus
San Luis Obispo County reported 31 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, as well as the death of a 94-year-old patient who was hospitalized with COVID-19 for about two weeks.
The first San Luis Obispo County resident to die of coronavirus died in early April.
As of Wednesday, there were 175 active COVID-19 patients in San Luis Obispo County, the highest yet number of active patients locally.
San Luis Obispo added seven cases and Paso Robles added six since Tuesday. Nipomo added four cases and Los Osos added three.
Atascadero, Templeton, San Miguel, Cambria and Grover Beach each added two cases. Arroyo Grande, Oceano and locations listed as “other” added one new case each.
Second SLO County patient dies from COVID-19
A second San Luis Obispo County resident has died due to the new coronavirus.
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department announced Wednesday that the 94-year-old patient was hospitalized with severe COVID-19 illness for about two weeks.
“We extend our sincere condolences to the patient’s loved ones, and out of respect for their privacy, we will not release any more details about the patient,” county public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release. “This loss is a sad reminder that we must all do our part to protect our most vulnerable family, neighbors and community members.”
The first person to die of coronavirus died in early April.
This story was originally published July 2, 2020 at 9:16 AM.
