Coronavirus updates: 12th SLO County resident dies; elementary schools could reopen
San Luis Obispo County added 21 coronavirus cases Wednesday, bringing the local total to 1,710 cases since mid-March.
The county also reported an additional coronavirus-related death tied to a nursing home in Templeton on Wednesday.
San Luis Obispo County has remained on the state’s COVID-19 watch list as cases continue to rise. However, it would take a modified state order for businesses to reopen even if the county’s case rate decreases.
Many local restaurants and shops are adapting to a new way of operating.
Here are you local updates for Wednesday:
12th SLO County resident dies due to COVID-19
A 12th San Luis Obispo County resident has died due to coronavirus, the county announced in a news release Wednesday.
The resident was in their 80s and lived at Vineyard Hills Health Center in Templeton, a skilled nursing facility that is currently experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak among staff and residents, according to the county.
As of Wednesday, four residents and one former resident at Vineyard Hills Health Center, a skilled nursing facility in Templeton, have died due to COVID-19 since the outbreak began, according to the release.
SLO County elementary schools could reopen in the fall
San Luis Obispo County elementary schools could hold in-person instruction this fall if they meet certain criteria, county public health officials announced Wednesday.
According to a county news release, San Luis Obispo County Superintendent of Schools James Brescia and county public health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein sent a joint letter to local elementary school leaders this week, notifying them of the process to apply for a waiver that would allow the schools to reopen this fall.
The county Public Health Department will begin accepting waiver application submissions Wednesday.
SLO County adds 21 COVID-19 cases
San Luis Obispo County added 21 new cases of coronavirus Wednesday, bringing the total number of people who have locally tested positive for COVID-19 since March to 1,710, according to ReadySLO.org.
As of Wednesday, there were a total of 394 local active COVID-19 cases, down 23 cases from Tuesday.
In the North County, Atascadero added four cases and Templeton added one. Paso Robles deducted one COVID-19 case from Tuesday’s count.
In the South County, Nipomo added four new cases, and Oceano, Pismo Beach and Grover Beach each added one case.
In the North Coast area, Cambria and Morro Bay each added one case of COVID-19. One case was deducted from Cayucos.
Seven COVID-19 cases were added to an area with fewer than five cases.
Local restaurants serve food on patios, decks and the street
Restaurants across the state were ordered July 13 to shut down their indoor dining rooms in an effort to halt the continuing spread of COVID-19 throughout California. However, they can continue operations on outdoor patios and seating areas.
In response, cities across the state and San Luis Obispo County rushed to set up new outdoor dining areas for restaurants, blocking off streets and approving parklets to add much-needed outdoor seating and keep those businesses open.
Here is a list of some of those restaurants, organized by region. To add your restaurant, please click here.
How does SLO County measure up to state coronavirus standards?
Coronavirus cases in San Luis Obispo County have continued to climb in recent weeks, reaching 1,689 cases Tuesday. So what would it take for some county business sectors to reopen?
A modified state order, according to the county public health department.
Some local business sectors, including gyms, hair salons and tattoo parlors, had to close their doors once again July 16 because Aan Luis Obispo County was in violation of the state’s reopening criteria for three consecutive days.
Weeks later, the county continues to add cases at a rate that exceed the state criteria. However, even if San Luis Obispo County’s case rate once again meets the state’s criteria, it will take a modified state order to allow the closed business sectors to reopen.
San Luis Obispo County was placed on the state’s watchlist for failing to meet the case rate requirement — one of six criteria it must meet to remain open.
2 SLO County nursing home residents die due to COVID-19
Two more San Luis Obispo County residents have died due to COVID-19, bringing the total number of local coronvirus-related deaths up to 11.
Both patients were in their 80s with underlying health conditions and lived at Vineyard Hills Health Center, a skilled nursing facility in Templeton that has had a recent coronavirus outbreak, the county Public Health Department said Tuesday in a news release.
Santa Barbara County adds 98 COVID-19 cases
Santa Barbara County reported 98 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, Noozhawk reported.
The county has averaged about 116 cases per day during the past week, and has recorded a 9.7 percent test-positivity rate during that period, according to data released by the county Public Health Department.
There were 80 COVID-19 patients being treated in local hospitals, including 25 in intensive care units. Both of those numbers have remained fairly stable during the past few days.
Active cases jumped to 333 from 308 the previous day, and the county’s total rose to 5,931 cases.
Of the new cases, 52 were in the Santa Maria Valley.
Cal Poly, Cuesta College get funding for students impacted by COVID-19
Cuesta College and Cal Poly were allocated more than $3.5 million and $14 million, respectively, from the federal CARES Act for students impacted by COVID-19.
Cuesta College, which has three campuses in San Luis Obispo County, will distribute nearly $1.8 million to students; the remaining money will go to coronavirus-related costs accrued by the college.
Cal Poly was allocated $14 million, half of which will go to students. The remainder will go to the university.
Cal Poly has already distributed most of the $7 million to more than 6,700 students, while Cuesta College has given about 40% of its CARES Act funds to nearly 780 students.
This story was originally published July 29, 2020 at 12:14 PM.
