SLO County adds 15 new COVID-19 cases, moves to red tier of state restrictions

San Luis Obispo County added 15 new cases of coronavirus Tuesday, according to ReadySLO.org.

That brings the total number of people who have tested positive for COVID-19 locally since March to 3,453.

The county’s total does not include eight of the 297 inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 at California Men’s Colony state prison in San Luis Obispo, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Effective Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County is in California’s red COVID-19 tier — meaning that coronavirus spread has been “substantial” but is no longer “widespread” and more business sectors may reopen.

Restaurants in San Luis Obispo County can once again serve food indoors with restrictions, movie theaters can reopen in a limited fashion and places of worship can offer inside services once more.

As of Tuesday, the county had a positivity rate of 1.5%, well below the 8% threshold needed.

In the cases-per-100,000-tests metric, the county sat at 3.5 as of Tuesday, well below the threshold of seven needed to drop down.

The county must remain in the red tier for at least three weeks before progressing to less restrictive orange tier, according to state guidelines. Updated metrics are released every Tuesday.

New COVID-19 cases by city

The city of San Luis Obispo has added three news cases of COVID-19 since Monday.

In the North County, Paso Robles added five new cases, and Santa Margarita added one new COVID-19 case.

In South County, Arroyo Grande added four new cases, and Nipomo added two cases.

The locations of six of the COVID-19 cases are listed as “other.”

For a detailed look at local coronavirus cases by age, ethnicity, occupation and more, visit ReadySLO.org.

SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers

A majority of San Luis Obispo County residents who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 — 3,194 — have completely recovered from the illness.

A total of 220 people are recovering at home. Eight patients are receiving hospital treatment, with four patients in intensive care units.

In total, 184 patients have been admitted to hospitals due to COVID-19.

A total of 27 county residents have died due to coronavirus as of Monday, according to the county Public Health Department.

A total of 297 inmates and 56 employees at the California’s Men’s Colony have tested positive for COVID-19 since mid-March, and one inmate has died due to the coronavirus, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Seven CMC inmates were released while active and 263 inmates have recovered from coronavirus, the CDCR said. (The case numbers reported on the CDCR website vary from those reported on ReadySLO.org due to “delays in the state’s reporting system.”)

A total of 93 Cal Poly students and six faculty and staff members have tested positive for coronavirus since July 8, according to the university.

Cal Poly reported one new on-campus positive case and two new off-campus positives since Monday.

Three students who live on campus were in isolation as of Tuesday. In addition, 96 Cal Poly students were in quarantine.

San Luis Obispo County public and private health labs conduct an average of 356.3 tests per 100,000 per day, according to the county. The state average is 217.9.

The county is no longer reporting the total number of tests conducted by private and public health labs.

Where to get a COVID-19 test

The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department is urging anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, or those who have come into contact with someone with the virus, to get tested.

“If you think you have been exposed, stay home and make an appointment online to get tested at least five days after exposure,” county Public Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said in a news release. “Please also stay home until you receive your test results. We don’t want anyone unknowingly spreading COVID-19.”



Two pop-up coronavirus testing clinics are opening in the North County

One free testing clinic will be located in the parking lot across from Paso Robles Event Center on the corner of Riverside Avenue and 24th St. from 3 to 6 p.m., Wednesday.

The other clinic will open at Heritage Ranch, 2130 Heritage Loop Road, from 1 to 6 p.m. Sept. 30.

Both pop-up locations are open only to local community members. No Identification or insurance is required for these sites. Testing is free and registration is done on-site.

Free COVID-19 testing is also available at the South County Regional Center, 800 W. Branch St. in Arroyo Grande, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Testing is also available at the Veterans Memorial Building, 209 Surf St. in Morro Bay, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

In San Luis Obispo, testing is available at the Veterans Memorial Hall, 801 Grand Ave., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

In addition, COVID-19 testing is available through private healthcare providers, urgent care centers and the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Lab.

Coronavirus testing will be available at the Pavilion on the Lake, 9315 Pismo Ave. in Atascadero, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Thursday, through Oct. 1.

Visit ReadySLO.org for the latest public health updates and recommendations. ReadySLO.org lists over a dozen urgent care centers that offer COVID-19 testing.

To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing; you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.

The county continues to ask that people limit large social gatherings and wear face coverings in public spaces when physical distancing can’t be maintained, in accordance with a state mandate issued by Gov. Gavin Newsom.

This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 2:03 PM.