SLO County gets go-ahead to move into orange tier, adds 8 new COVID cases
San Luis Obispo County on Tuesday got the go-ahead to move into the orange tier of coronavirus restrictions under California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, according to the county Public Health Department.
The county received permission from the state to move from the red tier to the less-restrictive orange tier after narrowly missing the chance to progress the previous week. The less-restrictive tier will go into effect at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, a Public Health news release said.
The shift marks the first time the county has moved into the orange tier. The move will allow businesses to substantially increase their operating capacities.
On Tuesday, San Luis Obispo County added just eight new cases of coronavirus. It was the second time in a month that the county reported a daily case count in the single digits; the county added nine coronavirus cases on April 12.
In total, 21,138 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus since March 2020.
On Tuesday, the county reported no additional deaths due to the coronavirus. Locally, 260 people have died due to the virus.
What tier is SLO County in?
Tuesday marked the first week that coronavirus spread in San Luis Obispo County was considered “moderate.”
The county’s adjusted average was 6.2 new cases per day per 100,000 people, a small increase from the 6.0 case rate reported the week prior. The unadjusted case rate was 7.9 cases per day per 100,000 people, according to the state.
As of Tuesday, the county had a 2% positivity rate, down from the 2.4% previously reported.
The latest health equity metric released Tuesday calculated that the positivity rate for people who live in the 12 census tracts in San Luis Obispo County ranked in the lowest quarter of California’s Healthy Places Index at 2.7%.
New COVID-19 cases by city
Here is where new COVID-19 cases were added on Tuesday in San Luis Obispo County, according to ReadySLO.org:
North County
Paso Robles: 2
Atascadero: 1
South County
- Arroyo Grande: 2
Nipomo: 1
SLO and North Coast
San Luis Obispo: 1
The locations of 11 cases were listed as “other.” A total of 21 cases remained under investigation.
Cal Poly’s documented total of coronavirus cases involving both on-campus and off-campus students was 1,852 as of Tuesday.
SLO County coronavirus cases by the numbers
Here’s a look at San Luis Obispo County’s cases on Tuesday, according to the county Public Health Department.
- Active cases: 179
- Recovered cases: 20,697
- People recovering at home: 173
- People receiving hospital care: 6
- Total people in intensive care units: 2
People in intensive care units out of the county: 2
- Deaths due to COVID-19: 260
For a detailed look at local coronavirus cases by age, occupation and more, visit ReadySLO.org.
Where to get a COVID-19 test and schedule a vaccine appointment
Free coronavirus testing is available at clinics throughout San Luis Obispo County. To make an appointment, visit emergencySLO.org/testing; you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.
As of Tuesday, the county Public Health Department is administering coronavirus vaccines to everyone age 16 and up.
Those eligible to receive their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine can register online or by phone for California’s My Turn appointment system.
To find appointments, visit MyTurn.ca.gov and complete the registration process. Those who need assistance registering for a vaccine can call 833-422-4255 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday.
To sign up for email alerts, visit EmergencySLO.org/en/newsletter.aspx.
In addition to the state’s My Turn system, residents can find appointments for coronavirus vaccines through private health partners and some chain pharmacies, including CVS and Vons.
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 1:48 PM.
