Worried about omicron? Here’s how to get free hand sanitizer, masks in northern SLO County
The highly contagious omicron variant continues to drive new cases in San Luis Obispo County, prompting the California Offices of Emergency Services to reopen their personal protective equipment distribution centers.
The state agency is providing hand sanitizer, three-ply surgical masks and KN95 respirators to community members through the North County Chambers of Commerce in Templeton and Paso Robles while supplies last, according to a news release.
The mask and hand sanitizer distribution begins Thursday at 1225 Park St. in Paso Robles and 321 South Main St. in Templeton.
The Paso Robles location will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Templeton office hours may vary, so people who want more information should call 805-434-1789.
CDC issues new masking guidance as omicron surge hits U.S.
This comes at the same time the Biden administration announced plans to distribute 400 million N95 respirator masks to the general public for free starting next week.
The masks will be shipped to pharmacies and community health centers, where they will then be distributed.
The announcement comes as the omicron variant, which is more contagious than previous variants, led to the highest number of new coronavirus cases to-date in the United States in January 2022, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 data tracker.
Last Friday the CDC updated its masking guidelines to articulate the different standards of protection offered by various masks.
The most protective are the CDC-approved types of N95 respirator masks, according to the agency.
The second most protective is the authentic KN95 respirator mask or a surgical mask and the least protective is a cloth mask, according to the agency. All masks should fit the wearer snugly.
The indoor mask mandate has been in effect in San Luis Obispo County since Sept. 1, 2021 after the delta variant drove up levels of community spread of COVID-19.
The indoor mask mandate won’t be lifted until levels of community transmission drop considerably based on CDC guidelines.
The level of community spread of COVID-19 in San Luis Obispo County remains high at roughly 1,522 cases per 100,000 residents, according to CDC data.
