SLO County now labeled low-risk for COVID as cases drop; more deaths reported

San Luis Obispo County is now categorized as low-risk under a new rating scale debuted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday.

The new classification comes as the number of new and active coronavirus cases continues to fall and the county lifted its COVID-19 state of emergency.

Despite that good news, six more local deaths due to COVID were reported on Friday.

The people who died were in the 50-64, 65-84 and 85+ age ranges. Locally, 448 people have died from the coronavirus, according to data from the county Public Health Department.

Hospitalizations also dipped. Public Health reported 17 people were receiving COVID-19 treatment in local hospitals as of Friday. There are two patients in the intensive care unit, according to Public Health.

Public Health reported just 257 new COVID-19 infections in the past three days ending Friday. Here’s how local coronavirus case numbers from the past three days break down day by day:

The number of active cases fell as well. There were 767 active COVID-19 cases as of Friday, and on Thursday that statistic dropped to 672, the lowest it’s been since Christmas.

The two-week rolling average of new cases has dropped to 119, the best it’s been this year and a considerable drop from the average of 208 reported a week ago on Feb. 18, according to Public Health.

In total, 52,252 San Luis Obispo County residents have tested positive for coronavirus since March 2020.

Over the past three days, the places in the county with the most COVID-19 cases are Paso Robles with 41 and San Luis Obispo and Arroyo Grande, which both recorded 35 new cases.

To see the full city-by-city breakdown, visit the Public Health dashboard at slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Data.aspx

Vaccines are still a key way to protect against COVID-19 infection and prevent hospitalization and death.

The San Luis Obispo Public Health Department released data on Feb. 18 showing that unvaccinated people account for about 65% of COVID-19 cases, 76.5% of hospitalizations and about 70% of deaths since June 15.

San Luis Obispo County has low COVID-19 risk according to federal monitoring

The improving conditions come as health departments at the local, state and federal levels begin to loosen COVID-19 restrictions.

On Friday, the county ended the local health order that established a state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic back in March 2020.

Also Friday, the CDC announced it is changing the way it is monitoring community COVID-19 levels to help residents take appropriate preventative steps based on the level of COVID-19 risk.

“Levels can be low, medium or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area,” according to the CDC COVID-19 Community Levels website.

Based on data collected by the CDC, San Luis Obispo County scores as low-risk as of Feb. 24.

It is one of eight counties in California — five in the Bay Area and two along the state’s eastern spine — that score as low-risk.

The preventive steps the CDC recommended for people in low-risk communities include staying up-to-date on vaccinations and getting tested for COVID-19 if symptomatic.

Where to get a COVID-19 test and schedule a vaccine appointment

Free coronavirus testing is available at clinics in San Luis Obispo, Grover Beach, Paso Robles and Morro Bay. To make an appointment, visit slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/COVID-19-Testing or call 888-634-1123 to register by phone.

Testing is administered at 801 Grand Ave in San Luis Obispo, 1336 Ramona Ave #A in Grover Beach, 209 Surf St. in Morro Bay and 800 Pine St. in Paso Robles.

To make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine or booster, visit MyTurn.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. The county Public Health Department is also administering vaccines and boosters on a walk-in basis at clinics in San Luis Obispo, Paso Robles and Grover Beach. To find shots at pharmacies near you, visit Vaccines.gov.

Vaccines are administered at the San Luis Obispo clinic is located at 2191 Johnson Ave., the Grover Beach clinic is located at 286 South 16th St. and the Paso Robles clinic is located at 800 Pine St.

For more information on clinic hours, visit slocounty.ca.gov/COVID-19/Vaccines

This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 2:18 PM.