After 2 years, SLO County lifts COVID-19 state of emergency
.jpg "Dr. Penny Borenstein of the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department signed a health order in February 2022 suspending the emergency declaration signed in March 2020. Here, Borenstein speaks at a news conference on Thursday, July 29, 2021.")
After nearly two years, San Luis Obispo County administrators have lifted the COVID-19 state of emergency.
Both County Administrator Wade Horton and County Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein signed documents lifting the state of emergency on Friday, according to a news release.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, Borenstein and the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors signed various emergency declarations related to the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020 that gave Borenstein and Horton the authority to manage the COVID-19 crisis, delegate county employees to emergency service worker roles and make decisions, according to the release.
“I very much appreciate the county team, health care professionals, and volunteers who stepped up over a very challenging and divisive couple of years. I also understand the difficult impact the pandemic has had on our community,” Horton said in the news release.
The decision to lift the state of emergency comes as COVID-19 cases and levels of community transmission have dropped throughout the state of California, according to the order to terminate the health emergency declaration signed by Borenstein.
“While these declarations are no longer needed, the Public Health team and local health care providers continue to respond to this pandemic and provide resources, like vaccines and testing, to help residents protect their health and the health of the community,” Borenstein said in the news release. “We remain ready to respond to future surges.”
If COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and rates of community transmission increase to dangerous levels again, the local health order will be reinstated by Borenstein and reviewed and ratified by the Board of Supervisors, according to the order terminating the original state of emergency.
“Moving forward, I hope we can remember how to extend more grace toward one another as fellow community members as we face future challenges,” Horton said in the release.
This story was originally published February 25, 2022 at 12:10 PM.
