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SLO County restricts hotel occupancy, campground availability

May 15, 2020

San Luis Obispo County Public Health Officer Penny Borenstein and Administrator Wade Horton passed an executive order on Friday limiting all hotels to 50 percent occupancy and county owned campgrounds to residents only in an attempt to reduced new coronavirus cases.

In order to open restaurants for indoor dining and to remove curbside pickup for retail, the county cannot have more than 28 new cases of coronavirus in 14 days, according to benchmarks set by Gov. Gavin Newsom. In an attempt to reduce infections from hotel guests primarily in Pismo Beach, the county passed the executive order limiting all guests at local hotels.

However, during the past two weeks, Pismo Beach has had only one new coronavirus case, which was not related to an out-of-town guest. Countywide, there were 59 new cases, with 35 of those in Paso Robles.

In 14 days, the county will revisit the executive order limiting hotel occupancy limits.

During the past two days, eight people in San Luis Obispo County have tested positive for the coronavirus: six in Paso Robles, one in Atascadero and one in Nipomo.

Of the 240 confirmed coronavirus cases in SLO County, 191 individuals have recovered and one has died. Of those still suffering from the virus, there are two people in the hospital in intensive care, and 46 recuperating at home.

Cases by city:

  • Paso Robles — 93
  • Atascadero — 37
  • Arroyo Grande — 21
  • Nipomo — 18
  • San Luis Obispo — 17
  • CMC — 11
  • Pismo Beach — 9
  • San Miguel — 8
  • Templeton — 8
  • Morro Bay — 6
  • Other county cases — 12

As of Friday afternoon, there have been 76,819 positive cases and 3,153 deaths in California.

Currently, more than 1,484,285 U.S. residents have tested positive for the virus, and 88,507 have died.

In addition, the number of people infected with the virus worldwide continues to increase: 4,628,824 cases with 308,655 dead.

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No more than 28 new cases in 14 days is an arbitrary number that is unrealistic, extremely difficult to achieve and the final nail in the economic coffin. The focus should be on the death rate (0.0041) the hospitalization rate (0.0083) and the recovery rate (0.987). These rates clearly show that medical distancing and masking is working.and proves that people can function while dealing with this virus. There is zero data supporting 50% occupancy rates and keeping visitors away will achieve anything. Time to end the power grab. TIME TO OPEN UP !!!


26

County government is spineless. They are bowing to King Newsom’s every whim.


18

So camp grounds can open, but only to county residents. While hotels can operate at 50 capacity without a “locals only” restriction.


Hmmm. Seems like the county thinks camper’s are more likely to spread the virus than those who can afford a hotel getaway in Pismo.


The hotel goers must be better people, because the logic isn’t consistent; the two populations would carry the same risk, so one should not be favored over the other.


The difference maker? Bed taxes.


“Openings” should not be based on the tax generation that a businesses offers the county.

Which this rollout seems to show. It should be science based and equitable.


29

Why does Paso have so many cases? Anybody know?


11

I’ve been shouted down for my theory, but here goes; The corona-virus seems to like high density housing, and public transportation. All the hot spots in the Nation seem to follow this.


21

Well, I could point out why but then I would be labeled racist. it has to do with population density in certain areas of Paso.


18

I said this before. Vineyard workers. Hundreds upon hundreds of them. About a month ago when the vineyard workers were pruning the grapes, they were working side by side, taking breaks together with not social distancing, meeting after work like any other day while most of us were ordered to stay home but I guess it’s ok because it’s all about the wine in this county. Wine is not food and not essential in my option.


23

I’d say you’re all right. The virus is hitting high density areas with minority and poor populations who tend to work in the service industry or in places, like vineyards, where large numbers are gathered (see meatpacking plants and prisons). Paso is really the only place in the county where this is mostly true. Notice that SLO, with the highest net worth among its citizens in the county, has only 17 cases.


9

Here in paso recently There was a several hundred person gathering/protest with no one wearing masks and not following distancing guidelines, acting proud I might add, and a congressional candidate egging them on….Andy…sigh… There was a several hundred person cruise night and gathering in the park with the same outcome. I barely see masks in public. I live in dense housing; I do not think the transmission of the virus ay my apt is relative anymore than the gas station. I do think farm working environment could spread transmission, but I really think many cases come from defiant people with relative ideology, like the other people we see on the news protesting and making this political boycotting PPE and calling this a Hoax or Reagans new world order stuff, they I feel are the cause to most of this spreading. And yes, some minority demographics and majority are not following guidelines, but the majority here are the obvious face of spread it seems. Jon Hamon equated Covid to the Flu and said “I dont wear masks and am not afraid of Covid”. So if our city council takes this stance, let the spread continue. Some will get really sick, others wont it seems. I have no opinion on Covid and how to go about dealing with its spread. I’m just watching the wheels spin. It is a bummer to see people making this political when regular people; us, suffer.


10

Targeting lodging only to check IDs and serve locals only? Well heck, that will solve everything.


13

HOW is this constitutional? Just getting dumber and dumber. The right to survive includes the right to make a living, employ workers and save jobs. Enough already. Reopen.


21

Can people who were not elected issue Executive Orders?


19

If we are going to stoop to checking IDs and serving locals only, might as well be fair to the lodging industry and make it straight across the board apply to everyone. Restaurants, grocery stores, check those IDs. Your business is now limited to locals only. In the tourist based coastal town that I live in, that would be the end of several favorite mom and pops places already struggling to survive. Instead of yet again more regulations, it would be nice to see the ones already in place enforced.


13

Agreed. It seems we are not taking this as a rounded approach and lobbying of businesses is affecting this. Other countries are more up front with contact tracing. But in America where we think we value privacy even though we have none; your smart phone tracks you, it’s harder to do. I wonder how many people here disable their GPS and tracking on their iPhone and android phones or realize how easy it is to trace everything on them, your computer too.


-2

What do you mean Borenstein and Horton passed an executive order…

They’re not even elected officials!


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