SLO County eyeing COVID-19 orange tier as case rates drop

April 13, 2021

With COVID-19 case rates dropping in San Luis Obispo County over the past week, the county could progress into the less restrictive orange tier next week.

SLO County is currently averaging 5.4 new cases per 100,000 residents, according to the state’s adjusted case rate numbers. Orange tier case rates run from 2 to 5.9 per 100,000 residents.

Even though SLO County rates are now in the orange tier, the numbers need to remain there for two weeks before the state permits the county to move into the less restrictive tier.

In California’s orange tier, bars can reopen outdoors, wineries and breweries can reopen indoors at 25% occupancy, non-essential offices can bring back employees and most businesses can increase occupancy.

Even so, new cases in residents under thirty years of age in the city of San Luis Obispo have soared over the past month, following large Saint Fratty’s Day parties.

SLO County reported 73 new cases today. Of those, San Luis Obispo leads with 34 cases, followed by Paso Robles with 12, Atascadero with nine and Arroyo Grande with seven.

As of Tuesday afternoon, 20,827 people in SLO County have tested positive for the pandemic. Of those, 256 have died. There are four SLO County residents in the hospital receiving treatment for the virus, with one in intensive care.

Cases by area:

• San Luis Obispo – 4,119
• Paso Robles – 4,080
• California Men’s Colony (inmates) – 2,384
• Atascadero – 1,987
• Nipomo – 1,558
• Arroyo Grande – 1,464
• Grover Beach – 868
• Oceano – 693
• Templeton – 616
• San Miguel – 522
• Los Osos – 491
• Morro Bay – 425
• Cal Poly (campus residents) – 375
• Pismo Beach – 335
• Atascadero State Hospital (patients) – 206
• Cambria – 177
• Santa Margarita – 146
• Shandon – 140
• Creston – 85
• Cayucos – 69
• Avila Beach – 30
• San Simeon – 21
• Bradley – 7

SLO County is now vaccinating residents 16 years old and above, who can sign up for a vaccine through the county. Residents 50 years of age and older can also make vaccine appointments with Rite Aid or CVS.

With an adjusted case rate of 4.6 per 100,000 residents, Santa Barbara County is likely to move into the orange tier next week.

In Santa Barbara County, there have been 33,736 confirmed coronavirus cases and 441 deaths, according to the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Cases by area:

Santa Maria — 11,368
Santa Barbara — 6,309
Lompoc — 3,607
Orcutt — 1,796
Lompoc Federal Prison — 1,089

There have been 3,706,060 positive cases, and 60,534 deaths in California.

More than 32,059,766 U.S. residents have tested positive for the virus, and 577,109 have died.

In addition, the number of people infected with the virus worldwide continues to increase: 137,930,575 cases with 2,969,697 dead.

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