Of eight new cases on Saturday, five belong to Paso Robles and three to California Men’s Colony

A steady stream of cases provide positive results in Paso Robles, while a new cluster at CMC continues to grow. All numbers remain within a manageable range, according to health officials, and hospitalizations (7) including ICUs (3) remained static.

Private labs have begun delivering more consistent test data to the County, showing a current private lab total of 1,679 tests for a total of 3,138 tests of SLO County residents. The 196 positive tests account for 6.25 percent of all those tested. The County had previously confirmed that some patients are tested more than once, so the 3,138 tests does not reflect 3,138 people tested.

Public data surrounding COVID-19 has continued to be misleading on the surface, and detailed analysis has not been produced for the public consumption. Like many of the recommendations and directions surrounding COVID-19, the lack of information or consistency has led to widespread confusion and a fracturing of communities around the nation, including local SLO County residents.

Experts say that the number of confirmed cases are not representative of the actual spread of COVID-19, which is estimated to be much higher that confirmed case counts. The most reliable data forthcoming has been the number of cases needing hospitalization and the number of coronavirus-related deaths. SLO County has continued to hold low numbers of each. California as a whole has trended down on a seven-day average in confirmed cases and coronavirus-related deaths, an average which peaked on April 27 and April 28, respectively.

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Among the indicators for reopening the state and national economy is a decrease in both those numbers, as well as the ability to provide more testing.

San Luis Obispo County will open two new testing sites, in Paso Robles and Grover Beach, to begin testing Monday, May 4. The testing is by appointment only, and registration opened today, May 2. To register, go to readyslo.org or call 1-888-634-1123 (M-F, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.).

SLO County State-Sponsored Testing Sites

The County of San Luis Obispo is collaborating with the State of California and local cities to expand testing for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“More testing is absolutely essential to understanding the local epidemiology of this disease,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, San Luis Obispo County Health Officer. “This partnership is an important step in the right direction.”

Testing will begin next week and will be available by appointment only, Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Paso Robles Veterans Hall, 240 Scott St in Paso Robles, and Ramona Garden Community Center, 993 Ramona Ave in Grover Beach. Appointments will require residents to walk into the facility (not drive through) and will generally take about five minutes.

The following persons are currently eligible to be tested:

  • Healthcare workers and first responders
  • 65 and older or any age with chronic medical conditions
  • Residents or employees of congregate care living facilities
  • Persons in essential occupations which includes utilities, grocery, food supply, and public employees
  • Any persons exhibiting one or more symptoms of COVID-19

Registration for appointments will begin on Saturday, May 2, 2020. The online registration link can be found on emergencySLO.org/statetesting or you can register by phone at 888-634-1123.

The test is provided free of charge, and the state will provide the testing materials and health care staff to conduct the tests. The tests will determine whether individuals are currently infected with  the virus that causes COVID-19; it is not an antibody test to determine whether they have ever been infected. The County will be evaluating testing capability each week with the goal to make testing available to all community members.

For updates and questions on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903, or staffed phone assistance center at (805) 543- 2444, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends.