County of San Luis Obispo Health Officer Dr. Penny Borenstein announced today that the local Health Officer Order requiring masking in all indoor public places will be lifted next Wednesday, Feb. 16 in alignment with state masking policy. The mandate was put in place on Sept. 1, 2021, in response to a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations fueled by the Delta variant and remained in place through the winter’s Omicron surge.
“Masking is a simple and powerful tool that helped protect our local health care capacity during intense surges of COVID-19,” said Dr. Borenstein. “Now that SLO County has weathered the worst of this Omicron surge, we can lift this requirement and look to our community to wear a mask when it’s most important to do so: in crowded indoor spaces, if you are at higher risk or close to others who are, if you feel unwell, or if you are in any of the settings still covered by state requirements.
Throughout the pandemic, we have sought to balance public health measures with pre-pandemic normalcy—this change reflects another such moment.”
The State order continues to require masking in indoor public places for those who are not vaccinated and for everyone, regardless of vaccination status, in healthcare facilities, schools, child care, homeless shelters, emergency shelters, corrections, long-term care facilities, and public transit.
While COVID-19 continues to spread in SLO County, new cases have slowed, and hospitalizations have recently remained stable. Thirty SLO County residents are currently hospitalized with severe COVID-19, down from 67 at the peak of the recent surge and 67 when the order was put in place. The risk of hospitalization and death remains higher for those who are not vaccinated: in January, Californians who were not yet vaccinated were 30 times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those who had received a booster dose.
Access to COVID-19 treatment in SLO County has also increased for those at high risk of severe illness, and is expected to expand further in the weeks ahead. Two COVID-19 vaccines are now fully authorized by the FDA and remain widely available at no cost countywide, including as boosters.
“Getting vaccinated as a community is our ticket out of hospital surges, away from the drumbeat of preventable deaths, and out of restrictions like masking requirements,” said Dr. Borenstein. “Today, we are in the position of being able to lift one layer of protection. As we look ahead, I implore you to protect yourself and your family by staying up-to-date with your vaccine.”
Public Health Department 2191 Johnson Avenue | San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 | (P) 805-781-5500 | (F) 805-781-5543 www.slopublichealth.org
Testing if you have symptoms or may have been exposed to COVID-19, along with isolating if you are sick or test positive, remains important for helping control the spread of this serious disease.
To schedule a vaccine appointment, visit slopublichealth.org/vaccines or call (833) 422-4255. To schedule a testing appointment, visit slopublichealth.org/testing or call (888) 634-1123.
For updates on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit slopublichealth.org/COVID19 or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. Phone assistance is available at (805) 781-5500 Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.