SLO County Enters the Red Tier for Reopening

SLO county has met the health metrics to be moved into the less restrictive Red Tier in the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy, and is now allowed to reopen certain operations indoors with modifications, including:  

• Retail may increase indoor capacity from 25% to 50%.
• Shopping centers (malls, destination centers, swap meets) can increase indoor capacity from 25% to 50% and reduced capacity food courts.
• Personal care services are allowed to open indoors.
• Museums, zoos and aquariums are allowed to open indoors with maximum capacity of 25%.
• Places of worship are allowed to open indoors with maximum capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.
• Movie theaters are allowed to open indoors with maximum capacity of 25% of 100 people, whichever is fewer.
• Hotels and lodging are now allowed to open fitness centers at 10% maximum capacity.
• Gyms and fitness centers can open indoors at 10% maximum capacity.
• Restaurants can serve guests indoors with max capacity of 25% or 100 people, whichever is fewer.

Industry-specific safety guidelines.

Caution - If our county's metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, we will go back to the Tier 1 (Purple). This recently happened in San Diego County and we want to avoid that happening here. To safeguard our businesses and residents, please follow the COVID-19 prevention guidance below.  

COVID-19 Prevention

• Wear a cloth face covering
• Stay at least six feet from others
• Stay home when you are sick
• Avoid social gatherings with people outside of your social bubble
• Wash your hands
• Get tested

Understanding Risk Criteria

Activities and businesses will be able to reopen at a specific tier based on risk-based criteria, as outlined below.  Lower risk activities or sectors are permitted sooner and higher risk activities or sectors are not permitted until later phases, due to the potential of spreading COVID-19.  Many activities or sectors may increase the level of operations and capacity as a county reduces its level of transmission.

Criteria used to determine low/medium/high risk sectors:

• Ability to accommodate face covering wearing at all times (e.g. eating and drinking would require removal of face covering)
• Ability to physically distance between individuals from different households
• Ability to limit the number of people per square foot
• Ability to limit duration of exposure
• Ability to limit amount of mixing of people from differing households and communities
• Ability to limit amount of physical interaction

County Lifts Visitation Restrictions at Skilled Nursing Facilities

County of San Luis Obispo officials announced that the local executive order restricting visitors at skilled nursing facilities is being lifted as SLO County community members continue to slow the spread of COVID-19. However, local public health officials agree with the State’s visitor limitation guidance and that our local skilled nursing facilities allow only one visitor be allowed to be present with the patient at a time. Details

Understanding Our Reopening Status

Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its test positivity and adjusted case rate. At a minimum, counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving forward. Data is reviewed weekly and tiers are updated on Tuesdays. To move forward, a county must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks. If a county’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will be assigned a more restrictive tier. Public health officials are constantly monitoring data and can step in if necessary. Learn more about tier assignments and metric details here. 

COVID-19 Testing in SLO County

There are two locations in Paso Robles doing pop-up testing this week, no appointment is necessary:

Due to increased testing capacity, the County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Department is once again urging anyone with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) symptoms or who may have been exposed to COVID-19 to get tested at any of these locations. 

2020 Expansion of California Earned Income Tax Credit

The state of California has passed a law expanding access to the California Earned Income Tax Credit for 2020 to include all California tax filers. An estimated two in three of eligible workers under this new expansion are essential workers – including workers in restaurants, grocery stores and the farm industry. Details

Tenant and Landlord Protections

Eviction moratorium
The statewide freeze on residential evictions has been extended through January 31, 2021. Renters in California who cannot pay their rent because of COVID-19-related hardships should know their rights and responsibilities. 

Mortgage foreclosure protection and relief
Small homeowners have been extended foreclosure protections in a state order passed August 31. Many banks and financial institutions have committed to providing relief for homeowners in California. Find out more about mortgage help and how to get it.

Avoiding utility shut-off
Many utility providers are not shutting off services due to non-payment. Check with the California Public Utilities Commission for more information. The Water Board restricts the shut off of water during the COVID crisis. Please use this form to report any water shutoff or reconnect issue.

Be Well Paso Weekly Challenge

The Be Well Paso Weekly Challenge is a tool to help Paso Robles residents stay healthy in body, mind and spirit. We hope that you’ll join us! Jump in and start whenever you’re ready.

If you’d like, please feel free to share your progress on your social media with #bewellpaso

All COVID-19 Information

To subscribe to the COVID-19 Updates newsletter, click here.

For all Paso Robles COVID-19 information, click here. 

The most important thing you can do is Shelter at Home. Stay home. Save lives.  

For complete information and details, go to www.ReadySLO.org

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