Five new COVID outbreaks at long-term care facilities have been reported in the last week, according to the San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department.
“The level of virus has remained elevated,” public information specialist Tara Kennon told The Tribune on Tuesday.
Kennon said the Health Department received reports of five new outbreaks at long-term care facilities in the last week. She said in comparison, two months ago the number of outbreaks was zero. Kennon did not disclose the name of the facilities facing outbreaks.
Coinciding with this, Kennon said the Health Department has seen a resurgence in awareness and questions about COVID.
“We’ve seen an increase in demand in recent weeks for the free at-home antigen tests we distribute at our clinics,” Kennon said.
She also said there has been an increase in calls and questions about COVID-19 testing, treatment and vaccines. The county lab has also received an increase in COVID-19 specimens for testing, she said.
In July, the county saw an increase in COVID-19 levels from June, according to wastewater surveillance data, though Public Health officer Dr. Penny Borenstein said a summertime uptick in COVID is not unusual.
Paso Robles care facility faces small COVID outbreak
Operating officer of long-term care facility provider Monarch Care Group Garrett Haner-Tomasko confirmed Thursday that one of the company’s Paso Robles-based facility is on the tail-end of a small outbreak that started at the beginning of this month.
Haner-Tomasko did not name the specific facility, citing stigma and misconceptions around how the virus is spread, but said he’s been “so proud” of staff and visitors who have continued to take precautionary measures in keeping elderly residents safe.
The 19-bed facility is one of three Paso Robles-based facilities under Monarch Care.
Haner-Tomasko added that one of Monarch Care’s other facilities, Ada’s Lodges , did not have a COVID outbreak until 2023, in part because of staff and visitors’ diligence staying aware of their COVID status and continuously testing.
SLO County Urgent Care seeing increase in COVID cases
Brian Roberts, the owner of Med Stop Urgent Care Center in San Luis Obispo’s Madonna Plaza , told The Tribune on Tuesday that his Med Stop facility was “definitely seeing an increase in the number of patients with COVID-19.”
Roberts clarified that most patients with COVID, however, had not been seriously ill. Roberts said he did not believe his facility had sent any COVID cases to the hospital so far.
“The start of school will likely keep that rising pattern going for a while,” Roberts said. “In general, COVID, like most novel viruses, becomes more contagious and less deadly over time.”
Meanwhile, Dignity Health marketing and communications manager Lori Parker told The Tribune that French Hospital Medical Center reported a “slight bump in COVID admissions” but no ICU admissions and no change in bed availability or surgeries.
On Wednesday, marketing manager for Adventist Health Central Coast Whitney Gordon said neither Adventist Health Twin Cities nor Sierra Vista hospitals had any changes in number of beds available or COVID admissions.
“The cases coming in are mild and have not required admissions to the hospital,” Gordon said.
What to do if you think you have COVID
Kennon said people can pick up free COVID-19 tests (two per person in a household) during business hours at county health clinics in Grover Beach, Paso Robles and San Luis Obispo.
Call 805-781-5500 for more information about availability of tests.
People with treatment needs can reach out to Pfizer’s Paxcess program for support at paxlovid.com/paxcess .
Most Popular
Comments / 0