The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) incorrectly reported that the new COVID-19 variant was found in San Luis Obispo County, according to a Jan. 21 press release.
On Sunday, the California Department of Public Health, in coordination with Santa Clara County and the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), released a statement saying that the new COVID-19 variant, L452R, had been found in San Luis Obispo County, along with several other California counties.
However, San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department Spokesperson Michelle Shoresman said that the COVID-19 variant L452R has not been detected in the county.
The morning of Jan. 21, the California Department of Public Health announced that their previous statement was incorrect.
“Upon further examination, it was determined that the variant has not yet been identified in San Luis Obispo county, as previously reported,” the press release read.
Although there have been no reported cases of the COVID-19 variant in San Luis Obispo, it’s “too soon to know” whether this strain will spread faster than others, according to California Department of Public Health Epidemiologist Dr. Erica Pan in a press release.
“But it certainly reinforces the need for all Californians to wear masks and reduce mixing with people outside their immediate households to help slow the spread of the virus,” Pan said.