San Luis Obispo County Public Health will no longer provide individualized isolation and quarantine orders to each person who tests positive or has been exposed to COVID-19 amid a case surge, according to a Jan. 7 Health Officer Order.
County Public Health Spokesperson Michelle Shoresman said the County of San Luis Obispo, like many other counties, decided to put in place a countywide isolation and quarantine order due to the large and rapid surge of COVID-19 cases. The county has been unable to keep up with the increasing number of individual isolation letters that needed to be written as there have been more than 2,000 new cases in the county so far in January.
According to the County’s news release, the order is available online on the Public Health Department’s website, along with isolation and quarantine guidance. Individuals who test positive or are exposed to COVID-19 can access the information automatically for further instruction.
The county’s new order does not substantively change the process of isolation and quarantine for Cal Poly students, since the university does not require the county to approve student isolation, according to University Spokesperson Matt Lazier.
Cal Poly is notified of any student who tests positive through the university’s testing facilities and will direct those students to follow isolation processes. If a student tests positive for COVID-19 through another avenue, the university will begin helping them move through the isolation process if the student informs the university.
Students who test positive for COVID-19 are expected to follow the isolation guidelines available on the university’s coronavirus website. If not fully vaccinated and exposed to someone with COVID-19, students should follow quarantine guidelines.
If exposed to COVID-19, individuals currently are not required to quarantine if they are fully vaccinated, boosted and do not have symptoms.