Rebecca Caraway is a journalism junior and Mustang News opinion columnist. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mustang News. Just two months ago, we were all worried about the Omicron variant. Everyone was waiting in line for tests…
San Luis Obispo County reports more than 2,000 new COVID-19 cases in the past week
The San Luis Obispo County Public Health Department reported more than 2,000 new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the last week, officials announced Tuesday. This is the highest weekly total since January 2021. “We expected a surge across the county,…
Waking up a ghost town: Students feel invigorated, cautious and anxious to revitalize a quiet campus
Walking around campus last school year, walls were empty, hallways echoed and Cal Poly was swept into a slumber — “dead” even, kinesiology junior Cossette Gibler said. Now as the first signs of life return to the campus — with…
COVID-19 is surging in San Luis Obispo County. Is it safe for Cal Poly to reopen?
When Cal Poly reopens this month for another school year amidst a pandemic, the campus will be operating near normal, administrators have said for months. University housing will be at maximum capacity — with about 8,000 students living on campus…
Mask mandate reinstated in San Luis Obispo County amid highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations
San Luis Obispo County residents will once again have to wear face masks in all public indoor settings as of Tuesday night. Director of Public Health Penny Borenstein announced at a briefing Tuesday afternoon that a mask mandate is a…
SLO businesses react to the state reopening
Throngs of people at the Thursday night Farmers market and seeing smiles freed from masks was once unheard of — but it is now the new reality for San Luis Obispo. Businesses suffered during the pandemic, but with the state…
Hate crimes against Asian Americans increased during the pandemic. Students now fear for family and themselves
The pandemic has exposed the “outsider” mentality and the pulling of two worlds in the Asian community, he said.
“Within that small weekend of three days, life totally changed”: Students and faculty reflect a year after the pandemic hit
“It was just such a strange feeling of every time I checked the email like ‘Oh my god, oh my god,’” Senn said. “Within that small weekend of three days, life totally changed.”
Vaccine lottery registration system soon to be implemented in SLO County
San Luis Obispo County is planning to install a new registration and lottery system for vaccinations this week, announced at a county press briefing Wednesday, Feb. 24.
Students, staff see gaps in LGBTQ+ care due to pandemic
At the beginning of the 2019-20 academic year, the University Health Center began providing comprehensive LGBTQ+ medical and mental health services that are critical for some students. One such student was Cal Poly alumn Autumn Ford, who at the time, emphasized the importance of having a safe space for students to access care — without having to worry about it being “taken away” from them.
New COVID-19 variant not in SLO County, despite previous reports from the state
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…