SLO County health officials report three additional deaths due to COVID-19 

County reports total of 264 deaths from COVID-19

–The County of San Luis Obispo Public Health Department today reported that three SLO County residents have passed away due to COVID-19. These are the first confirmed COVID-19 deaths since May 17, 2021. One resident was in their 50s, one was in their 60s, and one was in their 70s. With these deaths, 264 SLO County residents have succumbed to COVID-19.

“It is heartbreaking to lose valued members of our community to COVID-19, and even more painful now that we have the tools to protect each other and prevent this kind of tragic loss,” said Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer.

“I extend my sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones who are mourning today.” These deaths follow an increase in cases and hospitalizations statewide as California more fully reopens and as the more highly-transmissible Delta variant takes hold. The Delta variant now reportedly accounts for more than 43-percent of cases sequenced in California.

COVID-19 vaccines continue to be “highly effective at preventing severe COVID-19 illness, hospitalization and death,” the county says. The California Department of Public Health recently reported that out of more than 20.4 million fully vaccinated individuals, 99.95-percent have not become ill from COVID-19.

“I beg our community: let this be our county’s last loss of life from this horrible disease,” said Dr. Borenstein. “I urge you to please protect yourself, your most vulnerable neighbors and those you love by getting vaccinated today. If you cannot get vaccinated, please continue to wear a mask and get tested if you experience symptoms of COVID-19.”

To schedule your first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at a Public Health clinic, visit myturn.ca.gov or call (833) 422-4255. To find other local vaccine providers, visit myturn.ca.gov or VaccineFinder.org.

For updates on COVID-19 in SLO County, visit ReadySLO.org or call the recorded Public Health Information Line at (805) 788-2903. Phone assistance is available at (805) 781-5500 Monday – Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to assist with questions related to COVID-19. For more information on COVID-19 vaccine and to make an appointment, visit www.RecoverSLO.org/Vaccine.

About the author: News Staff

News staff of the A-Town Daily News wrote and edited this article from local contributors and press releases. Scott Brennan is the publisher of this newspaper and founder of Access Publishing. Connect with him on Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn, or follow his blog. He can be reached at [email protected].