UPDATE (10:37 p.m.): An optimistic Governor Newsom visited San Luis Obispo Tuesday, weighing in on the state's vaccine capabilities and reopening plans.
"We're in a position that only seven other states in the country can lay claim in terms of positivity rate - meaning we're the eighth lowest in the nation. So we're making real progress, you've made real progress," Newsom said.
When it comes to progress locally, San Luis Obispo County Supervisor Lynn Compton took a moment to tell the governor how more could be done when it comes to vaccinating the community.
"Just last week, our public health department administered almost 10,000 doses. Our goal is to vaccinate 15,000 people combined per week at these three sites -- if we have the vaccine supply to do that. So we're asking [Governor Newsom] for as many vaccine doses as we can get," Compton said.
We asked Governor Newsom how vaccine distribution to smaller counties could be improved now that there is a third-party administrator, Blue Shield, involved in the distribution process.
"So we have a little more work to do but I want more transparency [and] that's the idea of the third-party administrator. I want to make sure we deliver on equity - not as a platitude or platform, but I want to make sure we deliver on it," Newsom said.
Newsom added the hold-up in the vaccine supply chain locally is from the federal government, not the state.
A major roadblock discovered during the pandemic has been broadband internet access. People need internet access to get appointments for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations, and students need internet access for online learning.
This is something the governor says is now becoming a priority in the legislature.
"If you wanna move the mouse, you gotta move the cheese. You gotta pay and incentivize different kind of behavior from our internet service providers and others. So we're working with them, the PUC, and we're working as well with the federal government," said Newsom.
As the county moves into a new tier, some have questioned if the process is happening too quickly. Governor Newsom says they are following transmission rates and believes the state is reopening safely.
The governor also addressed schools reopening and says he expects a $6.6 billion deal to be reached Friday that will help school districts reopen by giving them funding to purchase things like PPE and new ventilation, as well as address learning loss.
Newsom says it's time to re-imagine the school year, potentially changing the school calendars to be held at different times during the year or changing the hours of the school day.
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ORIGINAL STORY:
California Governor Gavin Newsom plans to visit a COVID-19 vaccination clinic in San Luis Obispo County on Tuesday afternoon.
The visit is one of several media events the governor has planned for March 2.
Earlier in the day, Newsom visited an elementary school in Palo Alto where he pushed for his $6.6 billion plan to reopen schools across the state. Lawmakers are expected to vote on that plan this Thursday.
Following his visit to San Luis Obispo, Newsom will travel to a vaccination site in Ventura County.
KSBY News will have a crew at the event in San Luis Obispo County with a full report at 5 and 6.