San Luis Obispo County is asking for the public's help to keep COVID-19 cases from spreading.
The current case surge is straining County Public Health Department resources, and contact tracers are struggling to keep up.
The county says contact tracers are working as quickly as possible to investigate cases that pose the highest risk, which include people over 50 and health care workers. But they are asking the public to self-isolate and inform their close contacts if they think they have been exposed to the virus.
"Don't wait to isolate," Dr. Penny Borenstein, County Health Officer, said. "We need your help. Stay home for at least 10 days if you test positive or have been exposed."
The county's message is clear: contract tracers are working hard, but people can't rely on getting a phone call if they have been exposed.
The county is now offering quarantine and isolation certification online, a replacement for calling the County Public Health Department. Those who complete the form will get documentation that they have been released from isolation.
SLO County describes close contact as being within six feet of someone who is infected for 15 minutes or more.