Resources for Congregate Facilities

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Respiratory Virus Guidance for Congregate Facilities

Local requirements and recommendations 

See local guidance summarizing requirements, recommendations and best practices for settings at high risk for transmission of COVID-19 (updated January 2024).

Types of high-risk settings

The types of facilities under this guidance include:

  • Long term care settings and adult and senior care facilities (including day programs serving residents of these facilities)
  • Homeless shelters, emergency shelters and cooling and heating centers
  • State and local correctional facilities and detention centers
  • Skilled Nursing Facilities, acute care hospitals, and acute psychiatric facilities

For schools, childcare settings, and institutions of higher learning, please visit our Resources for Schools & Child Care page.

Other congregate settings with lower risk of communicable disease outbreaks, such as sober living and recovery centers, should follow general guidance for respiratory virus prevention.


Response Testing

Public Health will maintain a supply of over-the-counter antigen tests for facility staff at least through the end of 2024. To request tests, please submit the Respiratory Virus Outbreak Supply Request Form.

For response testing in a facility during an outbreak, facilities are encouraged to make their own arrangements for testing or testing supplies, such as:

  • Purchasing your own antigen tests,
  • Testing through Urgent Care, and/or
  • Making arrangements with a Home Health Agency.


Report Outbreaks 

Reportable diseases and conditions

For a list of reportable diseases and conditions, please see this list of reportable conditions.

How to report communicable disease outbreaks in a high-risk congregate setting

Please fill out and submit the County of San Luis Obispo Respiratory Disease Line-List to report:

  • Two or more cases of non-COVID-19 illness, or

  • One or more cases of COVID-19 among staff or residents/clients.


Request Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Antigen Tests for Staff

To request PPE and/or over-the-counter antigen tests for staff, please submit a Respiratory Virus Outbreak Supply Request Form.

When requesting PPE and/or antigen tests, please provide:

  • Total number of staff at the facility.
  • Total number of residents/clients at the facility.

You will be instructed how to pick up these supplies in San Luis Obispo.

For additional questions, please call 805-781-5500 and ask for the Communicable Disease Nurse on call.


Health Care Provider Advisories

See the most recent notices to providers from Public Health.