There's a bomb ticking in SLO South County, and if it goes off there could be deadly consequences.

To protect our public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, California's Department of Parks and Recreation wisely temporarily closed the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area (ODSVRA) to vehicles.

Since then, there has been very little out-of-county tourism to ODSVRA, and as a result SLO County has been able to "flatten the curve," avoid the worst aspects of the pandemic, and slowly reopen our businesses.

Unsurprisingly, in order to continue flattening the curve and keep our businesses open, public health officials emphatically advise everyone to avoid leisure tourism and stay close to home.

Instead of recognizing and taking good advice, some impatient folks are clamoring to reopen the ODSVRA now, a move that would bring thousands of out-of-county tourists to SLO County, endangering our citizens and our businesses.

Rather than sit on its hands, our county's Board of Supervisors—as well our Assembly member—should stand up now, before it's too late, to urge the California Department of Parks and Recreation to maintain the temporary closure of ODSVRA until and when it's safe to reopen.

John Alan Connerley

Oceano