San Luis Obispo County and seven cities inside of it are shutting down access to popular parks, beaches and the Pismo Beach Pier to preserve the public’s health.

Starting at noon March 27, parking lots at all coastal county parks are closing. Morro Bay’s beaches will see their parking lots close at 6 p.m., and the public boat launch will also close, with no effect to commercial fishing.

Additionally, all campgrounds in SLO County are closing on March 27. Any reservations from March 27 through April 30 will be canceled and given a full refund, and campers currently on the campgrounds will have to leave before April 2.

“In order to protect the public health of our county, it’s best we discourage people from coming here to recreate,” said Wade Horton, SLO County’s director of emergency services, in a March 26 news conference.

The county is also closing El Chorro Regional Park. The park is going to be used as a site to care for homeless people who test positive for COVID-19, but don’t require hospitalization. Because of that, the county is also closing the park’s associated campground, day use areas and golf course.

SLO County residents are still encouraged to go outside, but county leaders advised people to stay closer to home when they do. Instead of traveling to the park, Horton encouraged people to take walks and engage in social distancing around their own neighborhoods.

• Contact Amber Hair at ahair@pacbiztimes.com.