Edhat Staff
Governor Gavin Newsom speaking during Tuesday’s press conference (Photo: Livestream)
By edhat staff
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) announced 29 additional confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) on Tuesday evening. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 313.
There are currently 133 cases confirmed in their homes, 124 have made full recoveries, 40 are hospitalized with 15 of those in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 14 are pending information, and there have been 2 deaths. From the 313 total there have been 38 healthcare workers who tested positive. More information on ages and locations can be found here.
Of the 29 new cases, 13 are related to the outbreak at the Lompoc Federal Prison. There are currently 67 inmates who have tested positive with 12 hospitalizations, 2 of those in the ICU. Additionally, 24 prison staff members have tested positive with 1 of those cases in the hospital. PHD continues to work with officials at the Lompoc Federal Prison to establish a field hospital on the prison grounds.
California’s Six Indicators
The latest numbers were released following California Governor Gavin Newsom’s Tuesday afternoon press conference outlining six indicators that are needed before easing the stay-at-home order.
“While Californians have stepped up in a big way to flatten the curve and buy us time to prepare to fight the virus, at some point in the future we will need to modify our stay-at-home order,” said Governor Newsom. “As we contemplate reopening parts of our state, we must be guided by science and data, and we must understand that things will look different than before.”
Newsom stated that until residents build immunity, actions will be aligned to ensure the ability to care for the sick within hospitals, prevent infection in people who are at high risk for severe disease, build the capacity to protect the health and well-being of the public, and reduce social, emotional and economic disruptions.
California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
- The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
- The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
- The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
- The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
- The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
- The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary.
The Governor said there is not a precise timeline for modifying the stay-at-home order, but that these six indicators will serve as the framework for making that decision. He also noted that things will look different as California makes modifications. For example, restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured.
PHD Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg stated Santa Barbara County will follow the state’s guidance while taking local needs into consideration. Ultimately they’re looking for a plateau of hospitalizations and ICU cases. The decline of cases needs to be sustained and ongoing for a few weeks. They’ll have a better understanding at the end of April, he said.
Rate of Testing
Santa Barbara has conducted over 3,200 tests and has a testing rate of 0.77% which is close to the national average of 0.87% while positive tests are between 8.5-8.8%. The uptick reflects the outbreak in the Lompoc prison, said Dr. Stewart Comer, PHD Lab Director.
All hospitals in Santa Barbara County now have access to rapid testing for Tier 1 patients experiencing symptoms. Tier 1 patients include healthcare workers, first responders, elderly, and people living in congregate settings such as an assisted living community. Rapid testing takes less than 12 hours for a result. Two hospitals in the area also have access to testing that produces results in less than 3 hours.
Cottage Health Numbers
Below is a status update as of April 14, 2020.
· Cottage Health is caring for a total of 204 patients across all campuses.
· 157 are acute care patients; 216 acute care beds remain available.
· In surge planning, capacity is identified for adding 270 acute care beds.
· Of the 157 patients, 11 patients are on ventilators; 53 ventilators remain available (adult, pediatric and neonatal ventilators)
· Of the 157 patients, 20 are in isolation with COVID-19 symptoms; 16 are confirmed COVID-19 positive.
· Of 20 patients in isolation, 9 patients are in critical care.
· Cottage has collected 1,811 cumulative test samples: 146 resulted in positive, 1,585 resulted in negative, and 80 are pending. In most of these tests, patients did not require hospital admission.
Ventura and SLO Counties
As of Tuesday, Ventura County reports 33 new cases for a total of 350 cases. Of the 350 cases, 136 have recovered, and 23 are currently hospitalized with 8 in the ICU. There have been 13 deaths ranging in age from 51 to 89, all had preexisting conditions.
San Luis Obispo County is reporting 120 cases. Of those, 101 have fully recovered, 15 are recovering at home, 3 are hospitalized, and 1 person has died.
question – after 3 weeks of stay-at-home/social distancing/mask wearing/etc… how are people in SB with new cases of CV getting it? I ask not to be judgmental – but more to get info on what not to be doing/places to avoid – did they get it in SB or from another area they traveled to? were they wearing masks and still got it? were they coming into contact with lots of people? or just had bad luck? if SB County is serious about reducing future cases, then there needs to be more anonymized info that helps people know to avoid certain situations beyond the common sense guidelines
California’s six indicators for modifying the stay-at-home order are:
The ability to monitor and protect our communities through testing, contact tracing, isolating, and supporting those who are positive or exposed;
The ability to prevent infection in people who are at risk for more severe COVID-19;
The ability of the hospital and health systems to handle surges;
The ability to develop therapeutics to meet the demand;
The ability for businesses, schools, and child care facilities to support physical distancing; and
The ability to determine when to reinstitute certain measures, such as the stay-at-home orders, if necessary. Is it just me that feels these conditions are rather vague and would require many more months to achieve if possible ?
It’s probably a mixture of a lot of things
What hits me in that statement is “restaurants will have fewer tables and classrooms will be reconfigured.” I don’t know any restaurant that doesn’t run on a very tight margin, and if you reduce the number of meals they can serve that will finish off the few who make it past the months of paying rent while shut. And smaller classroom student numbers? Where is the budget for more teachers and classrooms? Neither of these “goals” is “sustainable” or “attainable.”
SB Local, I wouldn’t say that Dems have no sense of business any more than I’d say Reps have no care for human life. You don’t think our democratic governor wants “his” state to be economically powerful? Don’t simplify the arguments so much.
I agree, I don’t see either of those being a positive option for schools or restaurants. The federal government is set to release new guidelines, I am hoping it will make California revise its ridiculous re-entry program but I doubt.
I’m just happy he didn’t add “Humans landing on Mars” as one of the conditions for reopening the state.
In Michigan, the petition to recall their governor is close to reaching the required number of signatures, thousands of people have been out protesting, and multiple lawsuits have been filed in relation to her lockdown orders. It’s important to remember that Governor Newsom works for us! Vague goals and buzzwords are not going to cut it. We need concrete plans to get business started again ASAP. If Newsom won’t deliver, then I say we fire him!
I find it disgustingly hypocritical that the people demanding leadership from a Governor are Trump followers… All those angry MI Trumpsters, with their confederate flags and MAGA hats are shining examples of ignorance and misguided sense of self worth. Funny how they demand “leadership” and “guidance” from their local leaders while ignoring the train wreck of incompetence in the white house.
Deliberately obtuse. For all the focus put on science and data, as written these are not quantifiable goals. How does one measure success or that the goals were achieved?
Chip give me the petition and I will sign! I was ready to get rid of him before covid.
If you look, you notice that those not wearing masks in lines or clumped together talking often have characteristics that identify them as belonging to particular age, ethnic or occupation groups. Not to enforce masking/distancing requirements puts these groups and anyone they contact/live with at higher risk. If not being “prejudiced” means higher infection & death rates to those groups, forget PC and save lives.
This is a very good question. Contact tracing would be very informative at this point.
Isn’t that the point, though? The scientific projections are not at all exact right now, we need to wait until we have actionable data. It’s a GOOD and scientific decision to not make decisions right now – that’s what the data is telling us to do.
Racjax, you’re spot on regarding the obtuse message. But business owners heard one message loud and clear: Newsom is saying that businesses might not open in 2020 as these goals are not achievable in the coming months. Look for more rounds of layoffs for private businesses in the coming days/weeks. Good luck to all.
I guess that is my point – any occupation that requires you to be in close proximity with another just needs to be more careful. We all drive cars and there are laws to protect people – however there are still deaths/injuries. Does not mean we stop driving cars. If you are at a busy intersection then take more precautions – unless you want to risk getting hit. if you want to go a store to buy a good/service and it requires being in close proximity with others, then take more precaution. If you want to visit an elderly person, then both parties take more precautions. My take is that the Dems seem more interested in locking things down because they have no sense of business and what it means to make a payroll. Where Reps (as bad as Trump is) understands the need to get people back to work and are trying to balance the risk.
There is ZERO consideration for rights of individuals. All consideration, every consideration, is framed around the interests of the state.
Until the state government identifies and agrees that these specific state designated terms and conditions are met, all Californians are to remain under home detention; and all civil rights are suspended by order of the state.
Additionally, the state will only consider a limited amount of loosened the restrictions; and permit a modified amount of liberty; if, and only if, the state is assured to be able to immediately institute the rules of the original citizen confinement. That means as long as the state fears they may not be able to accomplish this again… the current status will be retained.
It’s weird. People I have regularly appreciated and upvoted, such as CHIP, have lost me on this COVID-19 issue. I believe, that as a scientist, I am dispassionate and look at things with cold objectivity. I’m politically independent, more of a libertarian actually, and I’ve turned off the news for the past 4 weeks, opting for Netflix and Spotify to distract me. But I had to drive to my lab to fill some liquid nitrogen as an essential duty, and Ken and John (KFI) were rabid. Then I got home and put on Fox News, and the same thing: This shutdown is some kind of overreaction. I get that Trump’s re-election was riding on the red-hot economy, but that’s no more and people want the economy opened ASAP. But let’s be careful here. It’s not like Biden is a real threat, provided Trump doesn’t do something stupid like opening the economy too quickly and the numbers of infected skyrocket.
I’m not chico but YES, anyone that still wants to be out living a normal life should have the option to do so. If a “non-essential” business wants to keep operating they should have the option to do so. If you don’t like it then don’t go to that store or don’t go near those horrible social distance rule breakers with no mask on. I am so glad I have normal friends.
Thanks Chip.
I am afraid the hysteria is worse than the disease and the “new normal” will drive us further apart as a people.
Imagine being 9 or 10 years old and this being your first real experience and that then forms your opinion and directs your actions to always be afraid of any and everything that you can’t control or comprehend yet.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
B.F.
CHICO – What “Liberties” do you feel we’re giving up? Should we just be all out and about as usual since that “temporary Safety” isn’t worth it? What are your thoughts?
Chico Berkeley is spot on! Being out and about or isolated in an individual decision. Everyone is free to isolate themselves to the extent they feel is appropriate. It is encouraging to see civil rights protests popping up around the country. Many civil rights lawsuits have been filed in response to the authoritarian measures that have been implemented in response to the virus. I hope these lawsuits result in precedent setting rulings that prevent this type of government overreach from happening in the future. Perhaps an injunction could even bring a speedy end to many of the “lockdown” measures and help to restore our civil rights.
I love that quote by Franklin, but is anachronistic. Franklin never saw SARS, nuclear weapons, or Facebook. The world has changed in the 230 years since he died. They key point in that quote, that you appear to have overlooked, is “essential Liberty”, which we have not given up. If there was martial law, then you’d have a point. Stop being such a drama queen.
Where did all the conspiracy theorists come from? 5 disagree with simply asking about what liberties are at stake, and 8 agree with “civil rights” protests against the lockdown? Why? What’s more worrisome though, is the thought that this many people are disregarding the severity of the situation (Michigan) and wandering around as if nothing is wrong. The longer people spread the disease, the longer businesses will be shut, schools closed, etc etc. Stop spreading the virus!
Sweden has 1400 COVID-19 deaths out of 13,216 confirmed cases. Doesn’t sound very good to me, despite their excellent healthcare system.
Sweden decided against the full-on lockdown that the rest of the world has adopted and they’re just fine. We could learn a thing or two from them.