Edhat StaffBy edhat staff
Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) is reporting an additional death of an individual who tested positive for COVID-19. The individual was over 70 years of age with underlying health conditions and resided in the South County Unincorporated Area.
Deaths are reported when a death certificate is processed listing COVID- 19 as a cause or a significant condition. The process can take several days and up to 2 months to finalize if pending Coroner verification.
In addition, the California Department of Public Health reviewed the medical chart notes of a reported COVID-19 related death in June of a person between the ages of 18-29 who resided in Santa Maria, and has determined the death was not COVID-19 related. The death has been removed. Total COVID-19 related deaths in Santa Barbara County are now 73.
“We send our thoughts of comfort and condolences to the grieving families. As school goes back into session via distance learning over the next couple of weeks, our lives will again need to adapt to everyday living that is so different than our pre-COVID routines. Please remain vigilant. The more we can do to slow the spread the quicker we can move to expanded re opening. Wear a face covering and stay at least 6 feet from others. It’s our best defense at this time.” said Van Do-Reynoso, Santa Barbara County Public Health Director.
The full numbers have yet to be updated due to an error with state numbers. Data will be updated here when it’s available.
HEALTH OFFICER ORDER UPDATED TO CONTINUE THE CLOSURE OF INDOOR OPERATIONS FOR SPECIFIC BUSINESSES
Santa Barbara County Health Officer, Dr. Henning Ansorg has issued a Health Officer Order continuing the closure of certain indoor business operations, addition of new closures and clarification of gatherings. This Order is effective today at 5 p.m. and continues until 5 p.m. on September 10, 2020, or until it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing.
As required by the Health Officer Order the following sectors must continue to close indoor operations:
- Gyms and Fitness centers;
- Places of Worship;
- Protests;
- Offices for non-essential critical infrastructure;
- Personal care services, such as nail salons, massage parlors, and tattoo parlors;
- Hair salons and barbershops
- Malls
Additionally, the following businesses have been added to the list of businesses which must keep physical locations closed:
- In-person higher education including technical schools, colleges, universities, adult education, and trade schools. Indoor lectures are prohibited. Courses offered in specialized indoor settings (e.g. labs, studios, arts), whose design imposes substantial physical distancing on participants are permitted when following the Stated issued guidance. Distance learning is allowed;
- Parties and Receptions. Outdoor wedding ceremonies (religious or non-religious) are permitted so long as the State guidance for Places of Worship is followed. Indoor ceremonies are not allowed at this time. Receptions for weddings are not allowed;
- Rodeos and public equestrian events;
- Organized sports and team sports including adult, amateur (non-professional) team sports, and indoor and drills, except professional sports without a live audience and youth sports training and conditioning when following State guidelines
Gatherings are not allowed whether small or large. Gatherings are defined as an event or convening that brings together people from different households in a single room or space at the same time in any indoor or outdoor space whether public or private. Gathering exemptions include:
- While in a work setting which is allowed while maintaining physical distancing;
- Outdoor recreational activities while maintaining six feet distance from others. Examples include walking, cycling, jogging and hiking;
- Congregate living situations including dormitories and homeless encampments;
- Outdoor worship services, wedding ceremonies, outdoor cultural ceremonies or outdoor protests, when physical distancing of six feet is maintained.
The full Health Officer Order can be found here. For more information about COVID-19 and the response locally, please visit www.publichealthsbc.org or call the County Call Center at 1-833-688-5551.
These restrictions will be extended time and again until we all wise up. The irony of it all is that it’s likely the same type of people who have the biggest issues with the restrictions that are conducting themselves in a fashion that result in the restritctions being kept in place.
You mean like picking produce in a field, and then housed in close, really close quarters… or being elderly and in a care facility or in hospice? From day one, didn’t notice any shut down of landscaping crews, lots of house cleaning cars driving around, thank god they opened golf, tennis, and pickle-ball for everyone to safely enjoy. So thankful the city filled the skateparks with sand – no skateboarding! That’s bad. So this death was ‘reported’ today. When did it actually occur? Didn’t see that in the report. I read that it can take up to two months to report a covid death, so without any other information, this could be a death from June.
Story in Marketwatch . com this morning: The ‘excess deaths’ tally in the U.S. is 204,691 in 7 months — so COVID-19 deaths might be undercounted. Another number to keep your eye on. But this is just like the flu, right?
We’ve all heard the expression “it takes a village” it couldn’t possibly be more true than now. Our “Village”, town, city, county or neighborhood, whichever label you prefer needs to get on the same page. Come on people wear masks, social distance act like responsible freaking adults and get this situation under control….I hate wearing a mask, I hate zoom, I miss hugging and holding hands, I miss my friends hell I even miss people I’m not particularly fond of…please let’s all do better, let’s do more. (by the way I’m including myself in the “do better and do more”). Please…