Edhat Staff
By edhat staff
The Santa Barbara County Public Department (PHD) reports a decrease in COVID-19 cases as it plans to close beaches for Labor Day weekend.
During a press conference on Friday afternoon, local officials confirmed an overall decrease in new COVID-19 cases, testing positivity rates, and hospitalizations.
While Santa Barbara County remains on the state’s monitoring list, the numbers are leading in the direction of other counties such as San Diego and Santa Cruz who were recently removed from the list.
California Department of Public Health (CDPH) requires 100 COVID-19 cases or less per 100,000 people within a county. Santa Barbara is currently at 138.7 cases, a significant decrease from over 300 in previous weeks. CDPH also requires a case positivity rate below 8% and the county has reached 7.2% in the past week, said PHD Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso.
“I am very proud of what we are accomplishing together,” said County Supervisor Gregg Hart. While numbers are decreasing he warned now is not the time to get complacent as it’s clear the restrictions in place are proving to be effective.
Similar to the guidelines implemented for the July 4th holiday, the county will be enacting the same beach restrictions for Labor Day weekend in just a few weeks. Beach activities will be closed to stationary activities to prevent group gatherings. More information on these guidelines is expected next week.
Focusing on Isla Vista
While numbers decrease for the majority of cities in Santa Barbara County, the community of Isla Vista is experiencing a sharp increase due to students moving back to the area, dense housing situations, and large group gatherings.
PHD is working with the county, UC Santa Barbara, and the Isla Vista Community Services District to prevent the spread of the virus. There is extensive social media outreach and education on avoiding gatherings, wearing masks, and keeping a distance. Face coverings are being distributed throughout the community and many local businesses are expanding their outdoor services with proper distancing, said Dr. Do-Reynoso.
Isla Vista residents are also encouraged to speak with their roommates about keeping their household safe and what to do if someone experiences symptoms. UC Santa Barbara and community providers are also increasing their mental wellness support.
Dr. Do-Reynoso expects to see a reduction of infections within two to three weeks, similar to the City of Santa Maria.
County Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg also informed the community that younger people are at risk of infection and have a greater likelihood of spreading the virus than older people. He said approximately 40% of hospitalizations within Santa Barbara County are people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s.
Friday’s COVID-19 Numbers
PHD is reporting three additional deaths of individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. All three individuals were between the ages of 50-69, had underlying health conditions and lived in the City of Santa Maria. 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.
There are now a total of 87 COVID-19 related deaths in Santa Barbara County.
“To all the families who have lost a loved one to COVID-19, we keep you in our thoughts and prayers. We know there is a large percentage of people who have no symptoms and are unaware they are spreading the virus. It is up to all of us to take preventive measures to slow the spread. Stay at least 6 feet from others who do not live in your household, avoid gatherings, wear a face covering and wash your hands thoroughly and often.” said Dr. Do-Reynoso.
There are 81 new cases today adding to the county’s grand total of 7,653. Of those, 254 are active or infectious cases. There are currently 54 hospitalizations including 20 in the intensive care unit (ICU).
Health officials urged residents to continue following the guidelines so the county can be removed from the state’s monitoring list allowing more schools to reopen.
Dr. Ansorg reminded the community the school waiver process is now open to K-6 elementary schools and the application is now posted on the county’s website. Once the application is received, it could take up to two weeks for the school to reopen due to approval from the local and state health offices.
More data and information can be found at https://publichealthsbc.org.
Are the beach closures going to be the same as before, allowing running and walking but banning sitting on your butt in the sun? Pretty stupid, if so. Who came up with this idea, and based on what ‘science?’
When the City of Los Angeles shuts off power and utilities to a mansion hosting parties, what does Santa Barbara do? Why let hundreds of kids spew COVID all over each other at Beach City of course! What will it take to have some kind of accountability at Beach City? 50 infections? A murder? Because there sure are a lot of fights along with some kind of a party happening EVERY NIGHT. With IV having an increase in COVID cases recently, at least that problem is acknowledged and reported on there. Why is everyone in SB turning a blind eye to Beach City? All the bars are closed, IV is constricted, so the young and restless head to Beach City where I guess if no one talks about it, it “simply disappears?”
You are right Jason, I really think the city should shut of power AND utilities to the beach. That will solve the problem.
Yeah, those UCSB kids are coming back…not sure why seeing many classes are online anyway, you can already feel it by the traffic flow…..and their wreckless driving. All sling and summer were had very few cases, hardly any in IV. I live at Friendship Manor retirement living. This is all we need here are hundreds of kids coming here and not being responsible. And I fault UCSB because they I believe need to be a little stricter and make the students aware of their responsibility to the community…..wear a mask and NO parties! How dare they come into the community and bring disease. There are over 200 seniors that live at Friendship Manor and we’ve been healthy, don’t let these young jerks get us sick just because they want to have a weekend boozer!
Yeah…IV is gonna be a problem. The kids are getting there money’s worth and partying like its 1999. The police are not visible. Not to mention all the parks have become tent cities, with shelter in place refugees. Our community living up to it’s fools paradise again, extreme wealth and extreme poverty living next door to each other!!
Wait to Halloween rolls into town, and lock down round 2 before Turkey sacrifice day methinks.
Theses students get locked into year leases, so should get interesting..
Had a nightmare many years ago that IV burned down one night following student riots, but we all know how dreams are…all those asbestos filled $2000 a month per room, rentals up in smoke!
Ice Creams, or Nice Dreams? Too much Cheech and Chong you say?
I am absolutely certain the spike in cases we saw had nothing, absolutely nothing to do with all the protest activities occurring during May and June. A worthy cause always brings immunity, right? Simply Shocked!
Word is there are now “Harvard Houses” out west in beach communities. Why sit in the steamy or frigid Boston area taking your Harvard classes online, when you can zoom them in Santa Barbara. Educational delivery has now been radically changed, perhaps forever. A single instructor can now reach thousands of students instead of only under a hundred face to face. This makes “free college for everyone” finally a financially viable option
I have an idea. Think instead of the trillions of bugs crawling across your skin right now. All of them battling for terrain and how best to survive, using you as their host, as they eat your dead skin and other particulates. In overall gross totality? They exist more than you do.
That’s interesting! You should call the call center number and ask this question. If they don’t know the answer, they will escalate and call you back. I wouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t right on their numbers. They don’t have a great track record with accuracy.
Cite your source for this, other than wishful thinking that reinforces your belief system.
3:21 and 11:14, nice thread hijack. Let me know when you start your Bugs as Gods religion.
9:19, can find no articles on this anywhere on the web. Do you have a reputable source for this or are you trying to start a rumor?
PitMix, of course I heard this ‘Harvard House” thing on the web – no reason to make this up. I suspect we choose very different media sources and even search engines. The face of higher ed has now radically changed. That is the real issue. Free college will now be available for anyone, anywhere, with only a very few instructors needed to make this happen.
Thanks for Posting. This is happening all throughout Europe with mostly success. While here the SBUSD continues to focus on it’s failed “rigorous” virtual learning model. How about they start talking about a rigorous reopening model? That communication needs to start ASAP.
I still don’t get why running and walking on the beach is OK, but sitting on a beach towel getting some rays is dangerous. If they want to ban ‘mass gatherings,’ why not just state a limit?
ok to protest but not to sun bathe- probably the safest place to be is the beach! This is just more punishment by our CA leaders