Anonymous
Santa Barbara County Fire Department Headquarters (Photo: Google Maps)
During a press conference, Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg confirmed the patient in question tested negative and the firefighters were released from their quarantine.
On Tuesday March 24th a Santa Barbara County Fire Department engine company responded to a call for service for a woman having a medical emergency.
The engine company, along with other first responders assisted the woman and she was transported to the hospital. At the hospital, the patient’s symptoms began to evolve and become in line with symptoms of COVID-19.
All responders were notified and immediately put into quarantine. All equipment had already been decontaminated per normal protocol, but deeper cleaning measures were additionally taken.
The patient has been tested for COVID-19 and are awaiting results. Our firefighters will remain in quarantine until results are received, which might take 48 hours. If the patient is determined to be positive, the firefighters will be tested.*
*[Editor’s Note: A previous version of this press release stated firefighters were awaiting COVID-19 test results. This has been corrected].
I’m just curious, not trying to start debate, if there is a gag order or some similar silencing rule about identifying cities within SB County when it comes to articles about the virus? Again, not trying to say one way or the other, just curious if there is a rule or agreement to that effect?
Where and when do HIPA laws take affect…?
COASTWATCH – for HIPAA laws to be applicable, the information must be such that the patient is identifiable, such as name, address, phone, email, etc.
Tagdes – thanks! One of those in “other-South County” is in Goleta, as was reported by KEYT and I posted on another thread earlier today.
Actually Goleta is not other.
PUG – seriously, I can’t with you. There is a case in Goleta – whether the website lists Goleta as an “other” or not. The point is, there is a case in Goleta. Goleta is the city where the person is. Goleta has a case of coronavirus. GOLETA is OTHER than Orcutt, SB, Santa Maria, Carp, Montecito and Summerland. ————— https://keyt.com/health/2020/03/24/goleta-resident-describes-experience-with-covid-19/
Notice that the firefighters are waiting to be tested….. waiting for the patient to be a confirmed exposure before they are tested. How long does it take for someone to show positive after exposure? In other countries the number of people tested on demand is much much higher, giving more realistic statistics of the number actually infected. As for the idea : “For nurses on front lines, can they isolate in community-loaned RV trailers placed in parking lots of Cottage Hospital S.B and Goleta?” that is an excellent idea. But you know that they are bringing in government trailers and giving them to the indigent homeless to wreck, instead of the front line workers who are saving lives and risking their own.