New COVID–19 Outbreak at Main Jail

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office

A new outbreak of COVID–19 positive inmates is currently being managed at the Santa Barbara County Jail. 

On February 2, 2021, several inmates housed in the male basement dormitory reported symptoms of COVID – 19 to staff.  Inmates in two separate housing units were tested for the virus.  Twenty-six of the sixty inmates tested were positive.

Inmates are currently being re-housed in an effort to quarantine those who are positive from those who tested negative.  Routine surveillance testing of those inmates who were negative will continue over the next fourteen days in an effort to identify any others who may have contracted the virus.  All of the inmates affected are being monitored and are receiving treatment by medical staff within the jail. 

Contact tracing efforts are underway to identify the source of the outbreak, as well as identify any staff that may have been exposed.  COVID – 19 policies and procedures implemented early in the pandemic require all staff working in the custody environment to wear N95 masks and use other universal precautions.  Employees also undergo routine surveillance testing for the virus in an effort to identify asymptomatic employees who may be infected.