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We are together facing yet another time of crisis, and how we behave in it will define and test our community and our humanity. Many have lost jobs or income, seen their products rot without customers, their businesses close, and some are even now seeing their loved ones sick. We must be a community where individuals take it upon themselves to shorten the economic crisis and save lives, by practicing social distancing without the need for Big Brother government or well-meaning neighbors to tell you how to behave. We don’t want to live in a world where everyone has become a coronavirus enforcer, so this is my call to you: let’s be adults and take the recommended and required precautions. We are blessed in comparison with other communities that we can social distance at some of the most beautiful open spaces and beaches in the world, so let’s not blow it.
As we are part of the essential workforce, our office remains at work.
It is my honor to have served you during the most trying times our community has faced. I will continue to be here as we traverse these latest treacherous waters together. I am working every day to do what I can to increase our testing capability and to ensure we are prepared for an upcoming surge in critical cases. As for what you can do in addition to following social distance guidelines – continue to think of each other and ways we can support one another as a community while maintaining safe distance. And remember to stay home if you are feeling sick and to call ahead before visiting your doctor or a County clinic if you are experiencing symptoms.
California Governor Gavin Newsom called on recently retired doctors and soon-to-be-graduated medical and nursing students to join the California Health Corps to help care for COVID-19 patients. As of yesterday, over 40 medical professionals had signed up in Santa Barbara County.
To date, the total number of confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Santa Barbara County is 139. The total number of tests completed is 1147, with 826 negative results, 181 pending, and 1 inconclusive.
Of the 139 cases, 81 are recovering at home, 23 are recovering in a hospital, 16 of which are in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), 24 have fully recovered, and 10 are pending an update. I am very saddened to report that yesterday Santa Barbara County experienced our first death related to COVID-19.
For those of you seeking social and emotional support during this difficult and stressful time, the Santa Barbara County Community Wellness Team has a host of resources available for people struggling through this time and can be reached at (805) 364-2750.
This is an especially tough time for our local businesses. While many restaurants have closed their doors, others are offering a full or limited menu for takeout and/or delivery. Check out this guide compiled by Visit Santa Barbara to learn what’s available. Please patronize a local business, at least 1,838 local people have been laid off and that will get worse if we don’t support our local businesses. Restaurant and grocery delivery services are available here. The U.S. Chamber has answers to the 10 Commonly Asked Coronavirus Small Business Loan Questions and a summary of yesterday’s CARES Act Webinar can be found here.
For residents and business struggling to keep up with expenses, Southern California Edison is also helping customers with their bills by suspending service disconnections for nonpayment and waiving late fees by request for business and residential customers impacted by the COVID-19 emergency.
We know that this is an incredibly difficult time if you’ve lost your job, income or work hours due to the coronavirus. The way that you can access government’s economic relief available for workers is by completing an application for Unemployment Insurance. I recommend getting to know the new Economic Recovery page on the County’s COVID-19 Public Information Portal.
There are multiple ways to file for Unemployment Insurance:
Online: You can file a claim online here
By-phone: Representatives are available at the following toll-free numbers, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon Pacific Time except on state holidays.
- English 1-800-300-5616
- Spanish 1-800-326-8937
- Cantonese 1-800-547-3506
- Mandarin 1-866-303-0706
- Vietnamese 1-800-547-2058
- TTY 1-800-815-9387
By Mail or by Fax: File your UI claim by accessing the paper Unemployment Insurance Application. For faster and secure processing, fax the completed application to the number listed on the form. If you mail your application, use the address on the form and allow additional time for processing.
How to Apply for UI Benefits (File a Claim) (YouTube)
For many, the best way to get away from the frustrations and stress of this crisis is to help others. If you are outside the at-risk population, you can volunteer for a partnership between Bucket Brigade and the County to staff Food Bank (help distribute food) and PATH (People Assisting the Homeless), which needs volunteers to help prepare food at the shelter. Sign up to volunteer here.
Santa Barbara County Food Bank is hosting additional food distributions in order to meet the growing need in the community caused by COVID-19. All sites are implementing social distancing practices to ensure the food you receive is safe! Many locations offer a drive-thru option to minimize contact, and others are scheduling food pick-up appointments for individuals to prevent crowds. Check the website for the most current information about distribution sites.
To donate to the United Way of Santa Barbara County’s COVID-19 Response Effort, please click here. To request information about individual financial assistance, please click here.
We strongly urge people 65 and older to self-isolate completely. Either get a friend/family member to shop for you or use a grocery delivery service.
What do I do if I’m experiencing symptoms?
A: if you are experiencing any upper respiratory symptoms (cough, sore throat, sneezing, shortness of breath, or fever) the best thing for you to do is behave as if you have the virus and self-isolate until 72 hours after freedom of symptoms.
If you want to see or talk to a doctor about your symptoms, please CALL AHEAD. Do you not go into any health care facility while experiencing these symptoms.
If you do not have insurance, our County Health Clinics and Neighborhood Clinics are available to you. Again, CALL AHEAD.
Please take of yourselves and each other!
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