Santa Barbara First District Supervisor Das Williams — Late Stage 2 Businesses Can Now Open; State Just Approved Our County Attestation

I am very pleased to announce the State Department of Public Health approved Santa Barbara County’s attestation to move further into Stage 2, which allows in-dining restaurants and retail stores to open as long as they follow safety guidance provided by the state and complete a self-certification of safe practices. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued this Health Officer Order, which provides local guidance.

Prior to reopening, businesses must review State and local guidance, fill out a COVID-19 Prevention Plan, and self-certify that they can open safely. More details and instructions for businesses can be found here and the process is outlined below:

1. Begin by reviewing the guidance published by the State of Californiaand the County of Santa Barbara.
2. Upon reviewing the guidance, perform a detailed risk assessment in accordance with the state guidelines for your industry and prepare a COVID- 19 protection plan based on the guidance.
3. Implement a site-specific COVID-19 protection plan. This must be kept on site and readily available.
4. Complete your industry specific checklist.
5. Complete the attestation by completing this form.
6. Post the industry specific checklist and the attestation at your business to show your customers and employees you have reduced the risk and are open for business.
7. Upon completing your attestation, an official from your local jurisdiction (city or county) may conduct a site visit. Business should consult their jurisdiction to determine additional code requirements for their specific industry.

If you are a business that is already permitted to be open and in operation you are asked to confirm that you have met guidance set forth by the State of California and the Santa Barbara County Health Officer for your industry by completing an industry site specific COVID-19 protection plan, checklist and attestation by June 1, 2020.

The Santa Barbara County Reopening in Safe Environment (RISE) websitealso includes industry specific prevention plan templates for industries.

This step forward is possible because Governor Newsom announced changes to his criteria for counties to be able to move more quickly through Stage 2 of his reopening plan (although no counties can move past Stage 2 into Stage 3 until the Governor authorizes that action) and our Public Health Department determined that Santa Barbara County meets the criteria.

The new criteria is as follows:

• Hospitalization rates have not increased by more than 5% in the past week (our 7-day average of daily percent change is 2.2%)
• The County has fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 residents for at least 14 days, or a rate of positive coronavirus tests has dropped below 8% (we have 3.5% community positive – the State authorized the removal of inmate positive cases at the Lompoc Federal Prison because they are not going out into the community and we are monitoring the staff at the Prison)
• Protection of Essential Workers: Availability of disinfectant supplies and protective gear
• Testing capacity: Minimum daily testing of 1.5 per 1,000 residents
• Containment Capacity: At least 15 contract tracers per 100,000 resident.
• Ability to temporarily house at least 15% of county residents experiencing homelessness
• Hospital capacity: County or regional capacity to accommodate a minimum surge of 35%
• Vulnerable populations: Skilled nursing facility must have more than 14 day supply of PPE on hand for staff and ongoing procurement from non-state supply chains
• Triggers for Adjusting Modifications: Metrics that serve as triggers for either slowing the pace through Stage 2, or tightening modifications

The following businesses will be allowed to reopen after the business fills out a self-attestation online:

• Destination retail, including but not limited to clothing stores and shoe stores
• Dine-in restaurants (our County has developed the Small Business and Community Partnership Enhancement Program to allow restaurants to spread out beyond their own footprint to have adequate distancing)
• Campground and RV Parks

It is important to note that childcare facilities, which are overseen by the State Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing and must follow Provider Information Notices, are included in Attachment B of the Order, which are defined essential businesses and defined lower-risk businesses that may remain open with modified operations and social distancing, or open more fully with self-certification.

Remember that the number of unemployed has tripled in our County and that patronizing local businesses is one of the only ways to turn that around. We have been extraordinarily effective in flattening the curve keeping our local Coronavirus pandemic manageable through the public volunteering to follow the rules. It is very important that the public continue to act responsibly by maintaining the same physical distancing and hygiene practices so that we are able to move forward safely as a community.

Please take of yourselves and each other!

Das