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Despite a large increase in the amount of testing, COVID-19 infections continue to be modest. During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors hearing, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department Director presented the above graph, which indicates that new cases have continued to decline if you exclude the cases from the Lompoc Federal Correctional Institution. At the Board of Supervisors meeting this coming Tuesday, the Board will receive a presentation on the Reopening In Safe Environment (RISE) Guide, which builds off of the guidance from the Governor’s Resilience Roadmap but also provides local guidance and best practices for industry sectors as developed by an expert panel.
If you have not been made aware yet, COVID-19 Community Based Testing is available in Santa Barbara. The three testing sites are located at the Earl Warren Show Grounds (3400 Calle Real, Santa Barbara, CA 93105), the Santa Maria Fairpark (937 Thornburg Street, Santa Maria, CA, 93458), and the Anderson Recreation Center (125 West Walnut Avenue, Lompoc, CA 93436). Testing will be by appointment only and sites will be operational five (5) days per week from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Everyone is eligible to apply for screening. Once screened, testing order will be prioritized for people with symptoms, such as a fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Additional prioritization will be offered to populations of higher risk, including: First Responders and Health Care Professionals.
Tests will be conducted to verify the presence of COVID-19 and are not antibody tests to detect whether or not a person has ever been infected. Insurance information will be collected when you register, but no co-pay required. If you do not have insurance, the State of California will pay for your test. Please bring your identification, if you have one. Appointments will be completed at an indoor facility, and will require residents to exit their vehicle.
Screening and appointments can be made by visiting https://lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123 for those with no internet access.
With the stay-at-home order still in place, some children, elderly individuals, and animals are being forced to spend more time in close quarters with their abusers. The message from the District Attorney and Sheriff’s Department remains, “if you see something, say something.” Domestic abuse reports have decreased likely due to fear of retribution. We are relying on the community to speak up for those who cannot. Call 911 to report abuse that has recently occurred or is in progress. You can also call (805) 568-2400 if you are a victim of abuse and would like to speak confidentially to a trained Victim Advocate at the Santa Barbara County District Attorney Office.
Please take of yourselves and each other!
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