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Yesterday, in response to Governor Newsom’s announcement, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department issued a revised Health Officer Order which provides updated guidance for places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies, graduation ceremonies, hair salons, and barbershops.The Order states that:
1. Places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies may:
- Provide services virtually;
- Provide services in-person, provided attendance is limited to 25% of the building capacity, or a maximum of 100 attendees, whichever is lower.; and
- Operate offices for administrative support for the places of worship and providers.
2. Graduations may be provided:
- Through streaming or other technology; or
- In-person if all of the following protocols are followed:
o All activity must occur outdoors. Inside ceremonies are prohibited;
o All persons attending the activity must be inside a motor vehicle occupied only be persons from the same household or living unity;
o All motor vehicles at the gathering must maintain at least a minimum distance of six feet from all other vehicles;
o Graduates may be outside the vehicle to walk across a stage, receive a diploma/award, or have a photo taken as long as social distancing of at least six feet is maintained at all times; and
o Diplomas, certificates, and programs may be distributed from school to graduate or participants in car.
o An option for schools to assemble an outdoor graduation ceremony is possible if the total number of all attendees is less than 100 people and social distancing is maintained.
3. Hair salons and barbershops may provide in-person services both the worker and customer wear face coverings for the entirety of the service. Services that cannot be performed with a face covering on both the worker and customer or that require touching of the customer’s face are not allowed.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department also issued a revised Health Officer Order temporarily requiring the use of face coverings to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Order states that:
All individuals, unless an exception applies, must wear a face covering:
- When inside of or in line to enter any and all businesses.
- When using public transportation, a private car service, or a ride-sharing vehicle. Drivers must wear a face covering while driving or operating vehicles regardless of whether a member of the public is in the vehicle.
- All businesses must require employees, contractors, owners, and volunteers to wear a face covering at the workplace and at off-site work locations.
The Order does not apply to infants or children under the age of 13 and masks with one-way valves cannot be used.
It is very important that the public continue to act responsibly. I know many are eager to return to a certain standard of personal grooming, to be with their religious congregations, and to celebrate important and well-deserved educational milestones. And while the number of unemployed has tripled in our County and patronizing local businesses is one of the only ways to turn that around, we must maintain the same physical distancing and hygiene practices, which have allowed us to move forward safely as a community, to the greatest extent possible. Approximately 100,000 Americans have died from COVID-19 to date, making it likely to be the second or third highest cause of mortality this year. It remains in our power to prevent another 100,000 from dying by continuing to take precautions. We have kept our local Coronavirus pandemic manageable through public cooperation and I ask you to continue to protect yourself and others in this way.
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