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In early May, Santa Barbara County began community testing in partnership with the California Department of Public Health. The testing being conducted is intended to identify if an individual currently has the COVID-19 virus. Over the course of the past two months the testing sites’ utilization has increased significantly. While we continue to support members of our community getting tested, the current volume of asymptomatic, low/no-risk individuals getting tested has reduced the capacity of these state-run sites to test essential and healthcare workers, symptomatic individuals, those who have had an exposure or individuals at risk. Community members unable to schedule an appointment at the state-run sites should contact their primary care provider or local urgent care centers.
When considering getting a test, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) recommends asking yourself the following questions. If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then you should get tested.
- Do you work in a high-risk environment for the transmission of COVID-19? Example: an industry with frequent interaction of members of the public
- Are you an essential worker? Example: utility workers, grocery store workers, food supply workers, other public employees
- Do you live or work in a congregate setting? Example: Correctional facility (jail, prison, etc.), homeless shelter, residential care facility, or dorm.
- Have you had close contact with an individual who has been recently confirmed as having COVID-19? Close contact is about 15 minutes, in a closed room less than six feet apart with neither party wearing a mask.
- Have you been experiencing any symptoms of illness, different than seasonal allergies? Cough, runny nose, fatigue, headaches, sore throat, loss of taste, nausea, etc.
- Has a Public Health Department employee recommended that you get tested?
If you cannot answer yes to any of these questions, you are at lower risk for contracting COVID-19 and are not advised to be tested at this time. By deferring getting a COVID-19 test, you are allowing those who are at a higher risk for exposure to gain timely testing appointments.
PHD asks that you continue to follow state and local guidelines to:
• Stay home when possible.
• Remain six feet away from others and wear a face covering when engaging in tasks indoor or that involve a line or other crowding.
• Wash your hands with soap and water regularly.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms. Avoid public spaces and your worksite.
To listen to our Public Health Department Director’s most recent presentation to the Board of Supervisors, click here. Active cases in the South County Unincorporated Area have remained relatively stable over the past few weeks, (currently 14), but we have seen active cases rising in the County with 80 currently in the City of Santa Barbara and 226 in the City of Santa Maria where nursing facility and farm worker populations have been particularly affected. As you can see from the graph below, while individuals being hospitalized and in the ICU have increased over the past few weeks, these numbers are still considered “Less Concerning” according to the State of California’s metrics.
As a follow-up and continuation of our conversation on racial equity in the criminal justice system that started at our meeting on June 11th, our Board will be holding its next meeting on this topic on Thursday, July 16th at 1pm.
At the meeting, we will be hearing from the offices of our fellow elected officials, our Sheriff and District Attorney, as well as our Courts-appointed Chief Probation Officer, and our Board-appointed Public Defender. These criminal justice agencies will be giving a report on keeping our jail population low in people that have not been convicted of a crime (pre-trial) in accordance with the motion I made at our June 11th hearing. Due to COVID-19, our criminal justice agencies have been under order to keep the jail population low to prevent the spread of the illness. As a result, our current County Jail population has been reduced by 1/3, opening doors to alternatives to incarceration that many thought were not possible previously.
To give public comment during the meeting, please call (805) 568-2240 before 1pm on July 16th. Simply share your name and phone number, and the clerk will call you at the appropriate time. For more information on how to participate click here: http://countyofsb.org/ceo/cob.sbc and you can watch the hearing here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MKBRS7teISJ5iGufoc_Iw
Take care,
Das
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