Is Santa Barbara finally hitting the buttocks with COVID?



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Santa Barbara County health officials were brimming with cautious optimism as they delivered their weekly speech on the region’s latest COVID-19 data on Friday.

In short, they said, the numbers look good. Very well. Over the past week, the test positivity rate has declined by 22%. Case rates are down 34 percent. And active cases are down 23%.

“The metrics keep dropping, and that’s something to celebrate,” said Dr Van Do-Reynoso, director of the Department of Public Health. “This is really good news, and if the trends continue, we may continue to reopen in the near future.”

Of the 105,160 vaccines the county has received, 81% have been administered, Do-Reynoso said. The remaining doses are planned for the clinics that will open in the coming days. “If you haven’t been vaccinated yet,” she said, “please know that we are advocating for more vaccines and are planning a day in the very near future when you will be vaccinated. Until then, be patient. “


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Those in the Phase 1A category – healthcare workers, emergency medical staff, long-term care staff and residents – remain eligible for the vaccine, Do-Reynoso explained, but the main focus of his service has now moved to Phase 1B injections. This includes people 65 years of age and older, agricultural workers, educators and child care providers, and emergency service personnel.

For more information, see the Department of Public Health website.

A few weeks ago, Do-Reynoso continued, the state announced a shift to a new age-based system, focused on people with underlying health conditions. It was supposed to be implemented by March 15, “However, there are still a lot of unknowns as to how this will work,” she said. It is now more likely that the new process will start at the end of March. “We are still working closely with our healthcare partners and in the coming weeks we will be deciding what this phase will look like,” she said.

During the same presentation, Dr. Henning Ansorg, Health Officer of Santa Barbara, announced that in addition to our regular shipments of Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, the county will receive 3,800 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine as early as this week. next. Ansorg was optimistic about the new option, touting the many advantages it has over its two competitors.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine only requires one injection instead of two, Ansorg explained, produces fewer and less severe allergic reactions, is easier to transport and handle, and is “very effective” in protecting people from devastation of the virus. “I predict that this vaccine will become the preferred option for many people,” he said.

Despite all the good news, Ansorg reminded locals that Santa Barbara County is not yet clear. We’re still stuck in the purple level because infections continue to be rampant – 11.3 new cases per 100,000 people, according to the latest figures, when we need to hit seven or less to hit the red level. We must remain cautious. That means continuing to wear masks and avoiding gatherings, Ansorg insisted, especially among families and supporters who now watch high school athletes return to their home fields. “Please be patient and considerate,” he said.

As a further argument for staying vigilant, Ansorg pointed out that frontline health workers are dealing with 322 active cases, of which 53 are hospitalized. They also saw 422 people die. Last year “had such an impact on them,” he said. “You have no idea. They are emotionally exhausted from these lonely deaths in the hospital. It’s heartbreaking to hear their stories.”

So while we should allow ourselves a moment to be proud of the progress we have made in eradicating the virus, Ansorg said, we must continue to hold the line. “We can’t get ahead of ourselves,” he says.


At Independent from Santa Barbara, our staff are working around the clock to cover all aspects of this crisis – sorting out the truth from the rumor. Our journalists and editors ask the tough questions of our public health officials and share how we can all help each other. The community needs usnow more than ever – and we need you to keep doing the important work we do. Support it Independent by making a direct contribution or with a subscription to Indy +.

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