With a slight increase in the number of new new coronavirus cases and the percentage of positivity tests, Santa Barbara County remains in the substantial red layer of the state’s stratified coronavirus framework, Director of Public Health Van Do-Reynoso told Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.
“Even though we’ve only had a little over a week of increasing cases in our province, we’re raising the alarm because this is a wrong trend,” said Do-Reynoso. “We need to continue our safety practices so that we can reduce our cases and move to the orange level.”
In the latest tier assignment, Santa Barbara County reported an adjusted rate of 6.8 per day, a positivity rate of 2.7%, and a positivity rate of 5.1%. All three metrics are up since the previous tier rating.
“We think the revival could be a result of the reopening,” said Do-Reynoso. “We’re seeing the pandemic shift nationally and statewide to young, unvaccinated people who are more mobile and potentially more socializing.”
According to Do-Reynoso, the province is experiencing a higher than average number of cases among people over 20 and young adults who identify as college or university students.
There is also a continuously increasing number of cases among those who work in the administrative or management sectors, and that’s how the county classifies most of the county’s office workers and white residents, Do-Reynoso said.
On Tuesday, California reached its second vaccine equity goal by distributing 4 million doses to hard-hit communities, defined by 400 specific zip codes statewide, and it will now make it easier for counties to progress to less restrictive levels and to reopen new businesses.
“Unfortunately, we are still in the red level and we have been since March 16,” said Do-Reynoso. “We have not met the orange criteria at the moment, even though it has been broadened.”
While the county positivity rate and health equality positivity rate both meet the orange criteria, the adjusted 6.8 cases rate falls above the broadened measures of 6 cases per day per 100,000 residents. The province must meet all three level statistics for two consecutive weeks before advancing to the orange level.
“We still have some work to do,” said Do-Reynoso.
As of Tuesday, there were 33,381 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the province, and 185 are still considered contagious.
Permits larger meetings and plans to eliminate the color-coded tier system in June
Gavin Newsom said on Tuesday that the color-coded level system will be eliminated in June, with the assumption that the number of cases continues to decline and vaccinations increase statewide.
“We can confidently say that by June 15 we can do business as usual,” wearing a mask and “constant vigilance,” he said.
The tiered blueprint for a safer economy has been in effect since August 2020 and assigns restrictions based on each country’s new coronavirus rate and each country’s percentage of positivity testing.
Until then, the tier system and associated restrictions will remain in effect.
Last week, the state updated meeting guidelines, allowing larger groups than national public health orders to date.
Santa Barbara County remains in the red tier of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy framework for statewide reopening. (California State Photo)
Below the red level and as of April 15, outdoor social and informal gatherings are allowed with a capacity of 25 people and do not require a defined guest list or proof of testing and vaccination, Do-Reynoso said.
Indoor meetings are still strongly discouraged, but are allowed with a maximum capacity of 25 people in environments where capacity limits exist, or up to three households or 10 people where capacity limits do not exist, she added. No food is allowed at these gatherings.
As of April 15, all live events and performances will be allowed to operate at a maximum capacity of 25% if all guests are tested or show proof of full vaccination, Do-Reynoso said. Sites with capacity limits of up to 1,500 people may work with a maximum capacity of 10% or 100 people, and sites with a capacity of more than 1,500 may operate with a 20% capacity if all guests are tested and show proof of full vaccination, according to Do-Reynoso.
Starting April 15th, private events are allowed with a maximum outdoor capacity of 50 people below the red level, or a capacity of 200 if all guests have been tested or can provide proof of full vaccination. According to Do-Reynoso, 100 people can take place indoors if all guests are tested or can show proof of complete vaccination.
“We are pleased with the diligence and thoroughness of what is being proposed,” said Do-Reynoso. “We have confidence in the state guidelines and we are ready to review our health officer warrant to reflect the new state guidelines.”
Santa Barbara County Vaccination Status
According to the province’s Community Data Dashboard, 17.7% of the province’s population has been fully vaccinated as of Monday.
Through the federal partnership for Health Resources and Services Administration, the province received 14,760 doses of the vaccine this week to allocate to the province’s five health centers, Do-Reynoso said.
“With this allocation, we can support our major community vaccination sites,” she added.
The Public Health Department was able to administer 8,314 first doses to community residents through the Lompoc vaccination clinic last week, Do-Reynoso said, and hopes to deliver 9,150 doses at the Allan Hancock College clinic this week.
According to Do-Reynoso, an additional 7,530 vaccination appointments are available at the Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort (formerly the Fess Parker Hotel) for the local vaccination clinic taking place next week. Appointments, if available, will be posted here on the county website.
In addition to the federal allocation, the public health department received 4,900 vaccine doses this week, Do-Reynoso said, adding that the department received a late allocation of 500 of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Due to the wide availability of vaccines, Public Health has determined that anyone 16 and older is now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine in county-run clinics offering the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Do-Reynoso said, adding that the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are only approved for people 18 and older.
Those 16 and older can now book vaccination appointments at Santa Barbara County community clinics, Lompoc Valley Medical Center clinics or other clinics starting April 15 or next Monday, Do-Reynoso said.
The state has a set deadline to complete the transition to the centralized COVID-19 vaccine countdown system, MyTurn said, Do-Reynoso said. The new system should be fully implemented by April 15, and the first clinic in Santa Barbara County will use MyTurn on April 16, Do-Reynoso said.
Future first-dose clinics or the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be scheduled through MyTurn.
The state recently tweaked the MyTurn application to allow the county to upload a spreadsheet of appointments for walk-up clinics, Do-Reynoso said, adding that the feature should go live by the end of the month. to be.
“This feature will be a great resource for us as we move our mobile clinics to serve unique neighborhoods and populations in our community,” said Do-Reynoso.
The public health department recommends that residents get vaccinated, even if they have already tested positive for the virus.
“Recent studies show that even one dose of the vaccine can trigger antibodies, even if you have recovered from COVID-19,” said Do-Reynoso. “The vaccine offers you better protection against infections of the variants that are currently circulating.
“The bottom line is that vaccination is a safer way to build up protection than getting infected.”
– Noozhawk staff writer Jade Martinez-Pogue can be reached at . (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk @BuienRadarNL and @BuienRadarNLConnect with Noozhawk on Facebook.