Edhat Staff
Photo: Unsplash
By edhat staff
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) reported its eighth COVID-19 related death as new testing centers open throughout the county.
During a press conference on Wednesday, PHD Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso expressed condolences to the family and loved ones of the individual who passed. This person was described as being in their 60s with underlying health conditions who lived in Santa Maria.
Additionally, eight new cases were reported bringing the confirmed number of COVID-19 cases to 485 in the county. Of the total, 360 people have fully recovered, 81 are quarantined at home, 33 are hospitalized with 11 in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and 3 are pending an update.
Community-Based Testing
Beginning the week of, May 4th an initial COVID-19 testing site will be opened in the city of Santa Maria. Residents in Santa Barbara County will be able to be screened for community-based COVID-19 testing. If a community member is eligible, the person can schedule an appointment for in-person COVID-19 testing. Testing will happen by appointment only. No walk ins will be tested.
Persons living throughout Santa Barbara County can call or go online by this upcoming weekend to be screened for symptoms and risk factors, and if they are eligible they will be scheduled for an appointment in the city of Santa Maria. If you are acutely ill with COVID-19 symptoms, please contact your medical provider and remain at home. This location will be the first of three Community-Based Testing Sites coming to Santa Barbara County. These sites have been identified by the state of California and are supported by state and local resources. Future sites will be opened in Lompoc, CA and Santa Barbara, CA in the coming weeks.
“Our county welcomes this new testing opportunity and is pleased to expand access to our community members,” said Dr. Do-Reynoso. “This expanded COVID-19 testing option will be in Santa Barbara County for the next few months and possibly longer. Testing services will cycle through key locations identified by the State. With additional testing, will also come expanded contact tracing and increased resources dedicated to safe quarantine and isolation housing, if needed. We are here to support our community through every step that comes after being tested for COVID-19.”
As a California Community-Based Testing Site, residents will be able to screen their symptoms and risk-factors online or by phone, and if eligible, schedule a testing appointment. Persons with one or more COVID-19 symptoms and asymptomatic, essential workers will be prioritized. More information about how to be screened and how to schedule an appointment will be forthcoming later this week.
Plasma Needed
Marian Regional Medical and Cottage Hospitals are seeking COVID-19 patients that have fully recovered and are interested in donating blood plasma. The “convalescent plasma,” blood component that contains antibodies, may give patients an extra boost to fight their illness.
There are currently 11 people in the ICU battling COVID-19 and PHD Lab Director Dr. Stewart Comer is urging people to help if they can.
For those interested in volunteering, contact Marian Hospital at 805-739-3333 x 2272 or Cottage Hospital at 805-569-7818.
Protest Threats
There are numerous reports of “Re-Open California” protests planned throughout the state this weekend. Santa Maria and Ventura have been added to the list of locations with maps designating areas for people to meet and express their frustration with Governor Newsom’s stay-at-home order. Officials urge the public to abide by the Governor’s order which prohibits large gatherings as they maximize the potential to spread COVID-19.
Dr. Do-Reynoso discouraged such an event. “I understand restlessness and the economic impact, however, out of an abundance of caution, I urge everyone not to participate,” she said.
County Supervisor Gregg Hart, on the other hand, stated people have the right to protest as long as they do so while practicing social distancing and remain vigilant about their own health and those of others.
Ventura and SLO Counties
Ventura County is reporting 9 new cases bringing their total to 517. Of those, 366 have recovered, 134 are under quarantine, 26 are hospitalized with 10 in the ICU, and there have been 17 deaths.
In San Luis Obispo County, there are 181 total cases. Of those 135 have recovered, 40 are under quarantine, 5 are hospitalized, and there has been 1 death.
We’re not being manipulated by sides, a lot of us our business owners in survival mode at this point.
A lot of us are people with secondary health conditions in survival mode at this point.
I feel you and I want you to be able to open your business again. I do wish that can happen soon. We are in this together and I understand your pain.
Our office deals with the public and social interactions are a part of it. We were notified last week that beginning May 4th our open hours will return to 9-5. I want to work, but it feels too soon to return to regular business hours. I’m a little scared.
I was born and grew up here in SB an I say close down all the beaches in California until it is safe and things get back to normal.
And now they are shutting down our beaches? Fresh air, salt water, sunshine and exercise is part of a recipe for a healthy immune system. This is crazy!
too many people abusing the privilege. lives matter and we dont need 50,000 los angelites laming up our scene. thats for normal times and fiesta. i feel like people who can provide identification that proves they live in SB county should still be able to go to the beach and parks.
Don’t be so fearful!! Your chances of dying from this in SB are so low. You would more likely die from a car crash, an overdose, a fall in the bathroom, etc ad nauseum. Do the math: To date, in Santa Barbara County, your chances of getting CV is .11%. Your chances of dying from it are .00188%. There is power in knowing how to understand the numbers. Then do the numbers on deaths of despair because of unemployment: “For every 1 pt US unemployment goes up, 36,000/yr more people die of heart attacks & deaths of despair (suicide, homicide, abuse, overdose, alcoholism etc). They first did this study in 1976. It has proven fairly consistent in subsequent studies.”~Toby Rogers, PhD, Political Economist . Now THOSE are numbers to worry about.
A month and half into this and we’re INCREASING restrictions? closing beaches and requiring masks? seems like that should have happened in the beginning not when things should be opening up. WE DID OUR PART, WE BENT THE CURVE, WE REDUCED STRAIN ON OUR HEALTHCARE SYSTEM (so much so health care workers are being furloughed!) Perpetual lock down and stricter and stricter restrictions are not the solution!
Shutting the beaches is crazy! It’s as if Newsom has said “You’ve been bad, you’re grounded, go to your room!” I expect the result will be even larger crowds elsewhere. It’s feeling more and more like the beginning of the handmaid’s tale every day.
Back on April 1st Gov. Newsome predicted we’d be at 40,000 hospitalizations May 1st WITH INTERVENTION: https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1245492078013906944/photo/2 ……..we’re currently at less than 5,000! https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/ncov2019.aspx …. this is crazy that we’re not all up in arms with Newsome’s scare tactics, putting out models that even the scientist say are a best guess, then sticking to those bad guesses even when the DATA shows otherwise. LOOK AT THE DATA NEWSOME!!!… https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1255678979043778560/photo/1
The graphic you posted clearly states “no intervention scenario” yet you say “WITH INTERVENTION” — The governor’s graphic would elude to a model of consequences if social distancing were not put into effect.
Where are all of the tests?
the purple line Generaltree, is “Mean hospitalization – intervention”. the purple one, the one that crosses 40,000 on May 1st.
here’s an even better graph which illustrates just how out of touch Newsom is.
Look where california is on the Deaths Per 100k graph. –https://mises.org/wire/new-york-vs-texas-ny-has-nearly-50-times-more-covid-19-deaths-capita — and even the damn WALL STREET JOURNAL is saying that… — https://www.wsj.com/articles/do-lockdowns-save-many-lives-is-most-places-the-data-say-no-11587930911
https://newspress.com/exclusive-california-police-chiefs-association-says-that-gov-newsom-to-close-down-all-beaches-state-parks/
Ha – I didn’t scroll to the next photo, must need more coffee. My bad
Shutting down the beaches isn’t so bad. It’ll be a welcoming respite to walk at the beach in peace.
Oh geez. That’s a bad idea.
I’m starting to wonder when Newsom will declare Marshall Law because we’re getting pretty close to it as this insanity continues. Mandatory masks, closed beaches, businesses not allowed to open for months, if not years, protest organizers now being arrested (Pacific Beach), and all punishable by misdemeanor citations, arrest, and jail time – from a governor who gives $75 million to illegal immigrants and $1 billion to a Chinese company for masks while our local governments gleefully follow his lead. I have a feeling we’ll start seeing some rioting if this doesn’t stop, and those happy to see all these restrictions on freedom and liberty should be far more worried about that than contracting and dying from the virus.
don’t forget this major piece of kindling that Newsom threw onto the fire last week. — https://ussanews.com/News1/2020/04/28/totalitarian-california-bans-protests-at-state-capitol-after-opposition-to-gov-gavin-newsoms-coronavirus-lockdowns-order/
Better go today, Coolio. If you wait too long, maybe you’ll be the first to get cited and arrested since all beaches statewide are ordered closed by Governor’s decree effective tomorrow whether you are a local resident or not.
Newsom is punishing us ……………He is a Tyrant, I posted my thoughts the other day as I believe this is yet another political hit. Needless to say my post was removed. Our city leaders are beyond weak, all of these problems we are now facing are because of the shut down. Everyone is running around with masks & disinfectant, I see people in their cars by themselves wearing masks? your afraid of getting sick from your car? Everything that’s happening is unbelievable! The numbers don’t lie, Newsom claimed 25 million in Calif would have the virus, WRONG! Actually everything Newsom says is wrong, he is a hardcore leftist………. anyone that can’t see this , well I don’t know? My business is going to hell! My Daughter is a local restaurant owner of 11 years, she works very hard & now losing everything! Thanks, Newsom! People need to start using common sense , unite & re-open our community before it’s to late. Sadly common sense just isn’t that common anymore.
And, Xantus, don’t forget to mention that at least half of the deaths in California attributed to the virus have come from people in residing in assisted care facilities.
Calm down CARNUT. A lot of people are wearing masks in their cars simply to avoid taking them on and off while transiting between two places.
You can take our jobs, but you’ll never take our beaches!!!
How will a restaurant survive when the reviews say: Great food great service but I caught coronavirus dining there?
Common sense last, $$$$ first
Being dead is the biggest restriction on life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Don’t be such a divider. Oh… that would be martial law not Marshall Law…isn’t he a country singer?
@RWELSH Then rate of incidence cited is about 1 per 1000(.11%) Since we know the transmission rate is about 1:4 or 1:5, means that one person will likely infect 4-5 others who will infect 16-25 others who will infect 64-125 others and so on.
One could argue that those “deaths of despair” are due to previous underlying conditions; similar to the argument that many of those dying with COVID have pre-existing /co-morbidities. SO no big deal right? Wanna play some more fun statistics games?