Two Sheriff Staff and Five Inmates Test COVID-19 Positive

Update by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
January 3, 2020

A Custody Deputy, a non-sworn staff member and five additional inmates have been found to be COVID-19 positive, and one COVID-19 positive inmate has been released. The Custody Deputy and the non-sworn staff member were both tested on December 31, 2020, last worked on January 1, 2020 and were found to be COVID-19 positive today. Both employees are asymptomatic and consistently wore masks while at work. This brings the total number of Sheriff’s Office employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 during the entire pandemic to 82.

Four inmates in one housing area and one inmate from another housing area in general population were found to have COVID-19 related symptoms on January 1, 2021, were rapid tested and found to be COVID-19 positive.

All inmates in the associated housing areas were screened and offered testing. Over 100 inmates were tested, and all returned as negative. Both of the effected housing areas are being quarantined and closely monitored. Eight of the COVID-19 positive inmates are being housed in negative-pressure housing areas, while four are housed together in a unit that is separate from the general population. All COVID-19 positive inmates are consistently monitored by medical staff. One of the inmates who was positive upon intake has since been release, bringing the number of active COVID-19 positive inmates in the Main Jail to 12.

Three County Jail Inmates and Two Staff Test COVID-19 Positive

Source: Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office
January 2, 2020

Two additional Deputies and three inmates were found to be COVID-19 positive. The first Custody Deputy last worked on December 29, 2020 and was tested that day. The Custody Deputy became symptomatic on December 30, 2020 and was notified today of the positive test result. The second Custody Deputy, who is asymptomatic, was also tested on December 29, 2020, last worked on December 30, 2020, and was notified today of the positive test result. Both employees were tested as part of ongoing employee surveillance testing and they consistently wore masks while at work. This brings the total number of Sheriff’s Office employees who have tested positive for COVID-19 during the entire pandemic to 81.

Two inmates who were booked at the jail were found to be COVID-19 positive during the intake process. One of the inmates has since been released. A third inmate in the general population has been found to be COVID-19 positive. All of the inmates who had direct contact with this COVID-19 positive inmate have tested negative, but will be housed separately and monitored. This brings the total number of active inmate cases to 8. Each of the COVID-19 positive inmates are being housed in negative-pressure housing areas and are consistently monitored by medical staff.