Coronavirus

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Getting ready for the long haul, Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso confirms the social distancing order in place now could last into November.

In a presentation to the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors Tuesday morning, a graphic showed the expected duration of the coronavirus impact in the area, and it was said to be in line with adjacent counties.

Currently more than 500 cases and nine deaths have been reported in the Tri-county area. That number has been changing daily for weeks.

The peak period for Santa Barbara county in a just-release graphic shows a steep climb between late May and late July. June 25 in one model shows there would be about 1200 patients.

Health officials temper the news with a message showing strict social distancing will lower those numbers and keep the medical needs within the structure they are setting up. Without it, or a relaxed effort by the public, the system could be overwhelmed and likely add to unnecessary deaths.

The public has shown signs of responding to urgent orders to "Stay Well at Home" as it is called by health officials. Medical workers and sheriff's deputies are reporting in from different areas and they "are driving around at restaurants and looking at public spaces and not seeing the congregation the masses of people that you would typically would on any given day before Covid-19," said Do-Reynoso. "We don't have a good hard core gauge. Is [compliance] 50 percent? Is it 60 percent?"

Santa Barbara Supervisors Das Williams and Peter Adams have raised issues on when the level is acceptable to either release the social distancing rules or rework it for employees to come back into the work place with certain protocols for safety and distancing.

Williams carefully pointed out, "at some level it is a policy decision because destroying an economy kills people too. It does."

He suggested a look at appropriate changes in the workplace to allow for the return of employees in some cases. "If preparation were made that more people could go back to work while maintaining a certain social distancing. That would be an important job for public health to advise employers." He also said the state would have to be included in the discussion.

Supervisor Peter Adam said there are two competing issues, "the economic impact of this are getting overwhelmed by the health impacts. But I will tell you if we go on until November 1, there are people that are going to be injured that don't get sick. I don't think we are balancing the needs of those people who are trying to make a living out there." He went on to say the county may be overfocused.

"There is a tremendous amount of pain being loaded into the system right now that is undetectable because everybody is sequestered at their own homes," said Adam.

Do-Reynoso says she is worried. "Where there is no social distancing and the impact it has on the community in terms of severe hospitalizations and deaths and the impact on the health care system."

County supervisors were very concerned about those who are without housing and if outreach workers are contacting them with information, sanitation products, masks and directing them to services including showers and hand washing stations.

Law enforcement officers report they are finding encampments that are crowded, creating risky conditions.

Supervisor Gregg Hart says, in San Francisco, "we are seeing in real time what they are experiencing," and that gives Santa Barbara insight into what this area may see in the future.

County health officials say the emergency response continues to be :

Flatten the curve – reduce spread of infection and deaths Reduce overload to heath care system Protect health care workers and frontline responders Protect other essential workers Assist the most vulnerable affected by the pandemic Assist with economic mitigation and recovery Inform the public with accurate and timely information

The county says during this unprecedented time county departments have moved into a Continuity of Operations Plan and are prioritizing essential services. Officials also say non-essential work and public access to public officials is available via phone and website links.

All County employees have now been called Disaster Service Workers under the current conditions. That will continue to report to work at their desk or from home, unless they are unable to do so.

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