The number of eligible Santa Barbara County residents who are vaccinated is at 74.7% as of December 7. Visit the Santa Barbara County Community Data Dashboard for more information.
Recent COVID-19 news includes the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department announcing an update to COVID-19 testing sites in the area. The Goleta Community Center site will close on Thursday, December 30, 2021, but the mini-bus at Direct Relief in Goleta will remain open through at least March 2022. Read the full announcement here.
Other COVID-19 updates include the County extending the indoor mask mandate, the FDA expanding the eligibility of vaccine boosters, and the California Department of Public Health sharing information on the Omicron variant. The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department also put together tips to protect yourself and others this holiday season in “Spread Joy, Not COVID.”
Indoor Mask Manded Extended
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department has extended the Health Officer Order which requires the use of masks in indoor public settings. This order requires all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to wear face coverings when indoors in public settings, with limited exceptions. More information is available here.
Expanded Eligibility for Vaccine Boosters
On November 19, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUA) for both the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines authorizing use of a single booster dose for all individuals 18 years of age and older after completion of primary vaccination with any FDA-authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. Read the full announcement here.
Information on where to get your first dose, second dose, or booster in Santa Barbara County can be found here.
Fact Sheet: Omicron Variant
The California Department of Public Health has put together a fact sheet on the new Omicron variant to answer questions such as what is known about the new variant, what California is doing in response, and what Californians can do to protect themselves. Read the full fact sheet.
For more information about COVID-19, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org/.
Pictured: Goleta Community Center COVID-19 testing site