As of Sept. 29, Santa Barbara County has officially moved to the red tier in the state’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy, according to the reopening plan’s website. California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly confirmed the update in a Sept. 29 virtual press conference.
This means that the county’s COVID-19 adjusted case rate and testing positivity rate have moved out of the purple zone—the worst tier to be in—for at least 14 days, and as a result, additional businesses can reopen.
The county’s testing positivity rate has actually been in the red zone for a while now, and more recently, even moved up into the orange zone. But the adjusted case rate was holding the county back from moving out of the purple zone—until now.
Since Sept. 12, both metrics have been out of the purple, which means that the 14-day wait is over and the county is out of the most restrictive tier for the first time since the system was implemented.
During a COVID-19 update to the county Board of Supervisors on Sept. 29, Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso announced this step forward and explained what it means for the local economy.
“When [it is] officially announced that we are in the red tier, there will be gradual reopening of indoor operations,” she said.
Do-Reynoso spoke right before the state announced the county’s move into the red tier. She said the county planned to issue a health order for the phased reopening on Sept. 29—after the Sun went to press—which would be in effect starting Sept. 30 at 8 a.m.
Under the new order, gyms and fitness centers will be able to resume indoor operations at 10 percent capacity. Museums, zoos, and aquariums will be able to open at 25 percent capacity. Places of worship, movie theaters, and restaurants will also be able to open indoors at 25 percent capacity, but with a maximum of 100 people. Retail and shopping centers can reopen indoors at 50 percent capacity, and nail salons and personal care services are also now allowed indoors. However, bars, breweries, distilleries, and family entertainment centers are not allowed to resume indoor operations.
Though things are looking up, Do-Reynoso warned that the county must stay vigilant if it wants to remain in the red, especially with the holidays coming up quickly.
“With the fall and winter holidays around the corner, we are worried that new cases will be rising due to gatherings and celebrations,” she said. “What we have been saying and will continue to say is that Halloween cannot be celebrated in the same manner as previous years because we are in the middle of a pandemic. We’ve made huge strides and we’d like to maintain the gains.”
The county plans to release Halloween celebration guidance on Oct. 2.
Do-Reynoso also updated the board on the number of county K-6 schools that have received waivers. As of Sept. 29, 21 schools have received waivers for in-person learning, with an additional nine schools that are at different points in the waiver-obtaining process.
County Public Information Officer Jackie Ruiz told the Sun in an email that, if the county stays in the red tier for 14 consecutive days, schools will be able to reopen indoors with modifications without going through the waiver process. This means that, if all goes well, schools would be allowed to reopen on Oct. 13.
This article appears in Oct 1-8, 2020.