COVID-19 Update: September 24, 2022

Santa Barbara County continues to see a decrease in cases according to Santa Barbara County Public Health Department. In the community and across the nation, BA.5 continues to be the dominant strain.

Since September 16th, the weekly average report of confirmed PCR cases has decreased by 29.2%. Despite the significant decrease, the number is an underreporting due to the continued use of at home tests that are not reported to the Public Health Department.

Public Health also reports that community levels are currently low according to CDC definitions.

In addition, hospitalizations have been decreasing and ICU admissions are low. There have been 2 COVID-19 related deaths in the week of September 16th through 22nd.

California Department of Public Health reports that 80% of Californians 12 years or older have received their first doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 48% have received their first booster dose.

As of September 23rd, unvaccinated employees in California schools, health care facilities, and congregate settings are no longer required to get weekly tests. Mandated testing for the small amount of unvaccinated workers is no longer “effectively preventing disease transmission” according to California Department of Public Health. The full quote is noted below.

“Vaccine coverage is also high among workers in high-risk settings, and the proportion of unvaccinated workers is low.”

“As we've also seen, the Omicron subvariants have shown immune escape and increased transmissibility, and while unvaccinated individuals still have higher risk of infection, previously infected, vaccinated and boosted persons have also been infected. Consequently, mandated testing of the small number of unvaccinated workers is not effectively preventing disease transmission as it did with the original COVID-19 virus and prior variants earlier in the pandemic.” - California Department of Public Health

People ages 12 years and older are now recommended to receive the updated bivalent booster. Children aged 5-11 are still recommend to get the original monovalent booster. Contact your pharmacy, healthcare provider, or go to www.vaccines.gov to schedule your appointment.

For more information visit https://sbcdashboard.info for the latest COVID-19 updates.