County Vaccine Administration and Eligibility, The Tier System, and Progress
With over 220,000 doses of the vaccine given and an estimated 17.7% of residents fully vaccinated, Santa Barbara County continues to make sure steps toward protecting one another and safely opening up businesses and gatherings. The rate of vaccine distribution only continues to grow with over 30,000 doses administered the week of March 30—over 150% of the number of doses administered the week if March 23.
Let’s continue to mask up, practice physical distancing, stay informed with the most up-to-date vaccination options for Santa Barbara County.
Get Vaccinated
Residents age 16+ are eligible within Santa Barbara County, and may seek the vaccine at one of the vaccination clinics run by the county. Statewide vaccination eligibility will extend to anyone age 16+ on April 15.
Note that the Food & Drug Administration has approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for recipients age 16+, and the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine for age 18+.
Anyone under the age of 50 can check register for their vaccine at https://myturn.ca.gov/.
New Cases Reported
The number of new cases reported has experienced a slight increase over the past couple weeks. There appears to be fewer than 300 new cases reported weekly—significant progress compared to more than 3,000 new cases reported in January.
To lower the county’s case count further, continue to wear well-fitted masks, wash hands, practice physical distancing, and enjoy the outdoors away from crowds.
Tier Status
Santa Barbara County is still in California’s “red” tier, which means that indoor operations are permitted with some restrictions, has the following guidelines:
A greater range of indoor businesses may open including restaurants, gyms, and movie theaters
Public outdoor gatherings are limited to 25 people
Private outdoor events are limited to 50 people (or 200 or more if all attendees can proof full vaccination or a recent negative test)
Indoor events are limited to 100 people (or higher if all attendees can proof full vaccination or a recent negative test)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, fully vaccinated individuals may gather in small groups without masks.
To advance to the less-restrictive “orange” tier, the county needs to lower the number of daily new cases. This will mean that the numbers in the “red” tier guidelines will be permitted to be higher.
Is The End In Sight?
In a recent announcement, Gov. Gavin Newsom said that the tier system will be eliminated on June 15 if new case numbers continue to drop and vaccination distribution continues consistently. If the numbers allow, businesses may open as usual with continued use of masks and “ongoing vigilance.”
“We can confidently say by June 15 we can open up business as usual.”
Source: Noozhawk’s COVID-19 Update 04.07.21