COVID-19 Update: June 1, 2022

COVID-19 Cases Continue to Rise

Cases are still rising in Santa Barbara County and South Coast communities are reporting the highest active cases, and Santa Barbara is leading with 201 “active cases”. Local hospitals report 28 cases, with 5 people in intensive care units. In the last week of May, there were 1,086 active cases.

Santa Barbara County, along with every other coastal county in the state have moved up into a medium-level community transmission rate from the previous low-level. Infections and hospitalizations have risen by about 20% compared to the previous two week average.

Contagion in the County

Statistics show that approximately half of recent cases are among those who remain unvaccinated. According the Public Health, the case rate is about three times as high compared to those who are fully vaccinated.

The county has reported that several COVID-19 subvariants are circulating, and you are not immune even if you have had the virus before. These new variants are more contagious than previous ones and are more likely to cause reinfection in people who have had COVID-19.

“Unfortunately, persons who got COVID during the previous original, Alpha and then Delta wave (last summer), could get infected again with the original Omicron,” said Dr. Henning Ansorg, the county’s public health officer.

“The initial Omicron virus (BA.1) did stimulate only a very short-lasting immunity. Therefore, the later appearing Omicron variants BA.2 and BA.2.12.1 are now able to reinfect someone who had either Delta or even Omicron earlier this year.”

- Dr. Henning Ansorg, county public health officer

Find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you on https://www.vaccines.gov/search/.