COVID-19 Update: March 30, 2022
Finding Our Way Back
Covid cases in Santa Barbara are still on the decline with 180 the previous week and 144 this week and three coronavirus related deaths in the county this week ending Tuesday.
As of Tuesday there were 112 “active” COVID-19 cases and 19 coronavirus-related cases were hospitalized.
As we slowly make our way back to normal, Santa Barbara is returning to in-person meetings for the City Council starting next week.
Time For a Second Booster
The FDA announced that they have authorized a second booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines for individuals over 50. Immunocompromised individuals over 12 are approved for a second booster of the Pfizer vaccine if it has been four months since their first booster shot. Immunocompromised individuals over 18 have been approved for a second booster of the Moderna vaccine if it has been four months since their first booster.
“Emerging evidence suggests that a second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine improves protection against severe COVID-19 and is not associated with new safety concerns.” - the Food and Drug Administration
The FDA will continue to monitor the data to see whether or not the second booster will be approved for other age groups.
Federal Funding Experiences Cutbacks
Despite the Biden Administration’s request of $22.5 billion for the pandemic response, a federal agency ended its uninsured program providing testing and treatment for COVID-19.
The fund established by Congress to pay health care workers for COVID related services will stop accepting new claims for coverage for uninsured people, leaving many to pay out of pocket for testing and treatments.
“The fund will have to stop accepting claims on or about April 5” - Xavier Becerra, Health and Human Services Secretary
Nearly three-quarters of eligible Santa Barbara County residents have been vaccinated, the highest age group being those over 75 at 88% and the lowest being those aged 5 to 11 at 28%.
As vaccines increase, cases and deaths continue to decline in Santa Barbara county and across the country. For more info about where to get vaccinated, check out the links below.
Resources
Find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you on the Vaccine Finder search function of https://www.vaccines.gov/search/. You can search for providers by location and by specific vaccine available (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson). You can also find providers on the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department website, publichealthsbc.org/vaccine, or at myturn.ca.gov. Some facilities offer walk-ups as well as appointments.
Text your ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) for a list of vaccine providers in English, or text your ZIP code to VACUNA (822862) for a list in Spanish.
There are free COVID-19 testing facilities around the county.
Find more local pandemic-related information on the Public Health Department website and the county’s COVID-19 recovery page, with resources for business reopening, rental assistance, food assistance and more.
Click here for Noozhawk’s complete Coronavirus Crisis coverage.