Santa Barbara County announces Labor Day beach restrictions

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Santa Barbara County will restrict beach access over the Labor Day holiday.

The restrictions will be in place over the Labor Day weekend throughout Santa Barbara County beaches.

Stationary activities like sitting, lying, sunbathing and picnicking will be restricted over the weekend. Items like umbrellas, coolers, barbecue grills and beach chairs are also prohibited on the beaches during while these restrictions are in place.

The order is set to go into effect beginning Friday Sept. 4 at 12:01 a.m. They will remain in place until Tuesday.

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department said disease transmission rates are on the decline and have been consistently improving over the last few weeks, but now is not the time to take things easy. These disease transmission rates are still higher than the maximum levels allowed by the state.

“Reduced disease transmission is critical in the fight against COVID-19. We anticipate a high volume of visitors at our beaches during the Labor Day weekend, which will impede the practice of safe and necessary social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Santa Barbara County,” said Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg. “Our community has remained diligent in their efforts and now is the time to protect all the positive outcomes we have accomplished.”

Full details on restrictions can be found in the latest Health Officer Order. 

For the latest breakdown of COVID-19 cases in Santa Barbara County, click here.