Santa Barbara County Health urges caution ahead of Labor Day weekend

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — With coronavirus cases trending downward, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is taking extra precautions to allow for additional reopenings in the near future. 

This means partially closing beaches from Guadalupe to Carpinteria throughout Labor Day weekend in order to slow the spread of COVID-19.

“This action was taken to reduce the possibility that out-of-town visitors will come to local beaches in large numbers and create overcrowded conditions,” second district supervisor Gregg Hart said.

Despite these strict precautions, the public health department is concerned over the potential for people to socialize. 

“Information from contact tracing indicates that social gatherings continue to be an issue in our community,” public health director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso said.

“This is a really popular weekend when many people would be tempted to gather,” Hart said. “We really have to emphasize to every single part of the county that gatherings need to be discouraged.”

With several house parties taking place last weekend in Isla Vista, the public health department is taking immediate action through community outreach and awareness. 

Free COVID-19 testing is also being offered nearby at the Goleta Valley Community Center. 

“We are working on programs to substantially increase local testing,” public health officer Henning Ansorg said. “This will identify asymptomatic spreaders.”

Despite beaches being temporarily closed throughout Fourth of July, there was still a minor uptick in COVID-19 cases. 

“We need to avoid that right now,” Hart said. “We’re in a great moment with the potential for opening more businesses and schools right on the edge.”

Today, some Santa Barbara County elementary schools were given permisision by the California Department of Public Health to resume in-person instruction. 

“We are very pleased to report that four of the initial waiver applications have been approved by the state,” Ansorg said.

These elementary schools submitted applications for waivers allowing them to teach in-person. Those waivers were reviewed by the Santa Barbara County Health Officer and the state's public health department before being approved.

Schools that were recently approved for in-person operations include The Knox School of Santa Barbara, Waldorf School, Laguna Blanca and Howard School in Carpinteria. All four institutions will be able to reopen as soon as Tuesday. 

As of Friday, 16 other Santa Barbara County K-6 schools have applied for waivers. Four have been sent to the state for approval while the other 12 are pending approval from the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

For updates and breakdowns of COVID-19 cases throughout Santa Barbara County, click here.