Lompoc Valley Medical staff prepared for Delta variant as coronavirus cases rise in Santa Barbara County

LOMPOC, Calif. - Doctors at Lompoc Valley Medical Center are gearing up for the coronavirus Delta variant, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise across Santa Barbara County.

According to LVMC’s Chief Operations Officer Dr. Naishadh Buch, if a fully-vaccinated person tests positive for the coronavirus, that person's sample will be investigated further.

“If a patient comes to the hospital and tests positive for COVID-19 and has been vaccinated, their sample will be forwarded by PDL to the appropriate lab to check for the variant,” Busch said.

Santa Barbara County Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso said the Delta variant is highly contagious compared to the original COVID-19 virus.

Do-Reynoso said the department is continuing its efforts in getting county residents vaccinated against COVID-19.

On Thursday, public health officer Dr. Henning Ansorg said getting fully vaccinated is the best tool available to battling COVID-19.

As of July 7, Public Health reported 14 new COVID-19 cases. For more info, click here.