Health leaders say COVID case rate has a ‘great divide’

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - In an effort to get an increase in the COVID-19 vaccination rate in Santa Barbara County, the Public Health Department says it is working to make more sites available countywide.

The county is researching how many of its employees are vaccinated. When that survey was done recently, including employees working at home, the number of those who had not been vaccinated was about 40 percent.

The Pfizer vaccine was formally approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday. The county says about 31 percent of unvaccinated people indicated they would be more likely to get a vaccination, with an approved vaccine.

In Santa Barbara County, it's estimated that about 42-43,000 people would get a vaccination now that the FDA approval has been completed for Pfizer.

"The public health department has mobile vaccination clinics on an 'as needed' basis," said Public Health Director Dr. Van Do-Reynoso.

In a Tuesday morning report to the Board of Supervisors, Do-Reynoso said, 64 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated. There are 77 people currently hospitalized and 83 new cases have been reported. 139,758 eligible Santa Barbara County residents are still available to be vaccinated. That's about one in three.

"As our cases are climbing we are now seeing our hospitalization climb as well," said Do-Reynoso. "We anticipate hospitalizations to increase and peaking in five to six weeks," she said.

We are in the "red zone" with less than 35 percent of the hospital bed capacity available. 79 percent of the adult ICU beds are in use.

In Santa Barbara County Do-Reynoso also says there are 49 active outbreaks.

She said the majority of the cases are those who have not had a COVID-19 vaccine. She called it a "great divide."

Testing options continue in many areas of the county including schools, agricultural areas, shelters and coming soon, there will be a mini-bus in Goleta and Santa Barbara.

Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg says, "Even if someone has had COVID they are well-advised to get the vaccine."

Ansorg said, "The vaccines went through all required Safety and efficacy study phases per the FDA.

Supervisor Steve Lavagnino said, "I've got a son myself that was absolutely opposed to it until it was approved." Looking at how a rule would apply to the county, "I think it would be tough on us if 85 percent of us were vaccinated that we mandate a vaccination."

As of September 20, Ansorg says anyone will be able to get a booster shot.

The county says if the public has a complaint there is a button on the health department website to make a report.

Supervisor Gregg Hart said, he favored a vaccine mandate or regular testing. "This policy will promote safety in the workplace," he said.

"I believe that vaccination today is part of emergency preparedness," said Supervisor Joan Hartmann. "We have a duty to be vaccinated." She feared an outbreak in the county that would close down a department that might be needed in a crisis.

Supervisor Hart pointed out that children can't get into public schools without required shots, and says the current situation falls in line with that long-standing pattern.

Sue Andersen is the President/CEO at Marian Regional Medical Center. She said at the center, "About 90 percent of the COVID patients are unvaccinated."

One speaker said, "This mandate was made out of panic."

Andy Caldwell with the Coalition of Labor Agriculture and Business (COLAB), said, "The vaccine does not stop the spread and it does not stop the infection."

Santa Barbara County Firefighter Michael Moore says, "This is a human rights issue." He said he would personally walk from his job if vaccination is mandated.

Student psychologist, Irene Martinez said, in the last year she has seen many students who have had a drop in their grades and an increase in depression because of remote learning, as a result of COVID rules.
"Never in my career have I seen so many depressed, anxious or suicidal children.  I have watched straight A students start to fail every one of their classes. "

Supervisor Bob Nelson said, "It is unfortunate that this is politicized." As a former teacher, he said, "The scare tactics are having a huge negative effect on our kids."

Looking for the "least intrusive measures to reduce the deaths," Supervisor Das Williams said the bottom line is "the county employee signs up to serve the public. We interact with the public."

"No matter where we are in the structure, we sign up to be emergency personnel," Williams added.

He was concerned about impacts on children, including depression. "I do not want to return to lockdowns," said Williams.

He went on to say, speakers who spoke of this issue compared to "Tyranny, Nazism and genocide, do not know about Tyranny, Nazism and genocide." Williams spoke based on the impacts his family has faced in the past.

Lavagnino also warned against losing faith in the government. He stressed that Ansorg and Do-Reynoso are committed to killing the virus. He has gone through a COVID case, "but I passed it on to my dad who is 86, and I almost killed him."

Supervisor Joan Harmann said, "It is hard for me to understand why it is so frightening for some people." On the science of COVID research, she said, "The overwhelming consensus is, the vaccine is effective."

Saying the process now is not going to solve everything, "we have to keep trying, we have to give credible information," said Hart.