As hospital cases plateau, SB County asks for funds to prepare community for re-opening

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - Santa Barbara County made several significant announcements during its daily press conference Thursday.

County Public Health reported 20 new confirmed coronavirus cases and one new death in the County, but Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg also reported that hospitalizations and ICU admissions have "plateaued" and "we are approaching a downward trend."

The County also discussed re-opening the local economy. Second District Supervisor Gregg Hart says the County has already lost between $7 and $10 million in its response to COVID-19, and that it projects another $30 million in lost revenue due to the virus.

Hart said significant funding from state and federal governments will be necessary for the County to deliver the increases in testing and contact tracing for positive cases needed before businesses can reopen.

“We need additional help from the federal and/or state government to provide resources, particularly in light of what the governor is asking local governments to do: to take on the real burden moving forward of keeping our community safe at the same time as we’re transitioning to opening up businesses,” Hart said. “That responsibility will require additional work.”

Hart says another hurdle is that the county's population falls just under 500,000, which is the threshold for direct federal funding under the CARES Act.

Meanwhile, the County says that even though it is discussing how to reopen the community for business, people need to continue to follow local health orders.

Public Health highly recommends wearing face coverings in public, but it is not a mandate like in other parts of California.

“We like to empower the individuals,” Ansorg said. “So, if individuals take the responsibility, it’s always much more productive than just mandating things.”

With that in mind, the County reiterates that it does not want to close beaches or parks despite some groups gathering without physical distancing. The County says it has discussed options, including closing parking lots or those recreation areas altogether, if it deems necessary.

“We’re looking at every option, hoping that the public will just follow the simple direction to—if you see a space that has got a lot of people in it, try a different option,” Hart said. “There are many parks, there are many beaches. There’s lots of opportunity to get exercise. We don’t want to discourage that, but we do want people to be smart about this decision.”