Good Samaritan emergency shelter in Santa Maria on mandatory quarantine after residents test positive for COVID-19

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Good Samaritan Shelter's Santa Maria Emergency Shelter has been on mandatory quarantine since Sunday, June 28, after some residents tested positive for COVID-19.

The quarantine order was made by the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department.

Good Samaritan said all residents who tested positive were relocated to quarantine hotel rooms. Over the last eight days, they have reported no residents in the facility with symptoms related to COVID-19.

“When COVID-19 hit in March, we were fortunate enough to be able to mobilize our resources, partnerships, and community support to continue providing services to the homeless in our community and implement safety precautions resulting in zero positive cases,” said Sylvia Barnard, Executive Director of Good Samaritan. “We have been diligently following all guidelines set forth by the CDC and Public Health, but the reality of this pandemic is that COVID-19 continues to spread and we are now navigating responding to positive cases in our shelter system to get back to zero positive cases as soon as possible.”

Good Samaritan said it is continuing to follow CDC guidelines including mandatory mask wearing, temperature checks and referring any symptomatic individuals to a healthcare provider for testing and isolation.

For health and safety reasons, the Good Samaritan Santa Maria Emergency Shelter said it is not taking in new clients at this time. However, families who need a place to stay can go to BridgeHouse Emergency Shelter at 2025 Sweeney Road in Lompoc.

For more information on Good Samaritan Shelter’s programs and services, visit their website at www.goodsamaritanshelter.org.