Experimental drug being used to treat COVID-19 patients in Santa Barbara County
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - After Dr. Anthony Fauci mentioned remdesivir at the White House on Wednesday, Santa Barbara County's lab director, Dr. Stewart Comer said the experimental drug has been tried on a small number of COVID-19 patients in the county.
"With regard to remdesivir, yes, we have used it successfully here in the county. ”
He said data at the national level is being studied.
“I think the issue with this particular therapeutic agent is when you actually administer this medication. That is going to be one of the key issues to this going forward. There is much more to be discussed, and hopefully it will be good news at the end, but we just don't know that yet, ” said Comer.
It is not clear whether it was tried on the Santa Maria resident who became the county's eighth COVID-19 related death.
Santa Maria was chosen by the state to be the first of three new testing locations.
Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso said it will open next week.
“The state vendor will be able to do approximately 135 tests a day, five days a week, and the tentative plan is that they will be there at least for two weeks, or up to 20 days or more if needed."
Other testing sites will follow in Lompoc and Santa Barbara.
Another partnership with the state will help the most vulnerable people experiencing homeless.
It's called the Room Key Project.
Santa Barbara County's Homeless Assistance Program Manager Kimberlee Albers said a COVID19 Homeless Task Force was set up and it is helping with the project.
"More than 40 guests are sheltered and expressing sincere gratitude for a place to rest. Our oldest guest is 77, and there is one moving into permanent housing this week."
Albers said, on any given night, there are more than 1200 people sleeping on the street, or in cars or encampments. She said more community support to help shelter people is welcome.
County leaders are also aware of upcoming rallies calling for California to reopen in a number of local communities.
Supervisor Gregg Hart said, "Of course people have the right to protest, and the Governor has spoken to that issue, we urge people who feel the need to do that to practice physical distancing while doing so and to remain vigilant about their own health and the health of others.”
They are discouraged from getting out of their cars since large gatherings are prohibited during the California's stay-at-home order.
