Santa Barbara County outlines steps for reopening
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. - The County of Santa Barbara has released a guide for reopening the economy based off of outlines already laid out by Governor Gavin Newsom.
It's called the Santa Barbara County RISE Guide, or Reopening In Safe Environment.
The guide was developed by medical and public health experts, the county said.
County officials say the RISE Guide will prioritize public health and protect the most vulnerable while creating a solid framework for residents.
The guide provides recommendations for loosening or tightening restrictions.
Ultimately, though, the county will move forward once given the OK from Sacramento.
“Governor Newsom makes the decision on when we move through the stages of reopening California, but it’s critically important that we are ready and prepared to safely reopen Santa Barbara County,” said County Supervisor Gregg Hart.
The RISE Guide outlines the steps for reopening and is broken down into four stages:
- Stage 1: Safety & Preparedness
- Stage 2: Lower Risk Workplaces
- Stage 3: Higher Risk Workplaces
- Stage 4: End of Stay-at-Home Order
These stages are based on California's "Resiliency Roadmap."
Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg is responsible for determining guidelines on how the county will reopen and when restrictions are loosened or tightened, the county said.
“We set out to create a broad public health strategic plan with specific guidelines to limit the spread of COVID-19, and establish tools and approaches to minimize future outbreaks that are also consistent with the Governor’s framework and phases for reopening,” said Ansorg in a press release issued to our newsroom.
The RISE Guide was developed with the input from the County Public Health Department and a panel of experts including epidemiologists, physicians and public health experts from local hospitals and UC Santa Barbara.
The plan was also developed with community input from city leaders. churches, essential workers and local organizations.
The RISE Guide will be presented at Tuesday's County Board of Supervisors board meeting.
The plan will go into effect once Gov. Newsom allows counties to begin moving forward with reopening.
The RISE Guide is online for public review and feedback.
