COVID-19: Oasis Center reopens during pandemic

ORCUTT, Calif. - After being shut down for nearly eight months, the OASIS Center is finally reopening its doors.

Martha Courtright couldn’t be happier to be with her friends as she paints a Trojan horse.

“Yay! Very good. It was like being released from quarantine you know it was nice,” said Courtright.

Courtright is one of about 1,700 seniors who depend on the center for social interaction.

Since the reopening there are a variety of classes members can take including ceramics, arts and crafts and yoga.

Managers at the center are working hard to maintain all health protocols and if there are signs of symptoms like {pointing to a sign} a cough or fever you’re not allowed to enter.

“We’ve had to ramp down the amount of people that can be in the rooms. But just by looking at what they’re doing in these classes the range of motions that they’re getting these things that would not be happening in their homes,” said president Doug Dougherty of the Oasis Senior Center.

Managers say right now, classes are in such high demand that there is a waiting list for almost all of them.

“of course our most fun is just getting together with all our friends we really miss doing that,” said member Pamela Costa of the Oasis Senior Center.

Due to the pandemic each class is limited to 10 percent capacity.