[Editor’s note: Noozhawk’s weekly COVID-19 email newsletter is delivered to subscribers on Wednesdays. You can sign up here. We are republishing the newsletters on the website so more readers have access to them.]
Welcome to Noozhawk’s Weekly COVID-19 Briefing.
I’m Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz with the latest COVID-19 news in Santa Barbara County.
This newsletter is a way for Noozhawk readers to get important updates in one place.
It is emailed out every Wednesday, for free, to everyone who subscribes.
Here’s What We Know
» In the week ending Sunday, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department reported 1,029 COVID-19 cases and one related death. The previous week saw 1,164 COVID-19 cases and three related deaths.
» As of Monday, there were 54 coronavirus-positive patients hospitalized in the county, with six in intensive-care units.
» The seven-day test positivity rate as of Sunday was 16.1%, according to the county’s Community Data Dashboard.
» Positive test totals are undercounted since rapid antigen home tests typically are not reported to the Public Health Department.
» The Santa Maria Fairpark COVID-19 testing site was temporarily closed last week due to scheduling conflicts, namely the Santa Barbara County Fair. The testing site has been relocated to 500 W. Foster Road this week and returns to the Fairpark on Saturday.
» Other testing around the county can be found on the Public Health Department website.
» Last week, the Food & Drug Administration approved the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine for use in adults.
COVID-19 Death Rates
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department recently released a death data report showing the leading causes of death between 2018 and 2020. The report includes a section about coronavirus-related deaths in 2020.
According to the report, COVID-19 was the county’s sixth leading cause of death in 2020, with a rate of 30.5 deaths per 100,000 people.
“Both male and white non-Hispanic residents experienced higher COVID-19 death rates compared to their counterparts,” the report stated. “The impact of COVID-19 on death rates in 2021 is expected to increase.”
The data also showed that the North County was most affected by coronavirus-related deaths, with a rate about 4½ times higher than the South Coast and nearly 2½ times higher than the Central County.
Public Health Department officials said that more current COVID-19 data will be analyzed as soon as it’s available.
COVID-19 Vaccine Tracker
As of July 15, 68.9% of Santa Barbara County residents have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19.
Children under the age of 5 are beginning to receive vaccinations, with 2.5% of that age group partially vaccinated.
The rate of COVID-19 vaccination is highest for the oldest age group, and so is the booster shot rate.
Got Questions?
Readers have sent us dozens of questions about pandemic-related issues. Please send yours to news@noozhawk.com and we’ll try to include them in future newsletters and Noozhawk Q&As.
Reader Resources
» Find a COVID-19 vaccine provider near you on the Vaccine Finder search function of https://www.vaccines.gov/search/. You can search for providers by location and by specific vaccine available (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson). You can also find providers on the county website, publichealthsbc.org/vaccine, or at myturn.ca.gov. Some facilities offer walk-ups as well as appointments.
» Text your ZIP code to GETVAX (438829) for a list of vaccine providers in English, or text your ZIP code to VACUNA (822862) for a list in Spanish.
» There are free COVID-19 testing facilities around the county.
» Find more local pandemic-related information on the Public Health Department website and the county’s COVID-19 recovery page, with resources for business reopening, rental assistance, food assistance and more.
» Click here for Noozhawk’s complete Coronavirus Crisis coverage.
Help Support Noozhawk Today
Our team has worked hard to build Noozhawk into the trusted local news platform it is today. We are a vital part of this community.
We’re excited about what we do, but we need your help to continue bringing you the thorough local news coverage you rely on.
Your paid membership in our Hawks Club ensures that we can continue to deliver the news you need and want, 24/7. Will you help us by making a financial commitment today?
Click here to make an online donation.
Thank you for your support.
P.S. — Contributions to Noozhawk are not tax-deductible. Checks can be mailed to Noozhawk, P.O. Box 101, Santa Barbara 93102. Please include your email address so we can contact you.
— Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz can be reached at sguentz@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.