Growing Number of Vaccinated In Santa Barbara County

Forty-two percent of Santa Barbara County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Twenty-seven percent are fully vaccinated.

Although the increasing number of vaccinated people is positive, it’s still a ways away from the Public Health Department’s goal — vaccinating 80 percent of the county’s population. 

Public Health Director Van Do-Reynoso gave an update on Friday about the county’s vaccine allocation status. Of the 299,769 doses the county has received, it has administered 84.1 percent of them; 15.9 percent of them are committed towards appointments.

Shortly before the update, the Food and Drug Administration recommended that Johnson and Johnson vaccines — temporarily on a pause for a link to blood clots — to resume, clearing the way for states to use it again. When asked about it at the Friday press conference, Public Health Officer Dr. Henning Ansorg was unable to comment because he has not yet seen the data on it.

Aside from vaccines, Do-Reynoso also said the county is doing great with keeping its case rates down. The case rate has dropped by 41 percent in the past two weeks, she said, and is currently at 4.5. The positivity rate is 1.8 percent. 

“I’m so happy that we are in the orange but the fight is not over and we need to continue to be diligent,” Do-Reynoso said. “Please continue to wear your mask, maintain physical distance, get tested if you have been exposed or you are worried.”

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