Beginning Tuesday, June 15, California will begin to fully reopen. Santa Barbara County will no longer have restrictions on occupancy or social distancing in any business. Santa Barbara County will not be issuing a new Health Officer Order, but will be deferring to the State’s Public Health Officer Order. The current Health Officer Order will expire at 11:59 p.m. tonight, June 14.

Masks will no longer be required in most settings for fully vaccinated persons. While masks are no longer required outdoors, they are still required for everyone at mega events, work locations, public transportation, and some other settings. 

Businesses may still choose to require masks to be worn by patrons. For this reason, Santa Barbara county residents should always have a mask available. The state’s guidance for masks can be found here.

Although Santa Barbara County does not have venues that would hold a capacity to be considered a mega event, it is likely that residents will travel out of county for such events. A mega event includes 5,000 or more people indoors or 10,000 or more people outdoors. Because mega events are high risk for spreading COVID-19, indoor event attendees will be required to confirm proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 status. Outdoor mega events are recommended to follow this practice.  Masks must also be worn at both indoor and outdoor mega events.

Van Do-Reynoso, Director for the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department states, “June 15 does not mark an end to the pandemic, but rather the beginning of a return to normalcy. I am proud of all our community has done to get us safely to this point. Please remember to stay home if you are sick, continue excellent hand hygiene, and get vaccinated as soon as you can.”

More information about what to expect on June 15 and beyond can be found at publichealthsbc.org/june-15th-beyond/. For more information about the COVID-19 response locally, please visit publichealthsbc.org or call 2-1-1.

What Will California Look Like After June 15?

As of Tuesday, June 15, 2021 local Health Officer Orders will not be issued for COVID-19 related community guidance.  Santa Barbara County will continue to monitor and report case-related statistics and follow guidelines issued through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). 

The State guidelines, applicable locally, can be accessed at the following links:

​State Public Health Officer Order of June 11, 2021

Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings (Takes Effect June 15, 2021)

If at any time the County of Santa Barbara decides that a new Health Office Order is needed to distinguish local guidance from the overall State guidance the public will be informed. 

Beyond the Blueprint for Industry and Business Sectors Guidance – Effective June 15:

On June 15, 2021 the State of California reopens and will discontinue the tiers structure that helped the state manage COVID-19 in our counties. Limited measures will remain in place and Californians will see life getting back to normal.

All business sectors may return to usual operations (with limited exceptions for Mega Events). Employers are subject to the current Cal/OSHA COVID-19 Prevention Emergency Temporary Standards (ETS), if applicable to them.

The state will continue to monitor the transmission and effects of COVID-19 and its many variants. 

The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) strongly encourages the following general public health recommendations:

• Everyone should get vaccinated when eligible.
• Indoor spaces should be well ventilated (i.e., open all windows and doors to increase natural air flow), following current CDPH and CalOSHA guidance.
• Everyone should sign up for CA Notify as an added layer of protection for themselves and the community to receive alerts when they have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19.

CDPH will continue to provide updated guidance for healthcare settings and other high-risk congregate settings.