(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) –Santa Barbara County has met the State’s Orange Tier case rate and positivity rate allowing movement into the less restrictive Orange Tier, effective Wednesday, April 21, 2021 at 8 a.m. A new Health Officer Order will be issued which includes guidance on business operations in the Orange Tier. The new Health Officer Order will further ease restrictions and allow more indoor activities, in accordance with the rules and framework of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy.
The County can move into the Orange Tier of the Blueprint for a Safer Economy because its case rate has been under 6 cases per every 100,000 residents for the last two weeks. To qualify for the Orange Tier, a region must have a case rate between 2 and 5.9 cases per every 100,000 residents. Santa Barbara County’s case rate is now 4.5 cases per every 100,000 residents and positivity rate stands at 1.8.
“We have made significant progress in lowering our local case rate,” states Dr. Henning Ansorg, Health Officer for Santa Barbara County. “Every member of our community plays an important role in helping us achieve and continue to enjoy the benefits of loosening restrictions. We must continue to be mindful of safety practices including wearing masks, physically distancing, washing hands and getting vaccinated as soon as possible.”
Here are some of the activities now allowed under the Orange Tier:
- Restaurants:Indoor seating increases to 50% capacity or 200 people maximum.
- Gyms and Fitness Centers:25% capacity indoors; indoor pools can open.
- Wineries and Breweries:25% or 100 people indoors maximum
- Movie Theaters:50% or 200 people maximum.
- Museums, Zoos and Aquariums:50% capacity for indoor activities.
- Places of Worship:50% capacity indoor activities.
- Bars with no food service:Open outdoors with modifications.
- All retail:No capacity limits.
For more information about the COVID-19 response locally, please visit https://publichealthsbc.org or call 2-1-1.
Stay Connected:
County Public Health: www.PublicHealthSBC.org, Twitter and Facebook
County of Santa Barbara: www.CountyofSB.org, Twitter, Facebook
2-1-1 Call Center: Dial 211 or outside the area, call (800) 400-1572
Community Wellness Team Information and Referral Line: (805) 364-2750
