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Category: Blog

Is it time to get your COVID-19 booster shot?
Oct 28, 2021

Is it time to get your COVID-19 booster shot?

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster doses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup followed suit…

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
Be sure to stay safe this Halloween!
Oct 19, 2021

Be sure to stay safe this Halloween!

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health Fall is here, and you and your family may be looking forward to scheduling visits to the pumpkin patch or enjoying fall festivals and Halloween parties. To make sure you all stay safe, here are a few recommendations as you head out to…

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by Jenna Perkovichin Blog, COVID-19
COVID-19 booster shots endorsed by CDC for those at highest risk
Oct 1, 2021

COVID-19 booster shots endorsed by CDC for those at highest risk

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health

You may have heard that a COVID-19 booster shot is being recommended and are wondering if you are eligible for it and if you should get it.

On Friday, September 24, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) endorsed the recommendation for a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations and for persons in high risk occupational and institutional settings.

People previously vaccinated with Pfizer BioNTech who SHOULD receive a booster include:

  • Age 65 years and older;
  • Long term care residents; and
  • Age 50 through 64 years with underlying medical conditions or at increased risk of social inequities (including communities of color and others at risk of inequities).

People who MAY CONSIDER receiving a booster based on their individual benefits and risks include:

  • Age 18 through 49 years with underlying medical conditions; and
  • Age 18 through 64 who are at increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 due to their occupation or institutional setting. The CDC currently defines occupations at increased risk for COVID-19 as:
    • First responders (healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
    • Education staff (teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
    • Food and agriculture workers
    • Manufacturing workers
    • Corrections workers
    • U.S. Postal Service workers
    • Public transit workers
    • Grocery store workers

 

Why do I need a booster shot?

COVID-19 booster doses are meant to boost immunity that may have waned overtime and are the same dose of vaccine that were given as part of the primary series. Those that should receive a booster dose are at highest risk of hospitalization or death and need to be prioritized for booster doses.  

Booster doses can be received at least six months after completion of the initial vaccine series. California is ready to administer boosters to those that are recommended for boosters immediately.

 

What about those who didn’t get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot?

At this time, CDC is evaluating available data to make recommendations for other populations or people who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. We are anticipating these recommendations imminently.

 

Where do I get a booster shot?

You may obtain your booster shot at local pharmacies and in some instances, through your primary care provider. Please consult with your primary health care provider if you have questions about receiving a booster shot.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

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by Jenna Perkovichin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
Help for the long marathon of COVID-19
Aug 31, 2021

Help for the long marathon of COVID-19

With the advent of the Delta variant, we had not yet recuperated from the mental and emotional exhaustion felt from the pandemic.

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Full Federal Approval
Aug 24, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Gets Full Federal Approval

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health

If you’ve been waiting for full federal approval for a COVID-19 vaccine, the wait is over!

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full approval on August 23, 2021, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for persons 16+ years of age. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.

The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.

According to Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research: “Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities. We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S.”

FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.

Santa Barbara County, please get vaccinated today! Visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ to find a clinic near you.

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
Will the vaccination protect from getting the Delta variant?
Aug 12, 2021

Will the vaccination protect from getting the Delta variant?

If you have been fully vaccinated, you have taken the best step possible to protect yourself, your friends, family and co-workers from getting the virus and the Delta variant.

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
MASKING INDOORS IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE
Aug 5, 2021

MASKING INDOORS IS IMPORTANT FOR EVERYONE

Everyone regardless of vaccination status will be better protected from the Delta variant when wearing a well-fitting mask in indoor settings. Unfortunately, the Delta variant can infect even vaccinated persons, however, they may not get severely ill or need hospital care.

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
Here’s what we know about the Delta Variant and the new surge
Aug 4, 2021

Here’s what we know about the Delta Variant and the new surge

The Delta Variant, the latest virus strain of COVID-19 is of great concern as cases are increasing locally in Santa Barbara County, throughout California and across the U.S.

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by Katie Ferberin Blog, COVID-19tags Blog
COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY  AMONG UNVACCINATED RESIDENTS
Jul 30, 2021

COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO RISE SIGNIFICANTLY AMONG UNVACCINATED RESIDENTS

Highly Contagious Delta Variant Continues to Circulate in Santa Barbara County (SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) - COVID-19 cases have reached critically high levels in Santa Barbara County as the local case rate has reached 9.8 cases per 100,000 residents and a positivity rate of 6.9%. With these metrics, Santa Barbara County would be in the purple…

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by Jenna Perkovichin Blog, COVID-19
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning
Jul 22, 2021

Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health Santa Barbara County is seeing an alarming increase in new case rates for COVID-19, with active cases up 90% over two weeks ago. With the current uptick, it is expected that the daily case rates will continue to increase and cause…

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by Jenna Perkovichin Blog, COVID-19

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Descargo de responsabilidad/Translate Disclaimer

El Departamento de Salud Pública del Condado de Santa Barbaba está esforzándose para asegurar que todos tengan la información al corriente en respecto al Coronavirus.  Nosotros estamos en proceso de desarrollar un sitio de web completamente en español para nuestros visitantes.  Sin embargo, en este momento, la página PublicHealthSBC.org contiene algunos materiales con traducción ofrecido por el traductor de Google.

  • El traductor de Google, un servicio proporcionado por Google, realiza todas las traducciones directamente y dinámicamente.
  • El condado no tiene control sobre las características, funciones o rendimiento de los servicios de traducción de Google.
  • Las traducciones automáticas no deben considerarse exactas y usarse solo como aproximación del contenido original en inglés.
  • Este servicio está destinada únicamente para la asistencia para aquellos con ingles limitado y es una medida temporal.
  • Algunos elementos no se pueden traducir, incluyendo botones de imagen, menús desplegables, fotos gráficas, o formatos de documentos portátiles. (pdfs).
  • El condado no respalda directamente al traductor de Google y no afirma que es la única solución de traducción de lenguaje disponible para visitantes.

Para información adicional, favor de llamar al 805-681-4373.


Cierre esta ventana emergente después de hacer su selección


The County of Santa Barbara Public Health Department is striving to ensure that all have the most up to date information regarding the Coronavirus. We are in the process of developing a complete Spanish website for our guests.  However, as an interim measure, at this time, the PublicHealthSBC.org website contains some materials provided with translation software powered by Google Translate.

  • Google Translate, a third-party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • The County has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website as interim measure.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • The County does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.

For additional information, please call 805-681-4373.