Blog – Page 6 – County of Santa Barbara

Aug 17, 2020

Co-Parenting In COVID-19: Navigating the New Normal

By Suzanne Grimmesey, MFT, Santa Barbara County, Behavioral Wellness Department

Being a good parent is challenging even when things are going well, but when parents live apart, as after a separation or  divorce, parenting becomes more complicated. Add in a crisis like the  COVID-19 pandemic and the stress of co-parenting seems all but impossible. Here are a few tips and strategies to help parents raising children in separate homes overcome their issues and work together to safeguard the children they both love.

Increase communication between parents: While you may not agree-keep talking and work to compromise on what is best for the children involved.  Increasing information sharing during this time of stay at home orders and remote learning is critical and will place both parents, and children, at greater ease.
Flexibility and patience: Now is the time to be as patient as possible with the other parent and with your children. As we are about to begin a virtual school year with new challenges for parents and kids, try to be as flexible as possible.
Consider time sharing adjustments: Consider looking at temporarily adjusting parenting schedules to provide the most support to kids while respecting the children’s needs for time with both parents.
Acknowledge that kids are resilient: They will get through this, but recognize their feelings of being overwhelmed by the uncertainty of how long the pandemic will last, lack of structure that would normally be provided by the school/friends/activities, loss of in person interactions with friends and extended family. 
There is value in nurturing (yourself and your children) with love, food and fresh air every day!

Healthy Children.org also offers these tips:

Keep communication open. Answer all forms of communication (phone calls, texts, emails, etc.) with your co-parent in a timely manner.
Don’t keep score.
Enter each conversation with finding a solution together as your goal.
Stay socially connected while physical distanced. Schedule virtual visits between your co-parent and your child. Set a regular time and make the child available for video calls.
Once this crisis is over, set aside extra time so that the non-custodial parent and child can become comfortable together again.

Now is the time to try to be the best parent possible under the circumstances.  It is important to be there for kids as they experience a myriad of emotions.   This is an especially important time to try to get along with each other when co-parenting, kids will feel it – and appreciate it.

For more information about how you can prevent getting and spreading the coronavirus and what steps the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is taking to protect our communities, please visit: https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Suzanne Grimmesey, MFT, is the County of Santa Barbara’s Chief Quality Care and Strategy Officer and is responsible for leadership of Quality Care and Strategy Management within the Department of Behavioral Wellness.

Aug 4, 2020

RISKY BEHAVIOR: Assess Your Risk For Avoiding the Coronavirus With These Activities

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

Coronavirus transmission is not the same for every activity, however there are some activities that are riskier than others are. It is recommended that six feet physical distancing always be maintained, no gathering with people other than those in your household, as well as wearing a face covering over the nose and mouth and practicing good hygiene.

It is important to understand why some activities may present a risk and how to address so all can make informed decisions.

HIGH RISK

Gathering of Friends of Family:

Right now, any gathering is strictly prohibited under the state and county stay at home order, as only individuals who reside in the same household may gather at any indoor or outdoor location. Getting together with family or friends who don’t live in your household is prohibited by the current County Health Order and comes with a high risk of infection.

Bars:

Right now, indoor bars are mandated by the State to be closed. The nature of bars — mingling, crowded bar tops, and the likelihood of not wearing a mask while you are drinking — make bars a high-risk place for getting a coronavirus infection. It should be noted that alcohol can hinder decision-making, which could make those factors even worse.

Worship Functions:

Rituals like shaking hands, hugging and taking communion, as well as dense crowds and the prevalence of older people, make religious services a high-risk place for coronavirus infections. Once places of worship are allowed by the State to re-open, the risk can be lowered by social distancing, wearing masks, and abstaining from rituals that involve touching, eating or drinking. It should be noted that many religious organizations are offering online services that you may wish to check out.

Movie Theatres & Sporting Events:

While currently closed by the State, movie theaters or large events like concerts and sporting games have a high risk because of the crowding and likelihood of not maintaining a six-foot distance from others, especially when entering and exiting the venue.

MEDIUM TO HIGH RISK

Gyms:

New State orders have closed indoor gyms for the time being, although some gyms have made accommodations for outdoor exercising. Please remember that masks are required to be worn over your nose and mouth at all times. Also, equipment should be sanitized before and after each use, and social distancing should be enforced rigorously.

Indoor Restaurants:

Indoor dining at restaurants, which is currently closed by the State, is risky because of airflow and people being together in an enclosed space for hours at a time. Many restaurants are currently offering take out and curbside pick-up. As re-opening occurs, some restaurants may expand their outdoor footprint to accommodate dining outside, which is preferable to indoor dining in the prevention of spreading the virus.

Hair & Nail Salons:

Hair and nail salons, which are currently closed by State order, are assessed at having a medium risk of infection. Once re-opening occurs, patrons and also employees should always wear masks, as it helps block particles from spreading as easily when you are speaking or coughing. It also discourages employees and customers from touching their faces. Salon employees must also wash their hands frequently.

MEDIUM RISK

Dates or Gatherings with a Small Known Group:

As with large group gatherings, small, known group gatherings with anyone that does not reside in your household is strictly prohibited at this time. Please do not gather with people living outside your household and when you do go out, such as for a walk or to the grocery store, always wear a mask and maintain six-foot distancing.

Beaches:

Social distancing on beaches is vital in lowering the risk of catching the coronavirus. Because of the many entry points for beaches, it is hard to enforce distancing, prompting officials to often close beaches on holiday weekends when large crowds are anticipated. If you go, remember to distance from others outside your household and don’t forget the sunscreen!

LOW RISK

Outdoor Dining:

Once re-opened by the State, dining outdoors at a restaurant is a relatively low-risk activity because it allows air to flow more freely, as long as tables are kept at least six feet apart. Right now, Health Orders require that you only dine with people in your immediate household. You should still wear a mask as often as you can and be cautious of high-touch items like menus and condiments.

Outdoor Activities:

When you are on a hike or a walk in the park, you shouldn’t worry too much about quickly walking past another person on a path or trail. Be sure to maintain a distance of six feet from others at all times.

Outdoor activities are low risk if you stay with people from your own household. If you meet up with other friends or family, that still counts as a gathering, and is currently strictly prohibited.

Shopping:

Shopping in a grocery store or a clothing store can be low risk if you keep a distance from others and wear a mask. The place in stores with the most risk is the checkout, where interactions with cashiers or other customers could help spread the virus, so be aware of what you touch.

Touching Mail or Groceries:

There is a low risk of catching the coronavirus from touching your mail or other items like groceries. You should still be cautious about touching things like doorknobs and elevator buttons which are high touch things.

For more information about how you can prevent getting and spreading the coronavirus and what steps the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is taking to protect our communities, please visit: https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP is a graduate of Justus-Liebig-University Medical School Giessen, Germany. He completed Residency training in Munich, Germany and Tucson, AZ and is board certified in Family Practice (Germany) and Internal Medicine (USA). Dr. Ansorg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and is on the Medical Staff at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He has many years of experience in different clinical settings including 10 years of Private Practice and Urgent Care in Munich, Germany as well as 11 years of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics in Arizona as well as 4 years at the Santa Barbara County Health Care Center. Dr. Ansorg has served as Public Health Officer for Santa Barbara County since April 2019.

Jul 30, 2020

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY ON STATE MONITORING LIST: What Does This Mean?

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

[SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO]

You may have heard that the County of Santa Barbara is on a State monitoring list for the coronavirus. It is true, at this time, our county is one of 34 counties in California on a state monitoring list due to widespread community transmission of the virus, which means that the virus has spread from person to person all across our communities.

The number of cases reported are representative of the spreading of the virus. One of the metrics we look at is how many new cases are we seeing each day over a two-week period within the County. Unfortunately, we are seeing these numbers increasing instead of decreasing, which is something we are addressing in a variety of ways, including the mandate of wearing a mask in public spaces and at work, social distancing, no meetings and mixing with people outside our own household and avoidance of travel.

It is in our power to turn the tide and trend downward with coronavirus cases in our County! We take this very seriously and want to do whatever we can so that our children can return to school, people can visit grandparents, family and friends, businesses can fully re-open and we can all return to activities we enjoy.

If everyone does their part, we can stem the tide and reduce our virus numbers. This will take everyone’s commitment to adhering to protocols and the State Health Orders. Most importantly, please wear a mask in public, stay six feet apart from others, do not gather with anyone not living inside your household and wash your hands often.

For more information about what the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is doing to serve and protect our community through the coronavirus, please visit www.publichealthsbc.org.

Previous Updates

July 29, 2020 – Click to Watch

Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP is a graduate of Justus-Liebig-University Medical School Giessen, Germany. He completed Residency training in Munich, Germany and Tucson, AZ and is board certified in Family Practice (Germany) and Internal Medicine (USA). Dr. Ansorg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and is on the Medical Staff at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He has many years of experience in different clinical settings including 10 years of Private Practice and Urgent Care in Munich, Germany as well as 11 years of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics in Arizona as well as 4 years at the Santa Barbara County Health Care Center. Dr. Ansorg has served as Public Health Officer for Santa Barbara County since April 2019

Jul 28, 2020

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO WEAR A MASK?

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

[SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO]

Are You Wearing Your Mask Correctly?

Of all the things you can do right now to protect yourself and others from getting the Coronavirus, wearing a face covering properly tops the list. Why? Because wearing a face covering over your nose and mouth goes a long way towards preventing infectious particles from infecting another person.

Here’s How it Works:

COVID-19 spreads from person to person. An infectious person expels infectious particles while sneezing, talking, laughing, yelling, coughing or singing. An infectious person can even spread infectious particles just by breathing.

The louder you talk, the more droplets you spread to others. Coughing emits more infectious particles than talking, and sneezing is even worse. Since many people with COVID-19 never show symptoms, many people are infected that may not know it. Wearing a mask limits the spread of potentially infectious particles.

Wearing a face covering does not just help others – it limits your own exposure, too. According to a study in Hong Kong, wearing a mask in public was effective for the SARS coronavirus (a virus very similar to the new coronavirus that causes COVID-19). The study found that people who frequently wore a mask in public were half as likely to be infected.

How Important is Wearing a Mask Correctly? VERY!

Masks work – if worn properly. Your best bet is a double-layered cotton mask which will block 70% of infectious particles (respiratory droplets), if worn properly. Be sure that your mask covering your mouth and nose. To prevent spreading infectious particles, keep your mask over your mouth and nose. If you drop your mask to talk, you will spread droplets. If you are having trouble making yourself heard through the mask, speak up. It is not helpful to bring your mask to an event and then wear it around your neck.

Do not touch the front of your mask. By touching the front of your mask, you might infect yourself. Do not touch the front of your mask while you’re wearing it. After taking your mask off, it’s still not safe to touch the front of it. Once you have washed the mask in a normal washing machine, the mask is safe to wear again.

Can masks cause carbon dioxide poisoning?

Absolutely not, although you may have heard that wearing a mask may cause carbon dioxide poisoning. The face mask might hold a very small amount of carbon dioxide, but the carbon dioxide can pass through the holes on the sides and even the pores of the material itself. Humans inhale trace amounts of carbon dioxide all day long and suffer no issues.

An extremely high level of carbon dioxide would need to build up to cause a problem. So no, wearing a mask should not cause carbon dioxide poisoning.

What Else do I Need to do to Prevent Getting the Virus?

In addition to wearing a face mask, be aware of your surroundings and use good sense. Encourage smart COVID-19 prevention practices that include:

Maintaining six feet of separation from others when you can
Washing your hands with soap and water frequently.
Avoid touching your face
If you are not feeling well, protect others from COVID-19 by staying home

So How do I Correctly Wear a Face Mask?
Here are some simple “Do’s and Don’ts” to keep in mind:

Dos:

Wash mask after use in hot water and dry thoroughly
Wash hands for 20 second prior to putting on and after taking off your mask
Still practice social distancing when wearing a mask
Make sure it fits snugly but comfortably against the side of your face
Make sure it covers your mouth and nose

Don’ts:

Touch or adjust the mask once it is on your face, this can cause contamination
Wear it longer than four hours when possible
Take the mask on and off – once on, leave on
Touch your eyes, nose or mouth when removing the mask
Place on young children under the age of two

For more information about how you can prevent getting and spreading the coronavirus and what steps the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is taking to protect our communities, please visit: https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP is a graduate of Justus-Liebig-University Medical School Giessen, Germany. He completed Residency training in Munich, Germany and Tucson, AZ and is board certified in Family Practice (Germany) and Internal Medicine (USA). Dr. Ansorg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and is on the Medical Staff at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He has many years of experience in different clinical settings including 10 years of Private Practice and Urgent Care in Munich, Germany as well as 11 years of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics in Arizona as well as 4 years at the Santa Barbara County Health Care Center. Dr. Ansorg has served as Public Health Officer for Santa Barbara County since April 2019.

Jul 21, 2020

CAN I GET THE CORONAVIRUS FROM SOMEONE WHO SHOWS NO SYMPTOMS?

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

You may be surprised to learn that asymptomatic people (those with no Coronavirus symptoms such as fever, coughing, etc.) can spread the virus to others.

You should know that people can also contract the disease and remain symptomless. It’s also clear that people who do develop symptoms could potentially spread the virus before they even knew they had it.

In a May 27, 2020 study by the Journal of American Medicine, it was reported that more than 40% of study participants who tested positive for COVID-19 were asymptomatic.

Studies have shown that people can be contagious in the first several days of having the virus, before they show symptoms. A Center for Disease Control (CDC) survey found that 54% of people who tested positive for COVID-19 couldn’t recall how they got it. The remaining 46% of respondents who tested positive reported that they had close contact with someone who was sick, such as a family member, before they developed the disease.

This indicates that the majority of people could have contracted COVID-19 from an asymptomatic person they’d been in close contact with.

It is important to know that the virus that causes the illness COVID-19, spreads through respiratory droplets, such as saliva and mucus. This means it primarily spreads when people who have the virus cough, sneeze and talk in the presence of other people. Direct contact with people who are sick also spreads the virus.

The best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is to only socialize with those inside your household, always practice good personal hygiene including washing your hands often, stay home when you can and definitely when you’re sick, wear a face covering over your nose and mouth when you go out, keep a 6 foot distance from people and avoid contact with others who are sick.

For more information about how you can prevent getting and spreading the coronavirus and what steps the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is taking to protect our communities, please visit: https://publichealthsbc.org/.

Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP is a graduate of Justus-Liebig-University Medical School Giessen, Germany. He completed Residency training in Munich, Germany and Tucson, AZ and is board certified in Family Practice (Germany) and Internal Medicine (USA). Dr. Ansorg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and is on the Medical Staff at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He has many years of experience in different clinical settings including 10 years of Private Practice and Urgent Care in Munich, Germany as well as 11 years of Internal Medicine/Geriatrics in Arizona as well as 4 years at the Santa Barbara County Health Care Center. Dr. Ansorg has served as Public Health Officer for Santa Barbara County since April 2019.