Santa Barbara County Jail COVID outbreak continues with 87 active cases
The COVID-19 outbreak at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail continues to grow.
Officials first reported an active case on Dec. 9. The outbreak has swelled from 54 active cases on Dec. 21 to 87 as of today.
119 inmates have tested positive so far, according to jail staff, and 28 have recovered while four have been released from custody.
22 inmates are currently showing symptoms and none have required hospitalization so far.
SLO County to host rapid test event in Atascadero
Amid a nationwide shortage of rapid COVID-19 tests, San Luis Obispo County Public Health will host an event Thursday giving out free rapid antigen tests to the public.
The event will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Atascadero at the Lake Park Pavilion Community Room at 9315 Pismo Avenue.
There are 150 rapid tests which will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, according to the county.
The health department also announced 659 new confirmed cases of the coronavirus since last Tuesday, seven of which were confirmed to be the Omicron variant.
Covered CA urges enrollment ahead of new year
Uninsured Californians have until Friday to enroll in the state's health insurance market — if they want coverage starting Jan. 1.
Covered California runs the state’s insurance exchange and says the winter surge in COVID-19 underscores the need for quality health coverage.
Hospitals are already reporting increased admissions due to the Omicron variant, which is now the most dominant strain of the coronavirus.
A recent study from FAIR Health, a nonprofit that analyzes health care costs, found the average ICU COVID patient paid over $100,000 in medical bills.
Without adequate health coverage, the state warns COVID patients could face a mountain of debt.
Uninsured Californians can enroll in the state’s health insurance market in January, but coverage won’t start until Feb. 1.
This story came to us from CapRadio News.
