The elbow and fist bumps we've learned to substitute for handshakes and hugs in an attempt to ward off catching COVID-19 may help us stay healthy. But with COVID-19 cases incubating on the West Coast, County Public Health announced on Saturday the steps to take "out of an abundance of caution" for businesses, groups, agencies, and health-care providers by Monday to protect Santa Barbara County.
"We want to be prepared," said Dr. Henning
Ansorg , the county's chief medical officer. “The discovery of
community transmission elsewhere in the state makes me feel that COVID-19 could
arrive in our county at any time."
Public Health officials confirmed no person in the county
was under investigation for the virus, for which the tests take several days. As well, in
the county just south of Santa Barbara, one confirmed
and one possible case was announced on Friday by Ventura County
health authorities; both were previously passengers on the Grand Princess cruise ship .