In response to the coronavirus, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (PHD) released a new information portal for its website.
The portal's goal is to be user-friendly and serve as a one-stop-shop for current updates and reliable information from public health officials for the community.
Currently, there are no confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Santa Barbara County.
The website will have available information in English and Spanish including daily status reports, general information concerning the coronavirus, prevention tips, frequently asked questions and more.
Dr. Henning Ansorg, Health Officer for Santa Barbara County, urges the county to stay informed and stresses the importance of knowing what the virus is, how to slow the spread of it and how to continue to act in the best interest of each other.
According to health officials, the immediate risk to the general public is low at this time.
However, because of the rapidly changing nature of the spread of the virus, it is more important now than ever to prepare for potential community spread.
The PHD reminds the community of the following steps the community can take to protect their health and the health of those around them:
- Wash your hands with soap and water
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick
- Stay away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough
The new coronavirus website is located at https://publichealthsbc.org/.