Regional Stay-at-Home Order in Effect

As you are aware, there is a Regional Stay-At-Home Order in place.  The Southern California Region of the State’s COVID-19 monitoring system began its Stay-at-Home Order on Sunday, December 6, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. and is expected to remain in place for at least three weeks before re-evaluation by the State the week of December 28, 2020.

The Regional Stay-at-Home Order for the County of Santa Barbara is triggered when the Southern California Region falls below 15% ICU capacity.  Santa Barbara County is included in the Southern California Region.  

The following industry sector changes are in effect:

The following sectors must close

  • Indoor playgrounds
  • Indoor recreational facilities
  • Hair salons and barbershops
  • Personal care services
  • Museums, zoos, and aquariums
  • Movie theaters
  • Wineries
  • Bars, breweries, and distilleries
  • Family entertainment centers
  • Cardrooms and satellite wagering
  • Limited services
  • Live audience sports
  • Amusement parks

The following sectors will have additional modifications in addition to 100% masking and physical distancing:

  • Outdoor recreational facilities: Allow outdoor operation only without any food, drink or alcohol sales. This includes gyms and fitness studios. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.
  • Retail: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems. 
  • Shopping centers: Allow indoor operation at 20% capacity with entrance metering and no eating or drinking in the stores. Additionally, special hours should be instituted for seniors and others with chronic conditions or compromised immune systems.
  • Hotels and lodging: Allow to open for critical infrastructure support only.
  • Restaurants: Allow only for take-out, pick-up, or delivery.
  • Offices: Allow remote only except for critical infrastructure sectors where remote working is not possible. 
  • Places of worship and political expression: Allow outdoor services only.
  • Entertainment production including professional sports: Allow operation without live audiences. Additionally, testing protocol and “bubbles” are highly encouraged.

The following sectors are allowed to remain open when a remote option is not possible with appropriate infectious disease preventative measures including 100% masking and physical distancing:

  • Critical infrastructure 
  • Schools (no new schools may open)
  • Non-urgent medical and dental care
  • Child care and pre-K

Sheriff Bill Brown, who is the Chairman of the Santa Barbara County Law Enforcement Chiefs, said the following, “When Santa Barbara County becomes subject to the state’s new Stay-at-Home Order, the police chiefs and I have committed to continuing our direction and intent that our agencies’ approach to health order violations will be to make every effort to use discretion, education and encouragement to achieve voluntary compliance, but enforcement options will remain a tool to be used in cases of repeat or egregious violations that endanger public safety.”

For questions, the public may call 211 or visit Santa Barbara County Public Health Department’s webpage on the Regional Stay-at-Home Order for more information on COVID-19.

View the Santa Barbara County Public Health Order here.