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CDC: Skip the masks Agency says fully vaccinated people can go unmasked in most circumstances By MADISON HIRNEISEN NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
Fully vaccinated people can safely go maskless in most indoor and outdoor settings, according to updated guidance Thursday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. During a press briefing Thursday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky told reporters that masks are still needed in a few settings, such as a health care or business setting. But she added that many fully vaccinated people are safe to skip the face covering in most circumstances. “Anyone who is fully vaccinated can participate in
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More than 200 youths get vaccines in Goleta
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Richard Rockenbach’s 14th birthday present was a COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine. On Thursday afternoon, as he rolled up to Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital’s mobile vaccine clinic in the parking lot with his dad, Rich was in fairly good spirits as a member of one of the first groups of teenagers in Santa Barbara County to receive the vaccine. “The Band-Aid on my arm feels kind of weird, but other than that, (there’s) not really anything else weird,” he told the News-Press during his post-vaccine 15-minute waiting period in the car. “It’s nice to get a little bit more protection.” The Pfizer vaccine was officially
approved by the FDA and CDC for youth from ages 12 through 15 on Tuesday. On Thursday afternoon, Cottage Hospital officials estimated that more than 250 doses were given to teenagers in the county. And that number does not include walk-ups. “I’m not sure how excited I am about coming back here in a few weeks to get the second one — that’s not going to feel too much better than this one,” Rich said. “But it’s nice to know that it’ll be easier to do stuff now.” Rich’s father, Rock Rockenbach, was in great spirits behind the wheel, saying he and his wife were pleased about the CDC allowing younger teens access to the vaccine. “My wife and I are fully
vaccinated, so getting that extra level of protection is nice for going to in-person school and traveling during the summer,” he told the News-Press. “As a parent, I wasn’t worried at all. The vaccine seemed very safe. They’ve not had any adverse reactions at a level even commensurate with other vaccines. My wife and I managed both shots fairly well.” Mr. Rockenbach explained that his kids’ biological mother lives on the eastern side of the country, and the youths had to cancel a trip to see her during the pandemic. Now, he said he feels comfortable putting his children on a plane to see their mother. “With planes now wide open, middle seats now closed, people getting fatigued and, in some ways,
becoming lax, it’s nice to have the shots in their arm so that they’ve got that extra layer of protection,” the father said, adding that he himself was also vaccinated at Goleta Valley’s mobile clinic, and “they have run this so well.” Cars continued to file at a steady pace through the vaccine process Thursday afternoon. At this point, appointments are no longer necessary — any eligible resident can show up to the clinic and get a shot. The process still takes around 30 minutes, and the residents don’t have to step out of their vehicles. Adriana Ricardez brought her two teenagers to get vaccinated at the drive-through clinic and said she was very excited to be able to
accompanied representatives from the California Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Government officials and Project , Central Coast Alliance community organizers provided United for a Sustainable farmworkers information on Economy, the labor rights and California Rural workplace safety To see streaming video Legal Assistance protections this and Líderes GO TO week as they caravanned newspress.com Campesinas on a caravan Monday. throughout Santa By the end of the Barbara and week, organizations cruised by Ventura counties. themselves. A press conference held by MICOP and Líderes the Department of Industrial Campesinas drove around Relations launched the effort the Santa Ynez Valley and Monday, and California Labor Lompoc Thursday, pulling to the Commissioner Lilia Garcíaroadways’ shoulders by farms. Brower spoke about the need for They catch the attention of worker protection in agriculture. She and Carmen Cisneros, Cal/OSHA area manager, Please see CARAVAN on A4 By ANNELISE HANSHAW NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Report says Wagner had no conflict of interest
Please see CLINIC on A4
By GRAYCE MCCORMICK NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
At left, Richard Rockenbach, who turned 14 on Thursday, waits in the backseat of a car with his father, Rock, after receiving a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital drive-through clinic on Thursday. At right, Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital staff check people in who are waiting to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
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An independent investigation has concluded there was no conflict of interest between Anthony Wagner, the Santa Barbara Police Department’s civilian public information officer, and Golden State Greens or any of the other applicants who participated in the city’s cannabis permitting process. The report was released late Thursday afternoon. Investigators Chuck Hookstra and Robert Velasquez of the Sintra Group concluded Golden State Greens did not receive any preferential treatment because the business initially finished fourth in the application process. Santa Barbara Police Chief Bernard Melekian released the report — which details
the results of the investigation examining allegations contained in the Los Angeles Magazine’s article — in an email from the department. “Only the top three applicants received a license to operate a dispensary in Santa Barbara,” the email read. “Golden State Greens eventually received a license, but only when one of the top three finishers was disqualified because their location was within 1,000 feet from a higher-ranking applicant. “Santa Barbara Municipal Code Section 9.44.280 (A) requires dispensaries to be at least 1,000 feet from one another. Mr. Wagner was fully cooperative during this investigation.” email: gmccormick@newspress. com
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Please see MASKS on A2
Caravan educates farmworkers about issues
Lesly Ricardez, 15, receives a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from nurse Karen Etsell at the Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital drive-through clinic on Thursday.
Vaccines for teens
indoor and outdoor activities, large or small, without wearing a mask or social distancing,” Dr. Walensky told reporters. “If you are fully vaccinated, you can start doing the things you had stopped doing because of the pandemic. We have all longed for this moment where we can get back to some sense of normalcy.” Dr. Walensky added that unvaccinated folks should continue to wear a face covering because they remain at risk for disease. She also said that the CDC would revise its guidance if COVID-19 cases increase. The new guidance also
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