LVMC COVID-19 Community Update, June 5, 2020

Dear Lompoc Valley Community:

This week, Coronavirus has taken a back seat in the 24/7 news cycle. Although serendipitously, the timing coincides with the slow return to normal for the Lompoc Valley Community and Santa Barbara County. Personally, this week I had three dine-in meals, partially to support our local restaurants, and partially because I can’t cook! The restaurants were not crowded and there was plenty of space to social distance. I felt very safe, and I think you would, too.

COVID-19 in the Lompoc Valley Community and Santa Barbara County

Although we all must remain diligent, and not become complacent, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department figures suggest that the Lompoc Valley Community may have turned the corner on COVID-19.

• This week (Friday’s figures have not yet been posted) there were no new COVID-19 cases reported from the Lompoc Valley Community.
• Of the total of 105 confirmed COVID-19 positive cases from the Lompoc Valley Community, 96 are reported as recovered.
• Of the 32 Santa Barbara County COVID-19 positive patients who are reported to be recovering in a hospital, only 1 is a resident of the Lompoc Valley Community, to the best of my knowledge.
• There was 1 death of a Lompoc Valley resident, after a relatively long hospital stay. Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased.
• Although our community is currently doing well, that is not the case everywhere in the County. Santa Maria is currently experiencing a spike in COVID-19 positive cases and hospitalizations. However, the number of deaths in Santa Maria has not increased this week, and remains low, in relative terms, at 3. There does not appear to be an identifiable cause of this spike. This is an example of why we should all remain diligent.

Federal Correctional Complex (FCC)

The figures publicly reported by the Bureau of Prisons, for the combined FCI and USP facilities, show that of the 1,070 inmates who originally tested COVID-19 positive, 1,050 (98%) have recovered. There are presently 16 active COVID-19 cases among the inmates. This is the lowest number since figures began being publicly reported. Regarding FCC staff, of the 42 who originally tested COVID-19 positive, 24 are shown as having recovered. These are the same numbers as last week. There has been a total of 4 inmate deaths and no staff deaths reported. Although inmate hospitalizations are not reported, they appear to be significantly down from previous levels.

New Hospital Visitation Policy

On Monday, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Officer issued a new Order, easing some of the restrictions on hospital visitation. It allows for hospitalized patients to have one unique visitor. For pediatric and obstetric patients, it allows for two visitors, and in some cases, overnight visits. Our visiting hours have been temporarily set at 10:00am to 8:00pm. The previous visitation restrictions remain in place for skilled nursing facilities, including our Comprehensive Care Center (CCC). The three hospitals in the County have collectively requested that the Public Health Officer consider certain further easing of restrictions. More to come about that.

You Are Coming Back

Our surgery services are back to 100% of pre-COVID-19 volume. Our Lompoc Health Clinics are at approximately 85%. Most of our other services are heading toward 100%. I would like to note (and I don’t want to jinx it) since the beginning of the pandemic, no patients have contracted COVID-19 at any of the LVMC facilities (Hospital, Lompoc Health clinics, CCC). In addition, no healthcare workers have contracted COVID-19 at any LVMC facility. If you need care from LVMC, please do not hesitate, it is safe to do so.

Thank You

A huge thank you to the following businesses and individuals who have made donations of Personal Protective Equipment and supplies, food for our healthcare workers, and other acts of kindness. You are all very much appreciated!! (The ones in bold are new since the last update.)

INTO THE AM CLOTHING LLC-Matt Marchione; Kathy Milham; Kimberly Todd; Vons Market; Celeste Dugré; Subway; Sleep Center; Doreen Ross; Lompoc Pizza Hut; Superior Home Health; Miguelito Elementary School; Cajun Kitchen; La Purisima Mission Mask Makers; Advanced Performance Physical Therapy; SONOS; Pickle & Peanut Restaurants Inc.; Jordano’s; Lompoc Little Caesar’s Pizza; Victoria Perez; Diana Coronado; Firework Foundation; The Daily Grind; Industrial Eats; Vivid Financial Management; Christine Collier; David Carey DDS; The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Sue McIntyre; McDonalds; Hilton Garden Inn; Anita Macias; a collaboration of 18 wineries--Alma Rosa, Ampelos, Chanin, Fiddlehead, Flying Goat, Garcia, Kings Carey, Kita, Longoria, Loring, Pali, Piedrasassi, Sandhi, Santa Barbara Winery, Sea Smoke, Sweetzer, Temperance and Transcendence; CoastHills Credit Union; CenCal Health; Dunn School; American Host; Kateri and Chris Kingsley; Katherine Milham; Sweet Bliss Sugar Scrubs and Co.; Carol Kirkland; Dr. Iris Radler; Donna Bommersbach; Patricia Henry; Nancy Manes; Annamie Lafferty; Marilyn Romine; Courtney & Mitch Barnham; Ida Kreds; Ingrid Kaper; Judy Carpenter; Space X; Lompoc Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Santa Barbara Foundation; Lompoc Hospital District Foundation; Lompoc Unified School District; Lompoc YMCA; Floriano’s Mexican Food; Circle K; Keller Williams Realty of Lompoc; Girl Scouts of Lompoc; Arbonne independent distributors; Orcutt Bakery; Northrop Grumman; L3Harris Technologies; Astrotech Corp.; Harbor Freight; Home Depot; Direct Relief; Heath Dental; CHC Dental; Mikowicz Dental; Kimberly Nails; Not Alone Plumbing; Artisan Uprising Winery/Azeo Distillery; Starbuck’s Store 496; Tom’s Burgers; Super Grill; Sign Gypsies Central Coast.

Our frontline healthcare workers, support staff, physicians, and allied health professionals have been doing an outstanding job, and we are very thankful and proud of them!! Thank you, Lompoc Valley Community, for your tremendous support of LVMC and our healthcare workers; it means a lot to all of us!!

As always, please feel free to contact me at popkins@lompocvmc.com or (805) 737-3301. Until next time, be well and stay safe!

Steve Popkin

Chief Executive Officer