Celebrate Safely

As we pass through the spring months, families and friends may spend more time gathering together. Individuals can spread COVID-19 even without symptoms. Traveling and gathering indoors with extended family and friends increases the chance of getting and spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. Reducing close contact with individuals outside your household, wearing masks, practicing hand hygiene, and staying home when not feeling well are all important measures to slow the spread.

Staying home with members of your immediate household is the best way to protect yourself and others. Marin County Public Health recommends that you choose a safer alternative way to celebrate, either for a family occasion or during a holiday. Planning early and identifying safer options will help keep you and your family safe and healthy this holiday season.

Marin County Public Health would like to remind residents that many holiday celebrations carry risk for spreading COVID-19. Limiting yourself to small gatherings and taking extra steps to ensure safety-- especially when not everyone is vaccinated—reduces the risk of spreading COVID-19. Together, we can protect ourselves and those around us, including young children who are not yet eligible for vaccination.

As you plan gatherings we strongly recommend that everyone takes the following measures to protect against COVID-19:

Complete an initial vaccination series.

Vaccines are our best protection. All three currently available vaccines are safe and effectively reduce risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.
Get a booster if you are eligible.
Vaccination of those who are eligible helps protect the youngest members of our community who are not yet eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
Find a vaccination location near you by visiting our Vaccine Finder page.

Stay home if you might have COVID-19.

Do not attend celebrations or participate in activities if you feel sick, or if you have come into close contact with someone who has COVID-19 and you are not yet vaccinated.

Wear a face mask.

Both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals can be COVID-19 positive without showing symptoms. Those who are unvaccinated are required to wear a face covering indoors. Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, is required to wear a face mask in indoor public settings.
Face masks are recommended in private settings where not everyone has been vaccinated or when around people who are vulnerable to more serious outcomes if they are infected with COVID-19.

Gather outdoors.

Indoor activities where people from different households mix are higher risk for everyone—especially for persons not yet vaccinated.
Consider hosting your celebration outdoors. If indoors, open all the windows.
Set out food and drinks in individual servings, rather than “buffet style.”
Request that people who attend are vaccinated or have a recent negative COVID-19 test.
- If you are unvaccinated (including children), complete a rapid home antigen test before attending an indoor gathering. Report positive test results by filling out our online form located on our Self Test Reporting page.
Keep sinks stocked with soap and paper towels for handwashing.
Provide hand sanitizer in multiple locations.
Keep gatherings small. Large gatherings, even if they are outdoors, pose an increased risk for COVID-19.
Keep a list of attendees in case a positive COVID-19 test emerges.
Events with crowds greater than 1,000 indoor attendees or crowds greater than 10,000 outdoor attendees must comply with California's Mega-Event Guidance.

Monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.

To further protect yourself and your loved ones, be sure to monitor yourself for symptoms for 14 days after participating in large gatherings and activities. Pay special attention from day 3 to day 7 afterward as this is when people are most likely to develop symptoms.

Get tested.

If someone you had close contact with tests positive, get tested, and if you have not completed an initial COVID-19 vaccination series or up to date stay home to quarantine. If you do not feel well or if you test positive, stay home to isolate regardless of your vaccination status.

To learn more about symptoms and testing, visit our Testing webpage. For information on what to do after exposure or a positive test, visit our Isolation and Quarantine webpages.

Mega-events

As of June 15, 2021, the Governor terminated the executive orders that put into place the Stay Home Order and the Blueprint for a Safer Economy. The public health order effective June 15 supersedes all prior health orders and has limited restrictions.

Gathering restrictions apply for mega-events. These public health requirements and recommendations were revised as of December 13, 2021.

Mega-events are indoor events with 1,000 or more attendees and outdoor events with 10,000 or more attendees.
This includes events like:

Conventions, conferences, and expos
Concerts, shows, and nightclubs
Sporting events
Live events and entertainment
Fairs, festivals, and parades
Theme parks, amusement parks, and water parks
Large private events or gatherings
Large races, marathons, and endurance events
Car shows

For indoor events with 1,000 or more attendees:

In addition to the general public health recommendations:

Verification of completion of an initial vaccination series* or pre-entry negative test** result is required of all attendees.
- Indoor venue and event operators may not use self-attestation as a mode of verification.
All businesses and venue operators must check the identification of all attendees age 18 and over to validate their vaccination record or proof of negative test.
- Acceptable identification is any document that includes the name of the person and photograph.
Information will be prominently placed on all communications, including the reservation and ticketing systems, to ensure guests are aware of testing and vaccination requirements (including acceptable modes of verification).
Attendees must follow CDPH Guidance for Face Coverings.
Venues should make masks available to attendees upon request.

For outdoor events with 10,000 or more attendees: