Marin County COVID-19 Status Update for January 8 includes a recap of today’s Community Conversation event; response to FDA report on Curative test kits; debunking common vaccine myths; and updated COVID-19 data.
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The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is published daily to share important news and resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to keep the local economy running. We remain here for you.
RECAP: Virtual Town Hall to discuss Vaccines and Stay Home Order
Dr. Tyler Evans, Dr. Matt Willis and Benita McLarin were panelists for today’s “Community Conversation” event. Discussion included the status of the Regional Stay Home Order and Marin County’s progress with COVID-19 vaccine distribution and was followed by Q&A session.
WATCH ONLINE: (English Facebook) (English YouTube)
Event video with Spanish Interpretation will be made available soon on our Vaccine webpage.
Related Resources:
Statement Regarding Use of Curative Tests in Marin County
We are aware that the FDA has issued a safety communication regarding the risk of false negative results with the Curative SARS—CoV-2 test.
Studies have shown that people are more likely to have a positive test result when they are actively showing symptoms with all testing methods-- whether by oral swab, nasal swab, or rapid antigen test. As the FDA states, all SARS-CoV-2 tests carry a risk of a false result and all tests require clinical judgment. Marin County Public Health advises clinicians to treat all patients with a clinical history (exposure or symptoms) consistent with COVID-19 as positive cases, regardless of test result or type of test.
For Marin County, Curative provides 1,000 more tests per day to diagnose cases that might otherwise go undetected. As a self-administered test, the technique used to obtain the sample is important to gaining accurate results. Done properly Curative’s oral swabbing method has a higher clinical sensitivity than most SARS-CoV-2 tests available. Marin County Curative tests are performed under the guidance of on-site trained test administrators, to ensure the test is conducted in-line with FDA approved directions.
Curative is continuing to offer tests in Marin County. We remain in close communication with Curative as testing quality is a shared goal with Marin Public Health. Curative is working closely with FDA to address any unresolved concerns and will be providing additional updates and information as it becomes available.
Vaccine MythBusters: Know the Facts!
It's likely you've heard claims about COVID-19 vaccines on social media or from the people in your life. Knowing what is true about vaccines, and what isn’t, is crucial to community and business recovery. Over the next few days, we’ll bust some myths that exist about the COVID-19 vaccine and share facts that should be shared widely.
✔️ Fact: The COVID-19 Vaccine Will NOT Change Your DNA
The mRNA vaccine has no impact on a person’s DNA. Messenger RNA allows cells to make proteins that trigger an immune response to the coronavirus, stopping it from entering a person’s cells. The first vaccines granted emergency use authorization contain messenger RNA (mRNA), which instructs cells to make the “spike protein” found on the new coronavirus. When the immune system recognizes this protein, it builds an immune response by creating antibodies — teaching the body how to protect against future infection. The mRNA never enters the nucleus of the cell, which is where our DNA (genetic material) is kept. That means the mRNA does not affect or interact with your DNA in any way. COVID-19 vaccines that use mRNA work with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to the virus, giving your cells a blueprint of how to make antibodies. Learn more about how COVID-19 mRNA vaccines work.
COVID-19 Data Update:
Below is a summary of today’s data now available on Marin Data & Surveillance webpage. View the page for a broader range of data, plus interactive graphs for confirmed COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths. Data analysis is available by age range, gender, race and city/town/geographic region. Questions about the data? See our Data FAQ or contact us.
COVID-19 activity in Marin:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from Last Status Update |
Total Confirmed Cases |
8,349 |
+ 120 |
Total Recovered (14 days post-diagnosis) |
7,250 |
+ 12 |
Total Deaths |
115 |
0 |
Total / Cumulative Hospitalizations |
253 |
+ 2 |
Tests Conducted Among Marin Residents |
269,526 |
+ 2,247 |
Current Hospitalization Data:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from Last Status Update |
Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations |
38 |
0 |
Current COVID-19 ICU Patient Census |
7 |
- 1 |
ICU Availability – Bay Area |
3.0% |
- 0.5 % |
Residential Care & Skilled Nursing Facility COVID-19 activity:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from Last Status Update |
Positive Patients at Facilities cumulative |
628 |
+ 7 |
Positive Patients at Facilities current |
62 |
+ 6 |
Positive Staff at Facilities current |
69 |
+ 10 |
Facility Patient Deaths** |
96 |
0 |
Facility Patient Deaths as percentage of all COVID+ deaths |
83% |
0 % |
State COVID-19 activity:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from yesterday |
California Confirmed Cases |
2,568,641 |
+50,030 |
California Deaths |
28,538 |
+493 |
Stay Informed
Follow the County of Marin on Facebook, Twitter, Next-door or subscribe to our status updates. Visit MarinHHS.org/coronavirus for resources to stay connected on the issue.
Helpful Links and Online Resources:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- COVID-19 Tests
- COVID-19 Vaccine
- Current Health Orders
- Face Coverings & Masks
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Donation Options
- Business Reopening Guidelines
- Archive of past status updates
Contact Us. We Are Here for You.
Have questions? We are here to help: contact our COVID-19 Response Team. Alternatively, you can contact the statewide COVID-19 Hotline 7 days per week by dialing (833) 422-4255 for general information about state COVID-19 resources. If you’re looking for medicine, medical attention or have a medical related question, please contact your primary care provider or local health clinic. As a reminder, please only call 9-1-1 if you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency.
Spread the word: How your friends and family can receive these updates:
- Text "MARIN COVID" to 468311 to receive text message notifications
- Subscribe online to receive email notifications
- Tweet & share this update with your friends on Twitter!