The March 17 status update reviews COVID-19 cases in Marin, shared details about Marin HHS's surveillance efforts, discusses small business loan information and unemployment options for those impacted by COVID-19, and provides another video update from Dr. Matt Willis.
COVID-19 activity in Marin:
- Total cases in Marin: 15
- COVID-19 related deaths in Marin: 0
- As of March 16, 2020 at 8:00a.m., 472 cases and eleven deaths in California, according to the California Department of Public Health.
Marin County Public Health continues to advance policies to limit community spread and support our excellent healthcare partners’ capacity to respond.
Detecting COVID-19 Activity
Marin County Public Health has developed a system to try to detect early outbreak activity. Two main indicators of potential COVID-19 virus transmission locally include the number of confirmed cases and the number of people experiencing severe respiratory illness. Tracking this will help our healthcare providers and partners know when COVID-19 activity may be increasing in Marin.
Marin County Public Health receives regular updates on the number of respiratory illness cases from all Marin County emergency departments (ED’s) and from Emergency Medical Services (EMS), our countywide 9-1-1 ambulance response system. We track these over time, and evaluate these trends by age because older adults infected with COVID-19 experience more severe disease. Knowing there's always ups and downs in our usual activity, we're looking for significant changes. This is mainly intended for our clinicians, but others may be interested in seeing the trends. You can track these trends online by visiting MarinHHS.org/Coronavirus/Data.
Currently, there is no sign of generally increased incidence of respiratory illnesses in Marin.
Small Business Administration Disaster Loans
We know this unprecedented Public Health Order has had a tremendous impact on many businesses within the County of Marin. We were notified that the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is offering low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans for certain communities affected by the spread of COVID-19. Marin County is listed as an affected county.
These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact. Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing because of COVID-19, See the SBA webpage for further information.
Unemployment During COVID-19
- Workers who have had their hours reduced or whose employer is currently not operating due to COVID-19 can file an unemployment insurance claim.
- Parents who miss work due to their child’s school being closed might also be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits.
- California workers who can’t work and who are medically certified to either have COVID-19 themselves or to have been exposed to it can file a disability insurance claim.
- Those workers unable to work due to caring for an ill or quarantined family member with COVID-19 that can be verified by a medical professional can file a paid family leave claim.
Check here for further information about claims through the Employment Development Department for the State of California in relation to COVID-19.
Message from the Public Health Officer:
For today’s update, Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s Public Health Officer, shares an update on the current case count in Marin County, a review of the first day of the Shelter at Home order, and offers a suggestion to essential retailers who want to help older adults, age 65 & older.
Where to get the latest information:
Visit the official Marin County Coronavirus webpage (MarinHHS.org/coronavirus) review answers to frequently asked questions, access guidance for special groups and subscribe for email updates. To view past status updates concerning COVID-19 activity in Marin County, click on the resources tab on the Coronavirus webpage.
Have questions? Individuals can contact Marin Health and Human Services with non-medical questions about the coronavirus by calling (415) 473-7191 (Monday – Friday, 9:30am to 12-noon and 1pm to 5pm) or emailing COVID-19@marincounty.org.