Skip to main content

Public Health Status Update for 03/28/2024

Marin County Public Health Status Update for March 28, 2024 includes Video: Fentanyl Crisis Update; Measles; Maternal Mental Health; Long Term Care Settings Outbreak Free; and COVID-19 Data Update.  

The Marin… Read More

COVID-19 Status Update for 07/22/2022

July 22, 2022 update includes: President Biden’s COVID Diagnosis Highlights Protection of Vaccine; Wastewater Monitoring Update; Masks: The Essential Summer Accessory of 2022;  Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized; Available Soon; Know your COVID-19 Community Level; and updated local COVID-19 data.

Para leer esta página en español, desplácese hacia arriba y haga clic en el enlace que dice "Translate" (Traducir) y elija "Spanish" (español).


The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is published two times per week and as needed to share important news and resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to keep the local economy running. We remain here for you.

 

President Biden’s COVID Diagnosis Highlights Protection of Vaccine

U.S President Joe Biden tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday, and is experiencing mild symptoms of a runny nose, fatigue, and an occasional dry cough. Overall, the President has been faring well: this is due in part to being fully vaccinated with both boosters and having access to COVID-19 treatment, Paxlovid. Biden's diagnosis has prompted local interest in second booster doses

In Marin County, 60,000 people have received second boosters. Two-thirds of the Marin residents age 65 and older who have received one booster have received a second booster. There have been no deaths from COVID 19 among residents who have received a second booster.

With the BA.5 variant circulating and increasing chance of exposure, Marin County Public Health recommends everyone who is eligible for a second booster obtain the protection of the vaccine, especially those over age 65.

Throughout 2020, prior to the arrival of vaccine, the odds of dying from COVID 19 among infected residents in Marin age 75 and older was 15%, or one in seven. Today that number is now under one percent, or fewer than 1 in 100.

 

Wastewater Monitoring Update

After a successful two-year innovation grant with UC Berkeley, Marin County Public Health has determined that wastewater sampling is a valuable ongoing surveillance tool. Public Health is making two changes to support a permanent wastewater monitoring system. Through July, Marin County sanitary services providers and Public Health are transitioning services to CDC, BioBot and Verily laboratories. During this transition the flow of data may be temporarily interrupted from some sampling sites. In addition, Marin County epidemiologists have added a new metric to the wastewater dashboard, which captures the virus levels from all contributing sites into a single county-wide value.

 

Masks: The Essential Summer Accessory of 2022

With Summer activities in full swing, new variant data reinforces the recommendation to wear a high quality, well-fitting mask in indoor public settings to protect against COVID-19 infection.

Since the beginning of July 2022, 90% of COVID-19 samples tested in Marin County were BA.4 or BA.5 variants of Omicron. The new strains are proving to be even more infectious, and better able to evade the immune response than prior strains. Given current rates of COVID-19 among people tested in Marin hospitals, an estimated 5 percent, or 1 in 20 Marin County residents are currently infected.

TABLE: Estimated likelihood of being exposed to COVID-19 virus in gatherings of various sizes in Marin (July 2022):

Number of people present

Likelihood at least one person is infected

10

40%

25

72%

50

92%

100

98%

Estimated community prevalence 5%

Upgrading to a N95, KN95 or KF94 mask helps protect the wearer from inhaling the virus and becoming infected. These higher quality masks form a seal around the nose and mouth, filtrating airborne particles that could be inhaled. Cloth masks offer limited protection against highly infectious variants when community case rates are high.

Best mask is N95. Next level is KF95, KN95, fitted surgical masks, and double masks. Surgical masks are better than cloth mask

 

Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine Authorized; Available Soon

This week, the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine received the necessary recommendations from the CDC and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup for it to be administered in California. Marin County Public Health and healthcare providers plan to offer Novovax vaccine after it is made available federally and supplies arrive. This will not likely occur before August.

The Novavax vaccine will become a viable first series option for unvaccinated adults 18 and older in Marin County, but it will not be a booster option at this time based on FDA authorization.

Unlike the currently available Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that use an mRNA-based approach to developing immunity, Novavax uses traditional protein-based technology. Both methods are very safe and very effective at preventing serious illness and death from COVID-19. 

Related Resources

COVID-19 Vaccine Timing by Age [PDF]

 

Know your COVID-19 Community Level

The CDC’s COVID-19 Community Levels are a tool to help communities decide what prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Take precautions to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 based on the COVID-19 Community Level in Marin or other community in which you live, work or visit.

Location:

Todays’ COVID-19 Community Level:

Suggested Prevention Steps:

Marin County

HIGH

- Wear a mask indoors in public.

- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

- Get tested if you have symptoms.

- Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness

 

 

COVID-19 Data Update:

Below is just a snapshot of local COVID-19 data. Find a more in-depth analysis of COVID-19 trends on the Marin Data & Surveillance webpage, our Data FAQ, or Marin County's Open Data Portal.

Data sets updated weekly (published on Fridays) include:

  • COVID-19 vaccination rates
  • COVID-19 cases & deaths among facility staff and residents
  • Weekly/Cumulative count of COVID-19 deaths among Marin residents
  • State COVID-19 Data

Status updates are now published Tuesdays and Fridays. “Change from Last Status Update” (far right column, below) may account for 2-4 days, depending on the date of the previous publication (view past status updates).

COVID-19 Case Data

Today’s Report

Change from Last Status Update

Total Confirmed Cumulative Cases

39,091

+ 216

“Active Cases” (Confirmed in Past 10 Days)

522

- 12

Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations

28

+ 11

Current COVID-19 ICU Patient Census

5

+ 0

Total Cumulative Deaths

256*

+ 0*

* Change from last Friday.

COVID-19 Vaccination Data

Today’s Report

Change from Last Week

Percent of Marin residents vaccinated with at least one dose

97.0% 

+ 0.2%

Percent of Marin population who have completed vaccine series.

90.3%*

+ 0.2%

Percent of Marin residents who have received a Booster/3rd Dose

64.9%*

+ 0.2%

* Note that this percentage is out of all Marin residents including children younger than 6 months.

Residential Care & Skilled Nursing Facility COVID-19 data:

Today’s Report

Change from Last Week

Positive Patients at Facilities cumulative

1929

+ 55

Positive Patients at Facilities current

81

- 16

Positive Staff at Facilities current

75

 + 4

Facility Patient Deaths

164

+ 0

Facility Patient Deaths as percentage of all COVID+ deaths

64.1%

 + 0.0%

State COVID-19 data:

Today’s Report

Change from Last Week

California Confirmed Cases

9,804,803

+ 126,976

California Deaths

92,469

+ 284

 

Resource Link Library

What to do if...

You’ve tested Positive | You’ve been exposed to someone with COVID-19

Online Resources

Vaccine locations | Booster Information | Free COVID-19 testing | Marin COVID-19 Data | State COVID-19 Data | State Race & Ethnicity Data  | State Variant Data | CDC Community Transmission Data

Stay Informed

Subscribe to Status Updates | Past Status Updates | Subscribe to News | Follow us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Follow us on Instagram