The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update for October 15, 2020 includes tips for safer Halloween and Día de los Muertos celebrations; a statement from Bay Area Public Health Officers to get your flu shot; updated COVID-19 activity; and updates on warm temperatures, fire dangers and possible power outages.
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The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is now publishing five days a week (Monday through Friday) and as needed, in order to share important news and resources in our battle against COVID-19 and to keep our economy running. We remain here for you.
Halloween & Día de los Muertos: Tips to Celebrate Safely
Marin’s COVID-19 picture continues to improve, but California Health and Human Services Agency Secretary, Dr. Mark Ghaly, announced earlier this week that the state is discouraging normal Halloween and Día de los Muertos activities this year. Dr. Ghaly indicated that Halloween parties and door-to-door trick or treating are risky activities for coronavirus transmission and urged Californians to keep Día de los Muertos remembrances and other gatherings small.
The Marin County Public Health team has put together some helpful guidance on which activities should be modified or avoided altogether - along with some ideas for fun alternatives to help keep our spirits up.
WATCH VIDEO ON YOUTUBE (English) (Spanish)
Review Guidance & Suggested Alternatives (English) (Spanish)
Bay Area Health Officials #FightFlu, Urge Flu Shots
Today, Health officials from across the Bay Area issued a statement, asking the public to fight the flu by getting the annual vaccination for influenza right now. Each winter, people sick with flu crowd hospitals and urgent care clinics, resources that may be strained due to COVID-19. Early and timely flu shots can prevent a disease that hospitalizes 200,000 Americans every year.
It is important to get a new flu vaccine each year. The flu vaccine offers protection for many months, but not forever. Also, the strains of influenza circulating in the community change over time, and the current vaccine offers protection against those strains.
To keep yourself and your family out of the hospital, doctors recommend an annual flu shot for everyone age 6 months or older. The flu shot is a safe, effective way to reduce your chance of missing work or ending up in the hospital due to severe flu. Symptoms of the flu can be similar to early symptoms of COVID-19, meaning that this year, people with flu symptoms may require a COVID-19 test and may need to stay home from work and isolate away from their families while awaiting results.
In the Bay Area, as is the case across the state and the country, the percentage of children up to date on immunizations has fallen as parents delay routine visits to their pediatricians, which is a serious concern. An annual flu shot visit is a great time for kids to catch up on all vaccinations.
For those with insurance, under the Affordable Care Act, a flu shot is available without cost as a preventive service from your regular doctor or most pharmacies. For those without health insurance, or anyone who finds it more convenient, there are many opportunities to get a free flu shot at community clinics, COVID-19 test sites, or mass vaccination events.
Flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. Flu is not COVID-19, which is caused by a different virus. Flu is not the same as the common cold, which is caused by different viruses.
It takes about two weeks for the flu vaccine to become effective after you get the shot, so getting vaccinated in advance of the arrival of severe flu in the Bay Area offers the best protection.
While the flu vaccine is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, it is especially important for pregnant women, children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, and those with chronic medical conditions, such as heart disease, asthma, and diabetes. People who live in the same household with someone at high risk can help protect that person from severe flu by getting a flu shot.
Health officials advise individuals to take the following steps to protect themselves and loved ones from flu:
- Get the flu vaccine every year.
- Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Cover your cough and sneezes.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick and keep your children home when they are sick.
- Symptoms of the flu include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, and fatigue.
- Wear a face covering and maintain at least a six-foot distance from others in public settings.
For more information about flu, visit flu.marinhhs.org. Find more locations near you that offer flu vaccine using the Vaccine Finder.
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 |
4,727 |
+ 26 |
|
Total Recovered (14 days post-diagnosis) |
4,456 |
+ 18 |
|
Total Deaths |
96 |
0 |
|
Current Hospitalizations |
8 |
+ 2 |
|
Total / Cumulative Hospitalizations |
146 |
0 |
|
Tests Completed in Marin |
87,440 |
+ 617 |
* The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is published Monday – Friday. Monday editions of the status update include data from Monday plus Saturday and Sunday of the previous weekend. Therefore, data shown under the “change from last update” heading will always be larger on Mondays and differ from what is published on the Coronavirus in Marin homepage, which is updated 7 days per week.
Residential Care & Skilled Nursing Facility COVID-19 activity:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from Last Status Update |
|
Positive Patients at Facilities cumulative |
458 |
2 |
|
Positive Patients at Facilities current |
2 |
0 |
|
Positive Staff at Facilities current |
8 |
0 |
|
Facility Patient Deaths ** |
80 |
+ 1 |
|
Facility Patient Deaths as percentage of all COVID+ deaths ** |
83 % |
+ 1% |
**A new facility death was reported as part of Marin’s total death count earlier this week. However, the facility classification was delayed and not reported until today.
State COVID-19 activity:
DATA TYPE |
Today’s Report |
Change from yesterday |
|
California Confirmed Cases |
858,401 |
+ 3,329 |
|
California Deaths |
16,757 |
+ 118 |
In Other News… (Non-COVID Updates)
While the following is not related to COVID, it is news from Marin County's Emergency Operations Center that we thought you should know about.
Red Flag Warning Issued Through Friday
National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for higher elevation areas of Marin County from Wednesday morning (5am) to Friday morning (11am). A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are expected during this time frame for strong wind gusts and hot, dry conditions. Residents are advised to exercise extreme caution during the Red Flag Warning because a simple spark could cause a major wildfire, including the use of equipment and machinery as well as smoking.
Red Flag Warning & Wildfire Preparedness Information Resources
- Prepare for a potential wildfire: build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan.
- October 14-16 Red Flag Warning News Release
- FireSafe Marin: Wildfire Preparedness Tips
- “Living With Fire” Webinar Series
Beware of Hot Temperatures this Week
With high temperatures expected this week, here are a few tips to be prepared. Heat affects everyone differently. Extremely high or unusually hot temperatures can affect a person’s health, especially when outdoors for long periods of time. Those most vulnerable to extreme heat include older adults, people with chronic medical conditions or mental health conditions and the socially isolated.
During a heat wave, residents should take the necessary precautions to prevent serious health effects for heat-related illnesses. View some of the resources below for tips to stay cool during warm weather.
Warm Weather Safety Resources
Take the Time to Prepare for a Future Public Safety Power Shutoff
Fall is Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) season. PSPS events are called during times of dry, hot weather with strong winds that pose significant fire risk. Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will proactively turn off power in these areas to prevent any electrical infrastructure -caused fires. Currently a PSPS event is forecast for the Northern California region: Marin County is NOT within the scope of this PSPS event. However, as many of us know fire season is far from over, so this first PSPS event is a reminder to prepare for a future extended outage.
PSPS Preparation Resources
- Learn about PG&E’s new PSPS Watch & Warning Notifications
- VIDEO: Preparing for Public Safety Power Shutoffs
- VIDEO: 9/15 Update on Wildfire, Evacuations and PSPS Events
Stay Informed
Follow the County of Marin on Facebook, Twitter, Nextdoor 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 Test Information
- Face Covering & Mask Information
- 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. Our call center is available Monday through Friday, from 9:30am to 12-noon and 1:00pm to 5:00pm. Please feel free to connect with us for general information and resources by calling (415) 473-7191. We are also available online! 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!