Marin County COVID-19 Status Update for December 9, 2021 includes Marin Looks to Hospitalizations as Decision Metric; Boosters for 16- and 17-Year-Olds May Be Available Soon; and updated local COVID-19 data.
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The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is published weekdays 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.
Marin Looks to Hospitalizations as Decision Metric
Today, Marin County Public Health announced a new roadmap to inform future COVID-19 mitigation strategies in response to Marin’s high vaccination rate and recent questions about a potential mask mandate. Health officials will focus on COVID-19 hospitalization rates rather than daily case rates as a guide for pandemic response policies and orders.
Historically, daily case rates of COVID-19 infections have been the primary measure to determine progress and guide policy decisions. While daily case rates will continue to be measured closely, with 85% of the population fully vaccinated, fewer cases are leading to hospitalization or death. In October and November 2020, before the arrival of the vaccine, about 1 in 40 newly diagnosed cases led to hospitalization. Today, that number is closer to 1 in 80.
“We’re seeing firsthand how vaccines and boosters are protecting us against severe illness,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer. “When we consider more restrictive policies, it’s a good time to step back and remember our pandemic goals as a community. We’re trying to prevent hospitalizations and death.”
The new hospitalization-focused metric is already guiding new criteria in Marin. The criteria for potentially reimposing a local mask mandate will be five COVID-19 hospitalizations per 100,000 residents. Locally, that translates to 13 people in the hospital for COVID-19. For context, at the height of a typical flu season in Marin, up to 20 individuals are in the hospital with influenza on any given day.
Continue reading the news release.
Boosters for 16- and 17-Year-Olds May Be Available Soon
Today, both the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) authorized Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 single-dose boosters for 16-and-17-years-olds who completed their initial Pfizer vaccination series at least six months ago. Previously, Pfizer had been granted Emergency Use Authorization of its booster vaccines for recipients who were at least 18 years old. After reviewing Pfizer’s data, it was concluded that an additional vaccine dose was both safe and effective at maintaining immunity against COVID-19 for this age group. Presently, the age requirement for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson booster shots remains the same at 18 years or older.
What happens next?
Before we see the change in age eligibility reflected in California, there is an additional layer of review: The Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup (WSSSRW) will conduct an independent analysis of Pfizer’s data. Once they agree to authorize the expansion of age qualification, then California Department of Public Health will implement the changes recommended by the FDC and CDC and provide guidance to Marin Public Health.
The timetable for the WSSSRW’s review and a final decision is not certain so please stay tuned for updates.
Please note that online appointment systems such as MyTurn may be delayed a few days at recognizing the change in age eligibility once it’s approved in California.
Currently, there is extraordinary demand for vaccination appointments by both booster and pediatric vaccine seekers. At the same time, the healthcare industry is experiencing nursing shortages, which affects the pace at which people can be vaccinated. In Marin, an estimated 100,000 people are eligible for and seeking a booster shot. As the eligibility pool continues to grow, rest assured that public health and local medical providers are doing what they can to increase vaccination appointment options soon.
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.
Looking for daily data trends? Our Marin Data & Surveillance webpage uses Tableau dashboards to visualize the impact of COVID-19 in Marin County. Under each dashboard are links to datasets available on Marin County's Open Data Portal.
|
COVID-19 Case Data |
Today’s Report |
Change from Yesterday |
|
Total Confirmed Cumulative Cases |
16,267 |
+ 36 |
|
“Active Cases” (Confirmed in Past 14 Days) |
405 |
+ 32 |
|
Total Cumulative Deaths |
198 |
+ 0 |
|
Current COVID-19 Hospitalizations |
5 |
+ 1 |
|
Current COVID-19 ICU Patient Census |
3 |
+ 1 |
|
COVID-19 Vaccination Data |
Today’s Report |
Change from Last Status Update |
|
Marin residents age 5+ vaccinated with at least one dose |
239,887 |
+ 291 |
|
Percent of Marin population age 5+ who have received at least one dose |
97.7% |
+ 0.0% |
|
Percent of Marin population age 5+ who have completed vaccine series. |
89.4% |
+ 0.1% |
|
Percent of entire Marin population that is “fully immunized” (14+ days post final dose)* |
84% * |
+ 0% |
* Note that this percentage is out of all Marin residents including children younger than 5.
|
State COVID-19 data: |
Today’s Report |
Change from Yesterday |
|
California Confirmed Cases |
4,861,352 |
+ 5,251 |
|
California Deaths |
74,432 |
+ 81 |
Other Local and State Data Dashboards:
- Marin Vaccination Data
- California COVID-19 Data and Tools
- California COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data
- Tracking Variants across California
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:
- Find a vaccine clinic near you
- Free COVID-19 testing
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Apply for Rental Assistance
- Financial Resources for Businesses
- Archive of past status updates
- Subscribe to County of Marin News
Contact Us. We Are Here for You.
Have questions? Contact the CA COVID-19 Hotline seven days a week by dialing (833) 422-4255 for COVID-19 information and resources, or email us.
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