Marin County School Community �COVID-19 Update�Return to School 2022

January 6, 2022

Marin County Daily COVID-19 Cases

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Data accessed 1/3/2022

December 28, 2021 – 412 Daily New Cases

7-Day Average Case Rates by Vaccination Status Per 100,000

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Data accessed 1/3/2022

Vaccination Progress by Age

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Data accessed 1/3/2022

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Booster Coverage by Age

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Data accessed 1/3/2022

Case Rate by Vaccination Status

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Omicron Severity

• United Kingdom:
• Hospitalization risk is 3 times lower than for Delta
• Among those hospitalized one in 15 require Intensive Care, compared to one in 5 with Delta

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• Physiology: Inflammation of upper airways, more than lungs

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Marin County: Shift in Symptoms with Omicron

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Sore throat was nearly 20% more prevalent among patients who tested positive during Omicron compared to patients who tested positive during “Recent Delta”.

Preliminary Results of Return to School Testing

• December 29-January 4

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• 37,000 results
• 1341 positive

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• 3.6 percent positive

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Delta versus Omicron Surge

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Pre and Post Holiday Break: A New Picture

• December 17:
• 38 cases per day avg
• Almost all Delta

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• January 1:
• 284 cases per day avg
• Almost all Omicron

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• 7.5X increase over two week period

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Omicron Surge Response: PH Goals

• Limit hospitalizations and deaths

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• Maintain workforce critical societal services
• Schools
• Hospitals and Healthcare
• First Responders, Law enforcement, Fire
• Other essential sectors

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Status Regarding Priorities

• Hospitalizations and deaths
• 3 fold increase in hospitalizations over past week
• 4🡪13 people hospitalized “for” COVID -19 disease
• No confirmed deaths from omicron (lagging indicator)

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• Schools stable but stretched thin
• Hospital staffing shortages, invoking crisis protocols
• Over 100 hospital staff across county in isolation or quarantine
• Absences on ambulance crews, vaccination, testing operations

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Omicron Prognosis

• Rapid increase in cases
• Inability to maintain 1:1 PH contact tracing
• Case rates will be underestimated
• Real increase in hospitalizations, likely manageable
• Some deaths among the most frail and/or unvaccinated

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• Significant stress on workforce in all sectors
• Possible mid-January peak, declining by end of January

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Omicron surge: Potential Responses

• Lockdowns to control spread
• China, Holland, Austria, others

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• No change, business as usual

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• Middle path
• Selective measures
• Tight monitoring and adjusting
• Requires flexibility and transparency

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�

How can we stabilize schools through

the omicron surge?�

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School Update

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#8 COVID-19 K-12 School Testing Program

All schools should be enrolled in the California COVID-19 K-12 Schools Testing Program. Schools and districts will partner with Public Health to ensure equitable access to testing (including testing to exit isolation and quarantine and test to stay [TTS]) and will follow Public Health testing guidance. Testing of students must include appropriate parental permissions obtained in advance. If a vaccinated or unvaccinated student or staff member develops COVID-like symptoms or has close contact with someone confirmed with COVID-19, testing is recommended.

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#9 Isolation and Quarantine Guidance

All schools should follow updated California Department of Public Health (CDPH) COVID-19 Public Health Guidance for K – 12 Schools. Isolation can end after day 5 (return to school on day 6) if fever free for > 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, symptoms resolving, and negative COVID test on/after day 5. Marin County Public Health protocols, including modified quarantine and test to stay (TTS), should be followed. (link: Isolation and Quarantine Guidance)

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Isolation – COVID Positive Persons

• Confirmatory PCR not recommended.
• If test positive on day 5, may repeat test on day 7.
• If negative on day 7, return to school.
• If positive on day 7, isolation can end after day 10.  Return to school on day 11.
• Refer students/staff to health care providers for review of discordant test results and clearance to return (A positive is a positive).

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Quarantine – Exposed Persons

• Unvaccinated and Vaccinated and booster-eligible but have not yet received their booster dose (includes newly eligible 12 - 15 year olds)
• Stay home for at least 5 days after your last contact with a person who has COVID-19.
• Test on day 5; Quarantine can end after day 5 if symptoms are not present and negative COVID test on day 5 [if not testing, quarantine can end after day 10].
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days,
• If test positive, follow isolation recommendations above.
• If symptoms develop, test and stay home.

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Modified Quarantine –

COVID exposure at school - Students Only

• Unvaccinated and Vaccinated and booster-eligible but have not yet received their booster dose
• Modified quarantine (under CDPH review)
• Are symptomatic;
• Continue to appropriately mask, as required;
• Undergo at least twice weekly testing during quarantine (Test to Stay [TTS]); and
• Continue to quarantine for all extracurricular activities at school, including sports, and activities within the community setting.

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Exposed Persons

• Fully Vaccinated and boosted (if booster eligible) – No quarantine
• Test on day 5. 
• Wear a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days.
• If test positive on day 5, follow isolation recommendations above.
• If symptoms develop, test and stay home. 

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#18 Gatherings

• Large gatherings > 50 persons (i.e., school assemblies) are currently prohibited indoors and outdoors.

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#24 Face Coverings

Updated: All staff as well as all students are required to wear face coverings indoors, unless there is a medical or behavioral contraindication or exemption. School staff should wear surgical-grade masks or higher-level PPE (e.g., KN95 or N95 respirator masks). For those wearing surgical masks, double masking, with a cloth face covering worn over the surgical mask, is recommended for enhanced protection. Students from grades TK - 2 should be supported and taught how to wear them properly. Masking should be worn outdoors when physical distancing is not feasible, except while eating or drinking. Staff and students should follow CDPH face covering guidance.

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Vaccination Updates

#29 Updated: Non-essential visitors, including parent volunteers will be limited. Essential workers will be required to adhere to all health and safety guidelines. Any substitutes, contractors, visitors or volunteers working directly with students should be vaccinated and boosted (if eligible). They should also be tested prior to return to school after the winter holiday break.

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#30 Updated: All eligible students and staff should get vaccinated or boosted (if eligible) as soon as possible and are required to verify their vaccination status. Staff that are not fully vaccinated are required to be tested weekly. Staff and student vaccination rate data (the percentage of staff and students who are fully vaccinated) should be published and posted on the school website and updated on a monthly basis. Vaccination status of individual students and staff will not be made public. 

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Sports and Performance Update

Updated: Other School related youth activities (i.e., student transportation, sports, music, drama, after school care, etc.) will follow updated CDPH and Marin County Public Health guidance. Only parents and/or legal guardians who are fully vaccinated and boosted (if booster eligible) can attend indoor sports games or performances. Attendance cannot exceed 50 spectators. They must wear face coverings. Public Health urges use of enhanced face coverings (see #24). Schools are responsible for vaccine verification and adherence to face covering order. Other spectators are prohibited until further notice.

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Sports Team Quarantine

• A 7-day suspension of all team activities and Marin County Public Health approval before resuming activity will be required of any youth sports team in which there has been an outbreak of four or more epidemiologically linked cases over a 14-day period.
• Individual conditioning and skill building may continue during the suspension period as long as everyone on the team complies fully with any individual isolation or quarantine orders that apply.

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Parent / Guardian Responsibilities

• Students stay home when sick
• Test or 10: COVID-19 testing required for symptomatic students
• Parents must report positive test results to schools
• Students who test positive for COVID-19 must isolate for at least 5 days
• Unvaccinated and vaccinated booster-eligible (not yet boosted) household contacts / social close contacts must quarantine for at least 5 days

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Summary

• Omicron surge (expect peak mid-January)
• High case rates – hospitalization / death rates stable
• Primary Goals:
• Protect critical infrastructure; and,
• Keep schools open.
• Actively shifting to endemic circulation
• Harm reduction strategies
• Individual risk management

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Please join us again next Wednesday @ 3:00pm

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