1 of 26

Marin County �COVID-19 School Community Update

February 9, 2022

2 of 26

Marin County Daily COVID-19 Cases

2

Data accessed 2/8/2022

3 of 26

Marin County Case Rates by Vaccination Status

3

Data accessed 2/7/2022

4 of 26

Case Rate by Vaccine Status

4

5 of 26

Vaccine Equity

5

Disparities in booster rates

Disparities in primary vaccine series among children 5 – 11

Increase outreach and education

Amplify partnerships with FQHCs / CRTs

6 of 26

Vaccine Equity

6

7 of 26

Vaccine Equity

  • As of 2/4:
    • 77% of Marin 5 – 11-year-olds have received a first dose
    • 47% of 5–11-year-olds in eligible Latinx population have received a first dose
    • 24% of 5–11-year-olds in eligible Black/African American population have received a first dose.

7

8 of 26

U.S. COVID-19 Vaccination Program

  • Prevented:
    • 1,087,191 additional deaths
    • 10,319,961 additional hospitalizations
    • 35,903,646 additional infections

​

The U.S. covid-19 vaccination program at one year: How many deaths and hospitalizations were averted? Commonwealth Fund. (2021, December 14). Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2021/dec/us-covid-19-vaccination-program-one-year-how-many-deaths-and

​

8

9 of 26

Immunity

  • Natural immunity wanes
    • Unvaccinated 44% more likely to get reinfected than vaccinated

​

  • Vaccine-induced immunity wanes
    • 5-month booster recommendation for all eligible
    • Core vaccine elements effective against known COVID variants

​

​

9

Karina Rohrer-Meck, B. S. N., Barkley, E., Lindsay Lin, P. D., Brad Fox, M. D., & McNitt, J. (n.d.). Getting covid-19 twice: Reinfections 44% more likely among the unvaccinated. Epic Research. Retrieved February 7, 2022, from https://www.epicresearch.org/articles/getting-covid-19-twice-reinfections-44-more-likely-among-the-unvaccinated

10 of 26

School Update

10

11 of 26

Schools

11

LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

WORKPLACES

12 of 26

12

13 of 26

13

14 of 26

Update to 32-Point Plan

  • Goals:
    • Keep schools open and students in school
    • Create environments where students thrive, including sports and extra-curricular activities
    • Slow transmission of a new, more contagious variant
    • Relax guidance as permitted by the state

​

​

14

15 of 26

Updates

  • Large gatherings (i.e., school assemblies) allowed; if applicable, must follow CDPH indoor mega-events guidance (1000 or more starting 2/16).
  • Staff, students, and visitors should wear the most protective mask that fits well and will be worn consistently.
  • Marin County Public Health encourages all participants in youth sports and extracurricular activities, incl. spectators, to get vaccinated or boosted (if eligible).
  • No longer suspending games or teams due to outbreaks
  • Stay up-to-date on Isolation and Quarantine Guidance

16 of 26

Indoor Masking

  • School guidance falls under the Governor’s Emergency Order (which is in effect thru Mar. 31, 2021).
      • Indoor school masking is required by CDPH (public, private, independent, and parochial)
      • Updated CDPH masking order explicitly requires indoor masking in schools / childcare settings.

​

16

17 of 26

Outdoor Masking

  • Outdoor Masking (High / Substantial Transmission): Staff / students should consider wearing a mask in crowded outdoor settings and for activities with close contact with others who are not fully vaccinated.

​

  • Outdoor Masking (Moderate Transmission): Masks are optional outdoors and, in general, people do not need to wear masks when outdoors (e.g., participating in outdoor play, recess, and physical education activities). 

​

​

17

18 of 26

Pandemic to Endemic

18

19 of 26

Waves of COVID

    • Realistic probability of another large wave
    • Unknown characteristics of future variants
    • Global mobility
    • Effectiveness of vaccines | Waning immunity
    • Human behavior
    • Infection prevention policies
    • Number of people who are vulnerable (e.g., waning immunity; no immunity; older adults)
    • High vaccination and booster rates

​

19

20 of 26

Public Health | Urgency of Normal

  • Collective responsibility | Individual choice
  • Vulnerable populations | Highly vaccinated communities
  • Health equity & disparities | Individual choice
  • Masks: Source control | Individual protection
  • Risk: COVID vs. Flu
  • Group risk | Individual risk

​

​

20

21 of 26

Are We Reaching the End of the Pandemic?

  • Pandemic = global epidemic

​

  • Epidemic = increased rates of a given disease above expected rates in a given population

​

  • Endemic = expected rates of an established disease in a given population

​

  • Endemic ≠ harmless, absence of serious illness or death

21

22 of 26

Looking Ahead: Active Transition

22

1) LAYERED STRATEGIES

2) BALANCE RESPONSE

3) COMMUNITY FOCUS

23 of 26

Endemic Response: Layered Strategies

  • Monitoring data to guide response
  • Vaccination
    • Regular and/or episodic with surges
  • Personal behaviors
    • Mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing
  • Testing
    • Routine, available to all for personal use
  • Treatments
    • Preventing worst outcomes

​

23

24 of 26

Endemic Response: Balance

​

  • Define community health in terms of mental, social, physical and economic wellbeing

​

  • Examine cost benefit of COVID policies in holistic terms to prevent collateral harms

​

  • Follow best available science

​

  • Shift from community-level policies and mandates to individual risk management and decision making

​

​

24

25 of 26

Endemic Response: Community Role

  • Respiratory, person to person spread = mutual dependency in private and public settings
  • Successful response relies on communal action
    • E.g., Vaccination, masks, staying home when sick
  • Respond quickly as a community when conditions change
  • Recognize spectrum of risk, support most vulnerable

​

25

26 of 26

26