Marin County �COVID-19 Public Health Update – The School Community

April 13, 2022

Looking Back

Health Impacts: COVID-19 Case Rates by California County

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Data Source: CDPH Snapshot

Data accessed 3/18/2022

CA: 21.1%

Marin: 12.7%

Health Impacts: COVID-19 Hospitalization Rates Local, State and National

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COVID-19 Hospital Days per 100,000

Health: COVID-19 Death Rates Local, State and National

Source: CA data downloaded from CDPH, US data from CDC

Data accessed: 3/18/2022

Most Highly Vaccinated U.S. Counties: �(Fully Vaccinated and Boosted) March 20, 2022

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Source: https://data.cdc.gov/Vaccinations/COVID-19-Vaccinations-in-the-United-States-County/ 03/20/2022

Education: Prioritizing Safe In-person Learning

• School leadership, families, Public Health moving together
• First county in state to return students to in person instruction
• Recognized by U.S. Department of Education for effective partnership between schools and Public Health

Factors Contributing to Our Success

• Community behavior
• Tools to prevent spread optimized pre and post vaccine
• Shared understanding; mutual responsibility
• Positively reinforcing; Allowed for fewer restrictions
• Policies
• Focus on balanced response, evidence and equity
• Constant communication
• Operations
• Partnerships across sectors
• Government, healthcare, schools, businesses, families

Today

Marin County Daily COVID-19 Cases

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Data accessed 4/11/2022

BA.2: 75 – 100%

What about BA.2?

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Bay Area Case Rates

Northeast: 14-Day Percent Change in Cases, Hosp, and Deaths

BA.2 in Marin

• Dominant strain for past month, without surge
• Slight uptick in cases and wastewater
• Hospitalizations stable
• Observing Northeast experience closely
• Behaviors (e.g., spring break, face covering, gatherings) more likely to fuel transmission than variant itself

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Update on 8^th Grade Travel-related Cases

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• Traditional annual trip for Marin 8^th graders
• Spring break last week
• Multiple schools
• 4.11-4.13 testing 50/112 returned students positive
• 2 groups primarily effected

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Update on 8^th Grade Travel-related Cases

• 4.11 Advisory for Trip participants:
• Test on return and on day 5, notify school of results
• Stay home if positive
• Monitor for symptoms
• Cover face indoors at school for 5 days post return
• No evidence for in school transmission; all mild illness
• 90% 8^th graders fully vaccinated; 50% boosted
• Safe travel= knowing risk, vaccination, face covering, testing, avoiding indoor crowds

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Looking Forward�

Marin County Vaccine Objectives

• Increase outreach and education to address growing vaccine disparities in Marin communities of color and in low-income communities.
• Goals:
• 55.5%  of eligible Latinx population will have a booster dose by 6/30/22 (need to vaccinate 2034 residents)
• 79.5% of eligible Black/African American population will have a booster dose by 6/30/22 (need to vaccinate 568 residents) 

Marin County Vaccine Objectives

• Increase outreach and education to address growing vaccine disparities in Marin communities of color and in low-income communities.
• Goals:
• 58.5% of 5–11-year-olds in eligible Latinx population will have received a first dose by 6/30/22 (need to vaccinate 204 residents)
• 33% of 5–11-year-olds in eligible Black/African American population will have received a first dose by 6/30/22 (need to vaccinate 42 residents)

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COVID-19 Vaccine – 6 months to 4 years old

• COVID-19 can cause severe illness in infants and children aged 0–4 years 
• During Omicron surge, U.S. infants and children aged 0–4 years were hospitalized at five times the rate of the previous peak (Delta)

COVID-19 Pediatric Vaccine Updates

• Feb.11, 2022 – Pfizer:
• Studying 3 µg three-dose primary series for 6 months to 4 years old (next update expected early May)
• Mar. 23, 2022 – Moderna
• 6 months – under 6 years old: 25 µg two-dose primary series of mRNA-1273
• 6 to under 12 years: Initiated the submission process with the U.S. FDA for an EUA of a 50 μg two-dose primary series of mRNA-1273
• Evaluating boosters for all pediatric populations

SMARTER Plan

• Shots – Vaccines and boosters are safe and effective tools to prevent infection, long COVID, severe disease, and hospitalizations.  
• Masks – Masks are a simple and effective safety mitigation layer to prevent in-school transmission of COVID-19 infections and other respiratory illnesses. 
• Awareness – We will stay aware of how COVID-19 is spreading in schools and our community and implement public health recommended strategies to decrease risk of COVID transmission. 
• Readiness – The Marin school community needs to be ready to respond quickly and implement evidence-based individual-, household-, and community- level protective behaviors and prevention strategies when COVID-19 risks increase. 
• Testing – Testing prevents COVID transmission and keeps students in school. 
• Education – We will keep schools open for in-person instruction, serve all students equitably and close the achievement gap.  
• Resilience – We will build relationships that ensure all students experience a sense of belonging and feel supported. 

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School Masking Update

• State removed requirement that children wear masks in TK-12 schools and early childcare settings beginning March 12
• MCPH advises school staff and students to consider wearing a mask, especially if you or someone in your household is immunocompromised, at high risk for severe illness or not up to date with their COVID-19 vaccine
• Urge all parents / guardians to keep sick students home and test for COVID.

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Masking Recommendation Framework

•  Strongly recommend wearing a mask when community transmission is high
• Consider wearing a mask when community transmission is substantial / moderate, especially if you or someone in your household is immunocompromised, high risk for severe illness or not fully vaccinated / up to date
• Wear a mask based on your personal preference, informed by your personal level of risk when community transmission is low

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End of Quarantine

Everyone who is infected with COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status, previous infection or lack of symptoms, follow CDPH Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for the General Public

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High Risk Exposures:

• Household exposure
• Performing unmasked activities with increased exertion and/or voice projection
• Prolonged close face-face contact (e.g., contact sports, indoor group singing, crowded events, concerts or rallies, particularly if indoors).

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In such cases, exposed persons should be extra vigilant in undertaking recommended mitigation measures.

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End of Quarantine

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Exposed Persons

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• If they have symptoms consistent with COVID-19, stay home and get tested.
• Regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status, they should get tested for COVID-19 5 days after last exposure or sooner if they develop symptoms, unless they had COVID-19 within the past 90 days.
• Exposed persons should wear a well-fitting mask indoors around others for at least 10 days following the date of last exposure.
• Consider self-limiting their exposure to others.
• If they have had COVID-19 within past 90 days, monitor for symptoms. 

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References:

CDPH Guidance on Isolation and Quarantine for the General Public

CDPH COVID-19 K -12 School Guidance (2021/22)

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Protecting Your Self and Others

• Get vaccinated and stay up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines
• If symptomatic, stay home and test 
• Wear a mask
• Avoid poorly ventilated spaces and crowds
• Wash your hands often
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Clean and disinfect

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Thank you

Thank you����

If you are a person with a disability and require this document in an alternate format �(example: Braille, Large Print, Audiotape, CD-ROM), you may request an alternate format by calling: (415) 473-4167 (Voice), (415) 473-3232 (TTY), or by e-mail at: cmai@marincounty.org

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