As spring approaches, there have been several positive dispatches from the war on COVID-19.
FHA Emergency Services chair Flo Hoylman reports that 90% of Marinites aged 75+ and 70% of those aged 65+ have already been vaccinated. In the next week or so, those aged 50+ and anyone with special conditions will be eligible.
Marin County is expected to announce a vaccination day just for food service and food delivery workers, probably at the Marin Civic Center in San Rafael. Some people are traveling outside of Marin to get vaccinations, to counties with broader eligibility requirements. Go to My Turn to learn more.
Restrictions have loosened for those who are fully vaccinated. According to the New York Times, “Fully vaccinated grandparents may visit unvaccinated healthy adult children and healthy grandchildren of the same household without masks or physical distancing. But the visit should be local—the agency still does not recommend travel for any American, vaccinated or not.”
In Marin, fully vaccinated people can also:
- Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
- Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
- Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when (i) visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease or (ii) visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households. Other CDC recommendations include:
- Avoid medium and large-sized in-person gatherings
- Get tested if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Follow guidance issued by individual employers
- Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations
The New York Times has also reported that effective April 1, outdoor live events such as concerts and sports can take place in any California county, with assigned seating and other modifications. In red-tier counties like Marin, there’s no restriction on audience members, but the events will be capped at 20% capacity, with other rules for suites. Amusement parks will be allowed to operate at 15% percent capacity and with other modifications, including a weekly worker testing program.
Marin residents who have struggled to make a COVID-19 vaccination appointments on their own via the internet can now receive assistance over the phone from a live person. The Access Service Call Center is operating from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday at 833-641-1988. Please share the number with anyone you know who needs assistance making a vaccination appointment and who is either:
- Age 65 or older
- A person with disabilities (all ages welcome)
- In need of home care and/or personal assistance
- In need of multi-lingual interpretation (including ASL)
- In need of help arranging transportation
If you experience COVID-19 symptoms, or if you feel you may have been exposed to someone who has, testing appointments are easier to get these days. Curative.com has an interactive map to help find convenient testing sites, including one in downtown Sausalito.