Marin County Public Health and Marin health care providers have announced that COVID-19 vaccinations are available for any and all who live or work in Marin, with many sites offering same-day or next-day access.
“Everyone who gets vaccinated moves us one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us. But we’re not there by a long shot,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County Public Health Officer. “For the first time, we’re seeing some unfilled appointments in the coming days. If you’ve been waiting your turn, it’s now.”
Vaccination appointments opened for everyone age 16 and over on April 15. As of April 23, 80.5% of Marin residents 16 and over had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 52.5% had completed a vaccine series.
“This is a good place to be and is a result of intentional partnership with public health and health care to distribute vaccine efficiently and equitably across Marin,” said Dr. Mitesh Popat, Chief Executive Officer for Marin Community Clinics. “We’ve made a lot of progress together, and we’re all taking steps to remove any last barriers to access.”
Approximately 47,000 Marin residents who are eligible for the free vaccine are unvaccinated. Many vaccine providers are now providing drop-in options (no advanced appointment necessary) regardless of insurance status, and Marin County Public Health has partnered with community based organizations to add more “pop-up” vaccine locations in communities across the county.
While Marin is among the most highly vaccinated communities in the state, the county is far from the levels of immunity needed to prevent outbreaks. Children aged 15 and younger make up 20% of the population and are not eligible for vaccinations, and for those vaccinated full immunity is not gained until two weeks after the second dose. Willis
explained what it takes to reach community immunity in a recent video.
The role of vaccination in preventing outbreaks was demonstrated in dramatic reductions in cases in Marin’s long-term care facilities after approximately 90% of staff and residents were vaccinated in December and January. The county’s continual progress in reducing case rates correlates directly to increasing vaccination rates.
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