Marin COVID Update: March 4, 2022

The Marin County COVID-19 Status Update is three times per week and as needed to share important news and resources related to the COVID-19 pandemic and to keep the local economy running. We remain here for you. 

Marin Aligns with State on School Mask Recommendations 

Marin County Public Health (MCPH) is aligning with the State of California beginning March 12 to remove the requirement that children wear masks in Marin County schools that serve transitional kindergarten through 12th grade and early child care settings. MCPH strongly recommends that all individuals in schools and child care settings continue to wear masks for the time being to keep an added layer of protection and minimize disruptions to in-person learning.  

Masks remain an effective tool to prevent COVID-19 infections, and as always, school systems and child care sites may choose to be more restrictive than state and local guidelines. Masks are still an important prevention tool for now and in the future, and residents may need to rely on masks again. With high vaccination rates and case rates dropping, the school community can relax some mitigation strategies while preparing for the next epidemic wave. 

Continue reading the News Release.  

Preteen Vaccine Week 

This week is Preteen Vaccine Week. This annual California week-long observance raises awareness and educates about routinely recommended vaccines for preteens. Vaccination is an important tool to protect your child against serious, yet preventable diseases. 

The federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) currently recommends that 11- and 12-year-olds receive COVID-19 vaccine (two doses and a booster), Tdap, two doses of HPV vaccine, meningococcal vaccine, and an annual flu vaccine. Some preteens may also need to catch up on chickenpox vaccine (many don’t have the 2nd dose), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella), or hepatitis B vaccine. The pandemic has resulted in many children missing their recommended shots. Talk to your doctor or health care provider to find out what vaccines childrenand preteens need. 

Marin County Public Health (MCPH) has prioritized COVID-19 vaccine equity countywide by increasing neighborhood pop-up clinics and working with medical and community partners to increase vaccine education in communities with vaccination disparity. While 71% of Marin’s children ages 5 to 11 are fully vaccinated, only 52% of Latinx and 24% of Black / African American children of that age are vaccinated with at least one dose. 

Vaccination and staying up to date are the county’s best tools to protect both adults and children from future epidemic waves of COVID-19 and other preventable diseases.   

For more information about vaccinations, including which are recommended and required for California students, visit the following webpages: 

• California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Shots for School 
• Future COVID-19 vaccination requirement for students  
• CDPH Immunization Branch 

COVID-19 Data Update: 

As of February 16, our COVID-19 Status Update has changed in frequency and is now published Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays except holidays. Because these updates are no longer published on consecutive days, the last column in each data table now reflects the change from last Status Update, not a change from the previous day. 

Below is just a snapshot of local COVID-19 data. For a more in-depth analysis of COVID-19 trends, please view the Marin Data & Surveillance webpage, review our Data FAQ, or explore the raw data sets on Marin County’s Open Data Portal. 

* Note that this percentage is out of all Marin residents including children younger than 5.