Sherman R. Frederick
Marinscope
From Novato to Sausalito, Marin County residents are tip-toeing through the Omicron surge. Two trends have emerged.
First, Omicron spreads like lightning compared to the Delta variant, but those who are fully vaccinated suffer mildly compared to those who are unvaccinated.
In a video meeting last Friday (Jan. 14) hosted by Sen. Mike McGuire, UCLA’s Dr. Timothy Brewer said that unvaccinated Californians right now are four more times likely to get the virus. And if they get it they are 21 more times likely to die. (See the full story on page B2.)
Second, the Omicron variant appears to be peaking nationwide. The worst of the Omicron surge is likely to be over for Marin this or next week.
The Marin County Health Department has issued an order that all people in Marin must wear masks in all indoor public spaces and workplaces.
All previous exemptions for small groups of fully vaccinated people have been removed. Masks are now required in all indoor public spaces, including gyms, fitness centers, office settings, employee commuter vehicles, religious gatherings, college classes and similar environments.
The health department explained that “While Marin County is one of the most highly vaccinated counties in California, COVID-19 continues to pose a risk, especially to residents of the County who are not fully vaccinated.”
The latest county numbers have the total COVID-19 cases at 23,588. There have been 200 deaths in Marin for a mortality rate of under 1%. There have been no recorded deaths so far in 2022.
WORKFORCE SHORTAGE
CalMatters.org reported that January could be one of the toughest months yet of the COVID-19 pandemic. Not because of the severity of the Omicron virus, but because the volume of the cases will cause a workforce shortage.
The California Hospital Association expected the number of COVID-positive patients to triple by the end of January. The state health department projects that more than 70,000 Californians will be hospitalized at the end of January — an increase from last winter’s peak of 54,000.
Carmela Coyle, CEO of the California Hospital Association: “We find ourselves on the precipice of the most challenging time to date for California’s health care system. Our capabilities may soon be eclipsed.”
Adding to the challenges, CalMatters.org reported, “many residents are shelling out hundreds of dollars to pay for COVID tests — and aren’t always reimbursed — despite state and federal laws requiring them to be free or covered by health insurance.”
CONFUSING
Dr. Kendall S. Allred in an op-ed piece headlined “I’m a doctor, and even I can’t figure out omicron public health guidance” criticized the confusing guidance on COVID-19 from the federal government.
“While I applaud my public health and scientific colleagues for their relentless dedication to helping us all navigate the ever-changing evidence around SARS-CoV-2, there have been too many missteps along the way. Whether it was the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s confusing mask guidelines or the state Health Department’s recommendation for routine screening of hospital health workers despite there be no testing bandwidth, those of us on the front lines have become tired of the confusing messages, press releases, graphics and “guidance” released by those who are supposed to be knowledgeable authorities.”
The doctor’s criticism was published in the San Francisco Chronicle on Sunday.
UNEVEN HOME TESTS
The promise from state leaders to get at-home COVID-19 tests in the hands of parents before students returned to school fell short in many counties.
However, most families in Marin County had tests. Marin health leaders attributed that preparedness to the “health team” anticipating the need early and working to make it happen.
Other districts received tests at “wildly different times,” the San Jose Mercury News reported.
“The state’s failure to deliver tests in a timely manner, even as it urged districts to resume in-person classes, has created tension within school communities about whether students and teachers were placed at unnecessary risk,” the newspaper reported.
SUPPLIES DAMAGED
ABC7 News reported that millions of dollars worth of surplus personal protective equipment and cleaning supplies purchased by San Mateo County in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were damaged by recent storms after being left outside.
The supplies were moved from protective shelter to make room for an event. After the new report, County Manager Mike Callagy admitted that “The county is solely responsible for our materials at the Event Center. We deeply regret that this occurred and are hiring an external investigator to identify all facts related to the damage and make recommendations to avoid future incidents.”
NURSING HOMES
Also last week, the state issued a new rule that requires all nursing home visitors – including those who are fully vaccinated – to provide a negative COVID-19 test result within 24 or 48 hours. That rule came with criticism from those who say it is virtually impossible to get a test in that time frame which makes it “virtually impossible … to actually see your loved one.”
In Sonoma County to the north of Marin, officials there have banned all large gatherings for the next month. In Los Angeles, officials there told residents to postpone “nonessential” gatherings.
Gov. Gavin Newsom, however, said last week that he doesn’t foresee further COVID-related statewide shutdowns.
In urging local jurisdiction to keep schools and other gathering open, Gov. Newsom said:
“I think the surgeon general under the Obama administration said the most significant preventable disease in this country is loneliness, social isolation. My gosh, that was before COVID. And our kids have lost a connection to their friends, their community, to the normalcy of the cadence of life. … I’m very, very sensitive to this and the learning opportunities that are lost because kids are not safely in school.”
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