Last week, Marin County hit an important milestone – it hit the three criteria points laid out by Bay Area counties in early October required to end masking mandates.
County officials announced on Oct. 29 that Marin’s overall COVID-19 vaccination rate has reached more than 80%, hospitalizations have remained low, and the county has maintained 21 consecutive days of moderate, or yellow level, for COVID-19 transmission.
As a result, Marin County Public Health will no longer require masking in indoor public areas starting noon, Monday, Nov. 1.
"Face covering has been and will remain a critical tool for preventing spread of the virus," said Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis in the announcement. "The mandate helped get us through the fourth wave, but as the local picture improves, we’re shifting from a legal mandate to local recommendation. This is part of the process of tiptoeing back toward normalcy."
The masking requirement was enacted on Aug. 2 as the Bay Area dealt with the delta variant increasing the rate of transmission and hospitalization.
But as the surge waned in the following months, counties considered easing restrictions. So, on October 7, several counties announced common criteria each needed to meet in order to lift masking ordinances.
Certain instances will still require face coverings, including events in school settings, businesses, or any other organizations that require masking. Marin Public Health officials advise residents to still have a mask on hand, just in case.
"I’m confident our community knows what to do to limit COVID-19 risk. To be more secure coming onto the winter months, we need to continue to use face coverings in places of higher risk and gain even higher vaccination rates," said Willis. "Remember, masks work both ways: they protect you and the people around you, including those who are too young and not eligible yet to be vaccinated."
Marin has one of the highest vaccination rates in the state. As of Oct. 28, more than 93% of the Marin population over the age of 12 has been vaccinated.
Related
