MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – Twenty Marin County schools are reporting COVID-19 outbreaks as cases rise just in time for graduation season.
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Marin County Public Health Officer Dr. Matt Willis told KCBS Radio schools themselves aren't to blame for the outbreaks.
"Cases among students are not necessarily acquired within schools, in fact a majority of those cases are acquired outside of school in their social settings from friends at other gatherings," he said. "That's the pattern we're seeing now."
Willis said he's mostly seeing cases of the new COVID-19 variant BA.2. "BA.2 variant of omicron is dominant in Marin now as it is across the Bay Area. It's even more infectious than that omicron strain that fueled the winter surge," the health expert explained.
An outbreak is defined as three or more cases among students or staff. Willis pointed to a change in human behavior as one of the culprits behind the surge. "People are gathering more, more proms and parties," he said.
Despite the dramatic increase in cases, Willis affirmed that the county has no plans to reinstate a mask mandate. He does, however, strongly recommend masks for those who may soon celebrate a graduation indoors. "A test the day of the gathering is an important consideration as well," he added.
For anyone who contracts the virus and develops severe symptoms, Willis encouraged them to contact a doctor as soon as possible. "We have more treatments now available, just over the past two weeks we’ve had a lot more doses of Paxlovid coming into Marin County."
In April, over 50 Marin County 8th graders tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a trip to Washington, D.C.
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