Saturday, April 10, 2021

David P. Donery, Town Manager

Vaccine Eligibility Expanding in Marin

all Marin County adults age 50 and older will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. Marin County Public Health officials are relying on increased allocations of vaccine from the state to match the demand as more people become eligible to make vaccination appointments.

The State of California announced March 25 that individuals aged 50 and over will be eligible to make an appointment as of April 1, and everyone age 16 and over will be eligible to make an appointment starting April 15. The state cited an expected increase in the supply of vaccination doses from manufacturers Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson.

“As vaccines supplies slowly increase, it’s the right time to widen the invitation to more of our residents,” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin’s Public Health Officer. “At the same time, we still have nearly 100,000 residents to vaccinate, and that won’t happen all at once. We’re on track to get to everyone before June, but we’ll need to be patient.”

The California Department of Health and Human Services said the state’s vaccine distribution system has the capacity to administer more than 3 million doses per week and is building the capacity to administer 4 million doses weekly by the end of April.
Along with county health agencies up and down the state, Marin County Public Health expects an online rush of appointment seekers as of April 1. The 50-64 age group becoming newly eligible to book appointments amounts to about 30,000 Marin residents.
Marin recently crossed a meaningful threshold in its pandemic response, eclipsing 50% of the adult population with at least one dose of the vaccine. As of March 30, approximately 119,000 residents, or 56% of residents over age 16 had received at least one shot, and more than one-third had completed the vaccination series.

To help Marin residents track when they may be eligible to receive a vaccine, the County offers an online interest form. Residents can answer a few questions to be subscribed to receive email or text message notifications when their turn has arrived and how to pursue a vaccine appointment. The form is available in English and Spanish on Marin County Public Health’s vaccine webpage.

For residents unable to navigate the online process, a hotline has been established to assist in registering eligible residents for appointments. The Marin Access Service Call-Center is intended for local residents without internet service who need assistance with registration, transportation, and communication related to the vaccination process.  Those eligible to receive call center assistance are:

• age 65 or older
• living with disabilities (all ages)
• in need of home care or personal assistance
• need language interpretation (including ASL)
• have limited or no internet access
• need help arranging transportation to and from an appointment

Callers may dial (833) 641-1988 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday until the pandemic subsides.

Community Advisory Committee Meetings

The Millennium Playground Community Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, April 12th at 4:30pm to discuss the upcoming community workdays to repair the playground. The agenda for this meeting can be found HERE. This meeting will take place on the ZOOM platform

The Reimagine Creek Park Community Advisory Committee will meet on Monday, April 12th at 6:00pm to discuss project updates for the Town's portion of the San Anselmo Flood Risk Reduction Project (SAFRR). The agenda for this meeting can be found HERE. This meeting will take place in-person at the new common area/park in the downtown (636 San Anselmo Avenue, adjacent to Creekside Pizza). COVID-19 protocols will be enforced. Attendees will be required to wear a mask and people from different households will be required to remain six feet apart.

Emergency Broadband Benefit

The Emergency Broadband Benefit is an FCC program to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new benefit will connect eligible households to jobs, critical healthcare services, and virtual classrooms.

You can sign up for email updates on the program here:
www.fcc.gov/broadbandbenefit
 
Fact Sheet:
https://www.fcc.gov/document/fcc-emergency-broadband-benefit-program-fact-sheet

San Anselmo is a unique town nestled in the heart of Marin County. Originally called
Junction due to the meeting of several railroad lines, the town slowly grew from a few
ranch houses and farms to the vibrant community we see today.

In Tour 1 you'll learn about some of our early residents and how the railroad and the San Francisco earthquake influenced the growth and development of town.

Tour 2 covers the San Francisco Theological Seminary, a historical and architectural gem located in the heart of San Anselmo. The tour uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and right place, and it works offline. Download and install VoiceMap on your phone; sign in and buy the tour.

Tour 1 “A Historical Walk Through San Anselmo” $3.99.
Tour 2 “A Historical Walk Through the Seminary” $3.99.

Sponsored by the San Anselmo Historical Commission. Photos: Jim Baldwin

COVID-19 Variant Detected in Marin

Two local cases of COVID-19 infection with the B.1.1.7 variant of SARS-CoV-2, first detected in the United Kingdom, have been reported by Marin County Public Health. As the county ramps up genomic sequencing of local COVID-19 specimens, this report signals the first reported cases associated with this variant in Marin County.

The B.1.1.7 variant is classified as a “Variant of Concern” by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention because it is more infectious than other strains, and it may lead to more severe disease. The B.1.1.7 variant is contributing to surges of cases in Europe and the Eastern United States. Other emerging variants of concern include B1.351 (more common in South Africa) and P.1 (more common in Brazil). No cases infected with these variants have been detected yet in Marin County. 

The County is actively working with six labs around the state to ensure a fraction of COVID-19 samples are genetically sequenced. The information is combined with data from across the region to track the potential spread of variants of SARS-CoV-2. Regionally, the proportion of cases that are linked to the more transmissible variants is climbing and signals a concerning trend.
“This variant has been detected across California. Though it’s no surprise, the presence of this variant in Marin is not something to ignore.” said Dr. Matt Willis, Marin County’s Public Health Officer. “It’s a reminder as we reopen that we’re not out of the woods, by any means. We need to stick with the tried and true prevention measures while we work to increase vaccination rates.”
As of April 1, there are 9,359 confirmed cases of B.1.427 and B.1.429 (first detected in California), 851 cases of B.1.1.7., 35 cases of P.1 and 10 cases of B.1.351 across the State of California.

“The good news is the current COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the B.1.1.7 strain,” added Willis. “As of today 61 percent of Marin County residents over age 15 are vaccinated with at least one dose. Every day we’re better protected as a community. This finding increases the importance of obtaining a vaccine when you’re eligible” added Willis.

Marin County continues to face limited vaccine supply. Last week, vaccine eligibility expanded to those age 50 and over – and on April 15 it will expand to those age 16 and over. More doses are needed to vaccinate all of those who are eligible, and health officials indicate it may be 3-4 weeks before a newly eligible vaccine seeker can obtain an appointment.

Meanwhile, everyone should continue prevention measures that have already proven highly protective against COVID-19. Non-essential travel is discouraged, and if anyone is traveling, they are urged to quarantine upon return if they are not vaccinated. Marin Public Health officials remind everyone that although many activities are now allowed, it remains critical for the community to minimize exposure. Community members should continue to wear a mask, maintain physical distance, keep activities outdoors instead of indoors, and get vaccinated when it’s their turn.

Visit GetVaccinatedMarin.org for latest updates on eligibility and availability of appointments.

ART ON THE AVENUE

The San Anselmo Arts Commission is proud to announce it's April Art On The Avenue show featuring Janet Jacobs and June Yokell. This exhibit is on display at 538 San Anselmo Avenue.  

The deadline for applying is May.1st  For more information please visit  http://sananselmoarts.org/..