State COVID Restrictions May Soon Be Lifted: Marin Health Officer

MARIN COUNTY, CA — Omicron has plateaued in Marin, and the state could soon lift some restrictions within weeks, the county’s top health official said Monday.

Dr. Matt Willis expressed cited three key data points – case rates, wastewater sampling, and hospitalizations – as reasons for cautious optimism that the hyper-contagious variant could soon fizzle, but he urged residents to remain vigilant for at least a few more weeks.

“Our assessment is the crest of the omicron wave is behind us in terms of the amount of virus circulating in our community,” Willis said in aCOVID-19 status update posted on YouTube.

A precipitous decline in cases that's been seen in other areas but hasn't yet materialized in Marin could soon lead to the state lifting of restrictions, Willis said. The state is under a mask mandate through Feb. 15.

Marin’s seven-day rolling average of new cases from 420 during the first week of January to around 280 this week, an approximately 38 percent drop, Willis said.

That matches with declines in wastewater detection, with sampling taken from three of Marin’s four catchment areas showing less community transmission, Willis said, noting the county’s four catchments account for around 75 percent of the county’s population.

Hospitalizations remain stable, Willis said.

The case rate nevertheless remains high, and is still a cause for concern, Willis said, noting that before omicron, Marin’s single-day record for new cases was 176.

The course of the omicron surge has largely been as it was expected, Willis said.

“We’re signaling that there’s a reason for optimism, because omicron has at least plateaued and is now declining,” Willis said.

“If this trend continues, the state will likely lift restrictions in the coming weeks.”

But Willis warned that “it’s too early to celebrate.”

“Any Marin hiker knows it’s easier to make a mistake on the way down from the peak as it is on the way up,” he said.