We want to provide you with an update on COVID-19 and what the City and County are doing in response. This remains a dynamic situation, requiring immediate action and long term planning. First and foremost, your health and safety and the health and safety of our community is a top priority. Please stay home if you are ill and contact your health care provider for guidance. Remember to practice good hand hygiene and wipe down your work space at least daily.
Below is a list of resources that are helping to guide our decision-making process and staff support.
Resources (this section can be publicly shared as needed)
- Travel Guidance: CDC Information for Travel
- Updates from the County Health Department are on their website. You can also sign up to receive update emails directly from them at the top of the page: https://www.marinhhs.org/coronavirus.
- A hotline has been established to handle calls from the public. 415-473-7191 or email covid-19@marincounty.org
- Flyers are available for you to print and hang as desired. These should already be in each bathroom.
- Financial support for those directly impacted from CA Employment Development Department. This is an important series of resources for anyone concerned about reduced work hours or lost wages associated with COVID-19.
Current Situation
- Testing is becoming more readily available and a large increase in confirmed cases is expected in the coming days. See attached for latest detailed information from the Marin County Public Health Officer.
- The County Health Officer is recommending that non-essential indoor gatherings of 100 or more people be cancelled or postponed for the next two weeks. This recommendation will be reviewed and possibly extended in two-week increments. It is also recommended that no large events be planned for the next 2-3 months.
- The County continues to use the CDC risk categories and the associated action recommendations.
- The main concern for possible transmission remains droplets entering a person’s nose, mouth or eyes. Currently, there is nothing to suggest circulating materials, such as books or cash, pose a health risk.
- Older Adults (65+) and those with poor immune systems remain the highest risk.
City Actions
- We remain dedicated to providing the best possible service to our community, but understand some services will be altered or postponed in the interest of public health.
- The City is working to cancel or postpone all non-essential large indoor events per County recommendations. We are also working to find creative solutions that will prevent social isolation during this challenging time. If you have a question about an event, consider how it can be altered to provide a safe environment (hosted outside, smaller groups, virtual hosting options, larger room to provide more personal space to each person, etc.).
- We continue to work on additional work guidelines and plan for impacts to the workforce.
- City leadership is holding daily calls to provide updates and share best practices and concerns moving forward. If you have a question or suggestion on how to maintain our operations, please share it with your supervisor.
- We are working on creating a COVID-19 web page for the public that will link to the various health resource available as well as provide updates on City events or programs.
- All staff time spent on COVID-19 preparedness and response needs to be tracked. Include the date, time, and summary of actions. Send this information weekly to Kathryn Nelson or in WebEOC or the EOC folder (if you have access).
- We are creating additional employees FAQs and will be sharing them on the employee web page.
The next few months may be challenging for our staff, community, and broader Bay Area. Please remember to take care of yourself and your family. Let’s also remember we are in this together. The Together San Rafael “Guiding Principles” can be useful here as we work together in service focused on meeting community needs through innovation, openness, and finding ways to say yes. We will continue provide updates as the situation evolves.