Published: March 11, 2022
To date, masks are no longer mandatory in schools and nurseries, but continue to be strongly recommended by health experts. Individual school districts may decide to be more restrictive than the state and may continue to require masks. Masks and regular testing will still be required in school settings for unvaccinated employees.
There have been 4,330 cases of COVID-19 reported in Sonoma County schools since August and 407 staff cases. More than 2,700 new student cases have been reported since classes resumed in early January. To date, 47.1% of eligible children in the county ages 5-11 have received at least one dose of the vaccine since it became available in November; 39 percent of these children are fully immunized.
Sonoma County health and education officials participated in community information sessions on Wednesday (in English) and Thursday (in Spanish) to address concerns and provide an update on next steps.
Watch the latest Sonoma County COVID-19 community briefings here:
https://www.youtube.com/c/CountyofSonoma
Updated state guidelines regarding masking are available here:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx
Today’s summary provides useful and important updates on the following:
- Local COVID vaccine and testing opportunities
- Information from the CDPH on the “Long Covid” state
- Other Important Sonoma County News
Local vaccine and testing opportunities
Immunization and testing clinics are held throughout the county to serve people who do not have convenient or affordable access to health care providers.
Visit the Sonoma County Office of Education to learn more about clinics for students and families:
https://www.scoe.org/pub/htdocs/school_staff_immunization.html
Check out the county’s vaccination clinics and appointments page here:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/vaccine-information/clinics/
For more details or appointments at COVID-19 testing clinics, including a pop-up testing schedule, please visit:
https://socoemergency.org/emergency/novel-coronavirus/testing-and-tracing/
Residents who test positive using a home antigen test are asked to report the result by calling the county’s COVID hotline at 707-565-4667 (4701 in Spanish). Anyone needing help making an appointment for vaccinations or testing can also contact the hotline.
Long Covid Update and CDPH Information
Some people experience recurring illness, recurring health problems, or a range of new symptoms four or more weeks after having COVID-19. We then speak of post-COVID conditions or long COVID. As of July 2021, “long COVID” is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Anyone with COVID-19 can develop post-COVID conditions, including people with COVID-19 without symptoms or with very mild symptoms. It can happen to people of any age group, but seems to be less common in children than in adults.
The best way to prevent post-COVID conditions is to take precautions to prevent COVID-19.
This includes getting the COVID-19 vaccine and booster, and wearing a face mask that has both good fit and filtration, such as an N95, KF94, or KN95.
California Department of Public Health Information Toolkit on Post-COVID Conditions:
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/Post-COVID.aspx
Other Sonoma County News
The Russian River Rally for Ukraine will take place on March 11 in Guerneville
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CAO/Press-Releases/Russian-River-Rally-for-Ukraine-set-for-March-11-in-Guerneville/
Windsor voters invited to attend educational webinars on the Voters Choice Act electoral model
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CAO/Press-Releases/Windsor-voters-invited-to-attend-educational-webinars/
County accepting applications for American Rescue Plan Act funding through April 7
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/CAO/Press-Releases/County-accepting-applications-for-American-Rescue-Plan-Act-funding-through-April-7/
Want to learn more about what we do in Sonoma County?
Sign up for the monthly SoCo Correspondent newsletter here:
https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Newsroom/SoCo-Correspondent/
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