Embedded Files
Holiday Celebrations are sure to be different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This holiday season, the Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS) Stay at Home Order issued from December 8th through Monday, January 4th is in effect. Through the Stay at Home Order, residents should continue to avoid close contact with individuals outside your household by maintaining distance of six feet from others, wearing cloth face coverings, practicing hand hygiene, and staying home when not feeling well. These simple strategies remain important measures to slow the spread.
Holiday Celebrations are sure to be different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This holiday season, the Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS) Stay at Home Order issued from December 8th through Monday, January 4th is in effect. Through the Stay at Home Order, residents should continue to avoid close contact with individuals outside your household by maintaining distance of six feet from others, wearing cloth face coverings, practicing hand hygiene, and staying home when not feeling well. These simple strategies remain important measures to slow the spread.
Per HHS, most of the new infections are due to gatherings of multiple households over Thanksgiving. For this holiday season and winter break it is extremely important to be vigilant about adhering to the current Stay at Home Order. Now is not the time to let our guard down. There are plenty of alternative methods of celebration where we can continue to observe our cultural traditions, have fun, and experience connection while avoiding exposure to spreading the virus. Strong recommendations and safer ideas compiled from Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS), the Marin Prevention Network (MPN) and the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) follow along with all guidance issued by Marin HHS.
Per HHS, most of the new infections are due to gatherings of multiple households over Thanksgiving. For this holiday season and winter break it is extremely important to be vigilant about adhering to the current Stay at Home Order. Now is not the time to let our guard down. There are plenty of alternative methods of celebration where we can continue to observe our cultural traditions, have fun, and experience connection while avoiding exposure to spreading the virus. Strong recommendations and safer ideas compiled from Marin County Health and Human Services (HHS), the Marin Prevention Network (MPN) and the Marin County Office of Education (MCOE) follow along with all guidance issued by Marin HHS.
QUARANTINE GUIDANCE
QUARANTINE GUIDANCE
Stay at Home Order - Updated December 14, 2020 and Effective Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 12 p.m. through Monday, January 4, 2021
Stay at Home Order - Updated December 14, 2020 and Effective Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 12 p.m. through Monday, January 4, 2021
Marin County is under at Stay at Home Order
All gatherings with members of other households are prohibited (playdates are not permitted).
All individuals shall stay home except as necessary to conduct allowable, essential activities.
Only essential travel is allowable (e.g., family medical care / emergency; critical infrastructure business).
Any non-essential travel is considered high risk.
Marin County students who engage in any high-risk activity (incl. non-essential travel and mixing households) must quarantine for 10 days. Quarantine may be discontinued after 7 days if they test negative on Day 5 or later and remain asymptomatic.
How do I quarantine my child / children if they have been exposed to COVID-19, either because they have been identified as a close contact or as a member of a cohort.
How do I quarantine my child / children if they have been exposed to COVID-19, either because they have been identified as a close contact or as a member of a cohort.
A close contact is someone who was within 6 feet of an infected person for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to testing positive for COVID-19).
Your child/children must stay home unless they must leave for an essential medical appointment or emergency.
Everyone in the household should increase preventive actions.
Do not allow any visitors into your home.
Monitor your child/children’s health starting from the last day they had contact with the COVID-19 positive person and continue for 14 days.
If they develop any COVID-19 symptoms, contact their healthcare provider to schedule COVID-19 testing.
You should attempt to separate exposed child/children from other household members.
Try to stay 6 feet away from the child/children, if possible and if safe.
Parents/guardians should identify a lead caregiver for the exposed child/children. If your child/children becomes infected with COVID-19, follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance and begin quarantine while providing care to your sick child/children.
Make sure shared spaces have increased air flow (e.g., open windows).
Exposed child/children should use a separate bedroom and bathroom, if possible. exposed child/children should wear a face covering and maximize physical distancing.
Exposed child/children should not share utensils, dishes, cups/glasses, bedding, towels, and other personal items.
Wash hands frequently. All members of the household should avoid touching their faces, especially their eyes, with unwashed hands.
Household members should clean all high-touch surfaces daily, such as counters, tables, doorknobs, bathrooms, phones and keyboards.
Cohort Closures
Cohort Closures
Do siblings or other household members need to stay at home if my child’s cohort closes?
If you can quarantine the exposed child / children and separate from other siblings or household members, non-exposed siblings and other household members can return to school.
If they share a bedroom, siblings or other household members need to stay home until the quarantine period is completed (10 days).
Schedule COVID-19 test for exposed child/children 5 days after last contact with a positive case or sooner if they develop any COVID-19 symptoms.
If the exposed child/children develops any COVID-19 symptoms while under quarantine, contact the school immediately. Siblings and household members need to stay home (or will be sent home) until a negative COVID-19 test is confirmed.
TRAVEL GUIDANCE
TRAVEL GUIDANCE
All travel is risky. It can increase your chance of spreading and contracting COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Please read more from the CDC here. (link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html)
All travel is risky. It can increase your chance of spreading and contracting COVID-19. Postponing travel and staying home is the best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. Please read more from the CDC here. (link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-during-covid19.html)
Through Jan. 4th, Marin County residents must stay at home in their place of residence in Marin County. It is a county Stay at Home Order:
Residents should not be leaving the County of Marin unless it is for an essential purpose (e.g., medical visit at UCSF).
Marin County residents should not be traveling outside of Marin unless essential (e.g., family medical emergency). Travel to Sonoma, Napa, Contra Costa, Tahoe and beyond is considered travel.
Students who travel must quarantine for 10 days after returning from travel.
For an on-time return to school:
Those who do not follow Public Health orders and travel should return to Marin County no later than Thursday, December 24th and start quarantine for 10 days.
Families who return no later than Sunday, December 27th may be able to start school on time if they are able to arrange for COVID-19 testing. They would need to schedule a molecular COVID-19 test 5 days after return (Friday, Jan. 1st) [not earlier]. They may return to school after a 7 day quarantine if they are symptomatic and have a negative COVID-19 test (molecular only).
We are under at full stay at home order until January 4, 2021.
GUIDANCE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS RETURNING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
GUIDANCE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS RETURNING HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS
SAFER HOLIDAY CELEBRATION IDEAS
SAFER HOLIDAY CELEBRATION IDEAS
The safest way to celebrate December Holidays is with people in the same household or to celebrate virtually. Some specific alternatives that are low risk include:
The safest way to celebrate December Holidays is with people in the same household or to celebrate virtually. Some specific alternatives that are low risk include:
Having a Holiday movie night.
Participating in Holiday-themed activities at home (e.g., making Dreidel gift sets, candle making, Adinkra printing, or baking cookies).
Participating in online parties or contests (e.g., ugly sweater contest, gingerbread house contest, Challah bread baking party, or making your own Kinara).
Dressing up homes and yards with Holiday themed decorations (e.g., cutting out paper snowflakes or painting/decorating ornaments).
Participating in a Holiday scavenger hunt in your neighborhood, and looking for Holiday-related objects (e.g. lights, snowmen, decorated houses, funny holiday sweaters) while maintaining physical distance from people from outside your household.
Attending a car parade that complies with public health guidance, including:
Drive-by events or contests where individuals dress up or decorate their vehicles.
Drive-through events where individuals remain in their vehicles and drive through an area with Holiday displays.
Drive-in events where individuals can watch a synchronized light show with music in front of a house while the participants remain in their vehicle.
UNDERAGE ALCOHOL & DRUG USE PREVENTION
UNDERAGE ALCOHOL & DRUG USE PREVENTION
The holidays are a busy time, typically filled with get togethers, parties and lots of free time for our teens. With COVID-19 and following various safety precautions, underage substance use prevention may not be top of mind. Yet, during the holidays, our youth are often presented with additional opportunities to engage in underage substance use. Help your young person enjoy the holidays while remaining safe.
The holidays are a busy time, typically filled with get togethers, parties and lots of free time for our teens. With COVID-19 and following various safety precautions, underage substance use prevention may not be top of mind. Yet, during the holidays, our youth are often presented with additional opportunities to engage in underage substance use. Help your young person enjoy the holidays while remaining safe.
Parent Modeling. Our community’s vaping, cannabis, binge drinking, alcohol and other drug use rates are among the highest in the state and the country – for both teens and adults. During COVID-19 it has been reported to be even higher. Now is a good time to remember the importance of modeling healthy behavior with respect to our own alcohol and drug use. Our teens are watching, often more than we realize. They are in a challenging time and look to us for how to manage our stress, anxiety and depression.
Parent Modeling. Our community’s vaping, cannabis, binge drinking, alcohol and other drug use rates are among the highest in the state and the country – for both teens and adults. During COVID-19 it has been reported to be even higher. Now is a good time to remember the importance of modeling healthy behavior with respect to our own alcohol and drug use. Our teens are watching, often more than we realize. They are in a challenging time and look to us for how to manage our stress, anxiety and depression.
We can learn so much from our own students who navigate these issues and have eyes on adults. A local student newspaper featured an insightful opinion piece reflecting on parental drinking, from the little league bleachers and around the kiddie pools to gatherings at home. Read it here. The piece ends with this poignant reminder: Marin youth "should be able to look to their parents for guidance - and parents should know that when they're under the influence, their children can be influenced too."
We can learn so much from our own students who navigate these issues and have eyes on adults. A local student newspaper featured an insightful opinion piece reflecting on parental drinking, from the little league bleachers and around the kiddie pools to gatherings at home. Read it here. The piece ends with this poignant reminder: Marin youth "should be able to look to their parents for guidance - and parents should know that when they're under the influence, their children can be influenced too."
Marin County’s Raising the Bar program is a program in our county that encourages adults to be mindful of their drinking by asking parents to refrain from serving and consuming alcohol at youth-oriented events. We are fortunate to have community partners to aid you with tools to keep your child healthy and safe, including Marin Prevention Network, Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships, Be the Influence and other organizations focused on reducing underage substance use.
Marin County’s Raising the Bar program is a program in our county that encourages adults to be mindful of their drinking by asking parents to refrain from serving and consuming alcohol at youth-oriented events. We are fortunate to have community partners to aid you with tools to keep your child healthy and safe, including Marin Prevention Network, Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships, Be the Influence and other organizations focused on reducing underage substance use.
Be the Influence believes parents are still the biggest influence in their teens’ lives. Although it is appropriate to give teens some freedom and independence, they still need our supervision and engagement. Be the Influence gives parents tools and information to help their teens and be a positive influence in their lives. If you haven’t joined this program, I encourage you to do so before the holidays.
Be the Influence believes parents are still the biggest influence in their teens’ lives. Although it is appropriate to give teens some freedom and independence, they still need our supervision and engagement. Be the Influence gives parents tools and information to help their teens and be a positive influence in their lives. If you haven’t joined this program, I encourage you to do so before the holidays.
Parties.
Parties.
Avoid opportunities for underage drinking. If you are going to be out of town, you can contact your local police departments for a “vacation check” or consider asking a neighbor to keep an eye on your home.
Avoid opportunities for underage drinking. If you are going to be out of town, you can contact your local police departments for a “vacation check” or consider asking a neighbor to keep an eye on your home.
Marin towns and municipalities have Social Host Ordinances. These laws impose fines and hold the homeowner (resident) and/or the young person hosting a party responsible. Many towns strictly enforce these ordinances, regardless of whether the parent is at home or not. These laws exist to protect our young people.
Marin towns and municipalities have Social Host Ordinances. These laws impose fines and hold the homeowner (resident) and/or the young person hosting a party responsible. Many towns strictly enforce these ordinances, regardless of whether the parent is at home or not. These laws exist to protect our young people.
Parenting Tips. For additional parenting tips on Preventing Childhood Alcohol Use (which also applies to other drugs) by NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse go to NIH and Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships’ Parenting Tips. Check out Let’s Talk. A toolkit for navigating teen substance use in Marin County.
Parenting Tips. For additional parenting tips on Preventing Childhood Alcohol Use (which also applies to other drugs) by NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse go to NIH and Marin Healthy Youth Partnerships’ Parenting Tips. Check out Let’s Talk. A toolkit for navigating teen substance use in Marin County.
Monitoring. Keep up the conversations with your child about where, when and with whom they are with when they are out and about. This is especially important now with physical distancing restrictions in place. School campuses are off limits as a gathering place. There have been reports of students meeting up on school property and using substances. Be clear with your child about the community rules and your own family rules.
Monitoring. Keep up the conversations with your child about where, when and with whom they are with when they are out and about. This is especially important now with physical distancing restrictions in place. School campuses are off limits as a gathering place. There have been reports of students meeting up on school property and using substances. Be clear with your child about the community rules and your own family rules.
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS
MENTAL HEALTH & WELLNESS
Mental health and wellness is extremely critical to monitor during this time. If you or your student are in need of support, please refer to the following numbers and information should you need Emergency or Crisis Support over the Winter Break. We encourage you to not ignore any warning signs you are feeling or thinking and utilize the support that is available. Click here for information on how to receive Crisis Response Support (in English & Spanish).
Mental health and wellness is extremely critical to monitor during this time. If you or your student are in need of support, please refer to the following numbers and information should you need Emergency or Crisis Support over the Winter Break. We encourage you to not ignore any warning signs you are feeling or thinking and utilize the support that is available. Click here for information on how to receive Crisis Response Support (in English & Spanish).
Holiday Safety Tips from the Center for Disease Control & Marin County Health & Human Services
Holiday Safety Tips from the Center for Disease Control & Marin County Health & Human Services
Page updated
Report abuse