coronavirus

Party Leads to Dozens of COVID Breakthrough Cases in Marin County

At least 28 people who attended a party in Larkspur contracted the coronavirus, health officials said.

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A party inside a restaurant in Marin County led to more than two dozen breakthrough COVID cases.

The Marin County Public Health officer said rapid transmission is what happened at a party on Dec. 11 for about 60 people at the Farm House Local restaurant in Larkspur. At least 28 people who attended the party contracted the coronavirus even after vaccination and testing requirements were needed to attend.

"The likelihood that someone is infected is higher now then it was before and it's likely Omicron, so it's more likely they're more contagious to others," Marin County Public Health Officer Matt Willis said. "That's reality right now."

Willis is not recommending canceling holiday gatherings, but said people who are not fully vaccinated or have chronic health conditions should consider the risk.

Epidemiologist Dr. Maya Petersen with UC Berkeley's Department of Public Health joins Raj Mathai to discuss the Omicron variant and the coronavirus pandemic.

Experts said requiring vaccination and boosters, testing and canceling if anyone has cold symptoms are good ground rules.

Willis said all of the patients in Larkspur have mild or no symptoms, and adds the vaccine is preventing serious illness.

In a statement, the hosts of the event in Larkspur said in part, "We hope that this is a cautionary tale of what can go wrong even when you try to do everything right. Even if you're lucky enough to not get terribly sick, testing positive for COVID is painfully disruptive for not only yourself, but also the other members of your family."

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