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Omicron suspected in Marin holiday party outbreak
At least 28 people have tested positive for COVID-19 following the event, which took place Dec. 11 at Farm House Local.
LARKSPUR, Calif. - There's been a COVID-19 outbreak at a Larkspur restaurant during a holiday party, the Marin Independent Journal reported.
At least 28 people have tested positive for COVID-19 following the event, which took place Dec. 11 at Farm House Local. Some attendees have experienced flu-like symptoms. All were in their 40s and 50s. The county's health officer suspects that the omicron variant might be the culprit.
The hosts required guests to be vaccinated in order to attend, the IJ reported. The hosts and many guests also received vaccine booster shots. The hosts also asked guests to give themselves a COVID-19 home test to ensure they weren’t infected the day of the party.
The guests did not wear masks because the new state mandate requiring face coverings in all indoor public settings had not yet taken effect. The omicron variant’s presence in Marin was confirmed on Friday, although it likely arrived earlier.
Earlier this month, health officials said Marin County has the highest COVID infection rate of any Bay Area region.
Since Marin County is also among the counties with the highest vaccination rates, it's not seeing an increase in hospitalizations or deaths, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The hosts told the IJ that they feel terrible about what happened.