County needs to base policies on virus data

As a layman, I am trying to understand the COVID-19 data as published by Marin Health and Human Services on Dec. 30 and the rationale for the county’s draconian policies.

From March through Dec. 30, we have had 7,489 positive coronavirus cases in a county of approximately 260,000 residents (2.8% of the population). Of those, 89% have recovered.

Over the last nine months, there have been 111 deaths in Marin related in some way to COVID-19. Of those 111 deaths, 93 were sadly in nursing homes, a confined indoor area where the individuals have comorbidities and compromised immune systems. The 18 deaths outside of nursing homes were from 6,911 cases. So if you were not in a nursing home and were COVID-19 positive, your survival rate has been 99.74%.

Of the 18 deaths outside nursing homes, eight were under age 65. But 87% of the positive COVID-19 cases have been people under 65, a survival rate of 99.88%

Given this data, several questions come to mind. Do these data points justify the extreme policies relating to family gatherings, outside dining, school openings, the bankrupting of multiple private businesses and shutdown of religious and social organizations? What has been the collateral damage of these policies in terms of suicides, overdoses and mental health issues?

What is the ultimate goal of these command and control policies, given the extremely low fatality rates outside nursing homes and for those under 65?

Of course we need to protect the elderly and highly vulnerable. Marin has done a good job responding to hot spots in nursing homes and San Rafael’s Canal neighborhood. People over 65 should be very cautious. We should be vigilant about masking and distancing. But don’t we need a more balanced approach to our public health policies?

— Walt Rose, San Anselmo