IN GRATITUDE

COVID-19 caught the world off guard. Public health experts had theorized for years that a pandemic like this was likely to occur. Their warnings fell on deaf ears, and the world found itself unprepared. A worsening hyper-partisan divide complicated matters even more. So where are we now, and what did we learn?

If we learned nothing more in the past two years, let it be that the health and well-being of the residents of Marin County rest safely in the hands of its public health institutions. Without their oversight and guidance, the risk of significant illness and death from the virus would have increased exponentially.

Notwithstanding the Omicron surge in January of 2022, polling from multiple organizations indicates that the perceived risk of catching and suffering from COVID-19 has steadily declined. Like Americans across the country, residents in Marin have increasingly continued to engage in away-from-home behaviors. They are getting on with their lives despite intermittent spikes of the virus.

The virus exposed the vulnerability of Marin’s elderly, the poor, the incarcerated, people of color, and other marginalized groups. The fragility of our healthcare system and the social determinants of health once again highlighted inequities in access to housing, education, and employment.

Despite this, there are reasons to be hopeful about the future, even as the pandemic continues. With operational procedures, treatments, and vaccines at our disposal, we’re in a much better state of preparedness to deal with new occurrences and the unexpected. The experience also brought out the best of us.

The response to the virus showcased the humanity, bravery, and commitment to service by Marin’s public health officials, healthcare professionals, and everyday citizens who stepped up to meet the challenge of this awful moment.

So how do you recognize and celebrate these individuals? A simple thank you seems so inadequate. How can you pack all of the gratitude, awe, wonder, joy, laughter, and love we have experienced for the past two years into those two words?

You simply can’t. To all of the devoted Marin Health and Human Services employees, please accept our deep gratitude for the dedicated work you did day after day in service of the residents of Marin. Your commitment and professionalism mean more than you know. It’s easy to see how much you care about the people you serve. Thank You