HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-05-15 Board of Health Minutes rPi
RECEIVED
Town of Reading TOWN CLERK
Meeting Minutes ^F ,^ y ! r. MA .
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2121 OCT 22 AM 8: 44
Board - committee - commission - council:
Board of Health
Date: 2020-05-15 Time: 10:00 AM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: COVID-19 Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Eleanor Shonkoff, Kevin Sexton, Emmy Dove, Ann Marie Messina
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Kerry Dunnell, Kristine Harris, Jean Delios, Laura Vlasuk
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jean Delios
Topics of Discussion:
This is a remote meeting
The Chair called the meeting to order shortly at 10:05 a.m. Shonkoff volunteered to take the
minutes.
Recreational facilities were discussed. Golf Course Guidance was discussed and Dunnell
clarified that the State guidance on golf courses is available and may be of interest and offered
to forward the guidance.
Discussion continued on extending closures until further notice but tabling Recreation (Town
Playgrounds, Field, Athletic Courts) until Monday.
Shonkoff makes a motion to extend the closures until further notice (to the public) on:
• Town Hall;
• PSC;
• Senior Van
• RPL;
Public Safety (Police and Fire)—Walk in Service including Compost Stickers.
•Dove 2".
Sexton —yes, Dove—yes, Shonkoff—yes.
Dove indicated that Laura Gemme was scheduled to participate, but she was not on the call.
Kristine Harris, Public Health Nurse, provided an update to the board. She noted that she felt
that things were going extremely well. There was a bit of a decline in cases (some younger
people in their 20's). Some may be workers. Mary, Sharon, and her team are doing great work.
The younger population included people who took this seriously as well as those that did not. If
smene out a
notheiirr 20'si) d drnott tendbto rrequiirre hospitalizatiothe nurses n (only ae few did); age 65+tter. The m (people
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Town of Reading
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Meeting Minutes
group that is hospitalized. Harris noted that there were a couple in the teen age group. Harris
noted that they can link and see if clusters are forming. It is difficult to trace how people get
sick. They stick with household contact tracing as well as work environment. The spread is
typically in the household contact.
Shonkoff asked about camps opening and childcare programs and if there was any evidence of
any issues of spread. At this point there isn't much to go by but when things re-open there is an
expectation that there could be an uptick in cases. It was agreed that the topic of camps would
be discussed with Command on Monday. Shonkoff asked 9 there was anything that the board
could do to be helpful to the nurses? Harris advised that they were working well and didn't see
any issues. Delios asked about sanitizer and if there was any guidance on new innovative ways
to obtain it. Harris offered to look into this. Shonkoff asked if Vlasuk's contact that had all the
masks and ppe could get more sanitizer?
The board asked if Laura G. was going to join the call? Dove confirmed that in her notes she
had Laura G. as planning on attending the meeting today. The topic of the election, poll
workers and staffing before, during, and after the election was discussed. Safety of the poll
workers and employees was stressed. Drive up voting for eligible voters was discussed per
CDC guidance.
Sexton suggested we contact other communities—who may have a beta test first—to see how
it's going and if we can benefit from their experiences. The discussion continued over how to
plan and mitigate risk.
Dunnell noted that she can assist with additional information from the calls she is on. A
community that she works with is conducting an election and she can get more information
about how they are operating. Dunnell introduced herself including her extensive background in
Public Health.
Vlasuk joined the BOH meeting at this point.
Dove offered to contact Chief Bums to make sure that the Monday Command meeting would
include Recreation (Fields, Playgrounds), Camps, Election Safety, and Town Meeting. The
BOH updated Laura V. on the closures until further notice that the BOH voted earlier in the
meeting (see page 1 for list). Dove mentioned that the track and tennis courts could also be
added to the conversation about Recreation to be scheduled for Monday.
Discussion ensued about communication and how to target different audiences. A phone in
survey will be prepared for senior citizens.
Meeting minutes were discussed— 3/18/20 approved; 3/27/20 approved; 4/6 approved.
Minutes from 4/3/20 were reviewed. A motion to approve the minutes of 4/3/20 as amended
was made by Shonkoff seconded by Sexton roll call Dove, yes; Shonkoff, yes; and Sexton, yes
motion carries 3-0-0.
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Town of Reading
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Minutes from 4/17/20 were reviewed. A motion to approve the minutes of 4/17/20 as amended
was made by Dove seconded by Sexton roll call Dove, yes; Shonkoff, yes; and Sexton, yes
motion carries 3-0-0.
Minutes from 5/1/20 were reviewed. A motion to approve the minutes of 5/1/20 as amended
was made by Shonkoff seconded by Sexton roll call Dove, yes; Shonkoff, yes; and Sexton, yes
motion carries 3-0-0.
Motion to adjourn at 11:02 by Shonkoff, seconded by Sexton.
Roll call Dove, yes; Shonkoff, yes; and Sexton yes motion carries 3-0-0
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