HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-06-03 Board of Health Minutes of°rwro, RECEIVED
Town of Reading TOWN CLERK
r' Meeting Minutes READING, MA.
°w> 2021 JUN 21 AH 9: 53
Board - Committee - Commission - Council:
Board of Health
Date: 2021-06-03 Time: 7:00 PM
Building: Location:
Address: Session: Open Session
Purpose: Open Session - Remote Meeting Version: Final
Attendees: Members - Present:
Chair Richard Lopez, Vice Chair Kerry Dunnell, Paula Curren; Associate
Members: Geri Cramer, Kevin Sexton
Members - Not Present:
Others Present:
Assistant Town Manager Jean Delios, Interim Health Director Peter Mirandi,
Public Health Nurse Kristine Harris, Public Health Nurse Shuang Shen,
Community Services Director Kevin Bohmiller
Minutes Respectfully Submitted By: Jacquelyn LaVerde
Topics of Discussion:
This meeting was held remotely via Zoom.
Chair Richard Lopez called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm and reviewed the evening's
agenda. The purpose of this meeting is to hear the plans for the reopening of the Pleasant
Street Senior Center and to decide how to address the outstanding orders Issued by the
Board of Health as part of its response to the pandemic early last year. According to
Mass.gov, Reading is now in the gray category, which is lower than green, and only has
three active cases.
Review of Plans for Ooenina Senior Center:
Kevin Bohmiller, Director of Community Services, presented his plan to welcome seniors
back to the center, which they have missed dearly. Staff sent out a newsletter announcing
the opening. Protocols have been established based on conversations with Interim Health
Director Peter Miranda, and Public Health Nurses Kristine Harris and Shuang Shen, and the
Massachusetts Council on Aging MA COA). However, MA COA has mostly deferred to local
Boards of Health. Mr. Bohmiller has also consulted with other COA Directors to find out
their rules, and what their Boards of Health have allowed them to do.
The reopening will be slow, and only the Flrst Floor great room will be used for passive group
activities. There will be one morning activity and one afternoon activity. The second Floor
will only be used for individual counseling, such as SHINE and one-on-one computer
assistance. Bathrooms will be limited to just the basement bathrooms, so that there is one
less thing to clean upstairs. There will be masks, PPE, and sanitation dispensers available.
Staff will continue to wear masks. Masks for patrons will be required for those who have
not been vaccinated. Masks will be encouraged, though not required, for those who have
been vaccinated. Vaccination status is based on the honor system. Tables and touch
surfaces will be wiped down after each program. A 16'x24'tent will be installed on the patio
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next week for outdoor activities and programs. At this time, there will not be congregate
lunches, billiards in the basement, computer room use, bridge/chess/cribbage/cards,
hairdresser, reflexology, line dancing or Zumba.
The new Elder and Human Services Administrator is scheduled to start on June 7th.
Mr. Bohmiller stated that the goal is to provide a comfortable and safe environment to
welcome people back. People have called and expressed concern about which rooms will be
used, but are anxious to return. As demand and comfort levels Increase, programming will
be expanded on a case-by-case basis. The reopening will be slow and conservative to keep
everybody safe.
Public Health Nurse Kristine Harris presented the latest in COVID cases, which continue to
decrease:
Total new cases over the past week = 3
Total Cases = 1,915
Total Deaths = 49
Transferred Cases = 10
Total Recovered = 1,853
Ms. Harris noted that there have been no hospitalizations in the last three months. There
are currently no clusters in businesses or in schools.
The Board discussed whether or not to continue reporting case counts and agreed that the
reporting could taper over the next few months with the Governor rescinding the state of
emergency, and cases continuing to decline. A message will be included on the website
indicating that the Board continues to monitor the case numbers and will report as
necessary.
Public Health Nurse Shuang Shen provided an update on vaccinations. For homebound
vaccinations, people should now contact the state. The Town has 40 doses remaining of
Johnson and Johnson vaccine that expire on June 23, 2021. The plan for those doses is to
offer them to residents via walk-in clinics at the Pleasant Street Center from June 16th
through June 22nd. The clinics will be announced on the website next week. Any unused
doses can be given to local pharmacies to be used up.
Review of Pandemic Related BOH Orders Since March 1, 2020 and Decide on
Status as Appropriate:
Dr. Lopez explained that Town Counsel reviewed the existing orders and provided the Board
with a broad motion to rescind COVID orders dating back to last March 1, 2020. The orders
are still in place, as they were made ahead of the state's orders.
Ms. Dunnell expressed her thanks to Mr. Mirandi, former Board members, nurses, and staff,
including Command leaders, for all of their hard work and dedication throughout the
pandemic. Board members agreed and discussed ways to acknowledge the farmer Board
members and nurses for their efforts.
On a motion by Dr. Lopez, seconded by Ms. Curren, the Board of Health voted 3-0-
0 to rescind its COVID-19 related orders as follows:
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts declared a State of
Emergency relating to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 10, 2020. Beginning on
March 11, 2020, the Reading Board of Health (BOH) took action on a number of
orders pertaining to building, business, facility, and recreational restrictions and
closures, as well as a number of other orders pertaining to restrictions on door-to-
door canvassing, health reporting requirements, and additional permit compliance
requirements, with the intent of protecting the public health from the COVID-19
pandemic. The State of Emergency in the Town of Reading, which was declared on
April 1, 2020, is co-terminus with the State of Emergency in the Commonwealth,
which will now end lune 15, 2021.
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As such, effective June 3, 2021 the BOH hereby rescinds all of its COVID-19 related
orders dating back to March 11, 2020. The BoH fully endorses and, to the extent
allowable by law will enforce current and future COVID-related guidelines,
advisories and mandates as promulgated by the Commonwealth. In no way does
this action impact the authority of the BOH from issuing additional COVID-related
orders deemed necessary by the BOH for the Town of Reading at any time in the
future.
Roll call vote: Kerry Dunnell-Yes, Paula Curren-Yes, Richard Lopez-Yes.
On a motion by Dr. Lopez, and seconded by Ms. Dunnell, the Board of Health voted
3-0-0 to adjourn at 7:50 pm.
Roll call vote: Paula Curren-Yes, Kerry Dunnell-Yes, Richard Lopez-Yes.
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