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Home My Public Portal AboutBoard of Health -- 2020-09-16 Minutes Town of Brewster � E WT 2198 MAIN STREET Health Depaltmnt xmxr ora40�1 % BREWSTER, MASSACHUSETTS 026314898 o 9� ��u Amy L. von Hone, R. S . , C .H. O . �Aj '?,�,. , Director T? r �' PHONE : 508 . 896 . 3701 EXT. 1120 r Q _ _ tj' — FAX : 508 . 896 .4538 Sherrie McCullough, R. S . brhealth @,brewster- ma. gov Assistant Director ^xa .x<x W FC�RPxx 0� �` WWBREWSTER-MA. GOV TammiMason Senior Department Assistant /�// / ///////�llplJAllll111111111\\\0��\ Board of Health Meeting Wednesday September 16, 2020 at 7:OOPM Remote Participation Meeting I Board members on remotely: Carmen Scherzo, DVM , Chair; Penny Hausser Holeman, MPH , MA, MS ., Vice Chair; Annette Graczewski, MT (ASCP); Joe Ford and Jeannie Kampas Others present remotely: Amy von Hone, R .S ., C . H .O ., Health Director Dr. Scherzo stated that for anyone wanting to listen to the meeting can do so via the Town of Brewster livestream at http ://video brewster- ma gov/cablecastPublicSite/? channel = l or on Channel 18 and anyone that has a question or comment could email them to health board meeting@brewster- ma . gov 1 . Chairman 's comments Brewster will be holding a drive through flu clinic on Thursday, October 22, 2020 from 1 :00 — 4:OOPM at Our Lady of the Cape Church, 468 Stony Brook Road . Vaccination against this year' s flu is highly recommended to avoid a co - infection with Covid - 19 . Pre - registration is required at www. brewster- ma . gov starting October 1st and continuing until October 18th Governor Baker has proclaimed September 2020 as Emergency Preparedness month . Emergency Preparedness month is a time to think about and prepare for emergencies that may occur here . Be informed and received emergency alerts, plan for emergencies and disasters, build an emergency kit and get involved in community preparedness and resilience . The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency stresses the importance of considering the unique preparedness needs of children, pets, seniors and people with access and functional needs . Sampling of fresh water and saltwater beaches for elevated levels of bacteria has stopped for this year. Children and adults should be especially cautious swimming after a heavy rainfall as storm water runoff will elevate bacterial counts in these waters . Dogs are allowed on Brewster beaches as of today, September 161h and will continue to be allowed until May 14, 2021 . As of this month the United States has topped 500,000 Covid - 19 cases in children according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Children now represent 9 .8% of the 6. 5 million cases that have been reported in Americans of all ages . 18 - 34 year olds account for 35 . 2%. The proportion of child and young adult cases of Covid - 19 continues to rise . Dr. Anthony Fauci says, "It is now clear 40% to 45 % of infections are asymptomatic. Asymptomatic carriers can account for up to 50% of transmissions. These facts really support the universal wearing of masks to protect one another. 2 . Citizen 's Forum None, 3 . COVID - 19 updates by Health Director a . As of today, there is a total of 30 residents in the general population and 97 in long term care facilities . Of that total number, 1 or 2 are active . Brewster continues to see very low numbers for new cases . A couple of " blips" in the last few weeks have been related BOH 9/ 16/2020 Minutes Page 2 to clusters that are in other towns, but no additional cases have come out of those clusters for Brewster. With School being back in session as of today, we anticipate that there may be a couple of new cases here and there as we move through fall . The Travel Order that went into effect August 1 , 2020 is still in place. People traveling from outside of Massachusetts are required to register with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health online and also are required to quarantine for 14 days or provide a negative COVID test that was taken within 72 hours of arriving in the State, unless they are traveling from a state that has low numbers of COVID cases (CO, CT, ME, NH, NJ, NM , NY, OR, VT, WA and WY) . The long term care facilities continue to test both patients & staff on a regular basis under protocols that were set up a few months ago through the State DPH so they can keep track of what' s going on in those facilities to avoid the large amounts of cases & clusters that we had . Usually when routine testing is done, it will produce 1 or 2 cases (usually staff and asymptomatic) . The VNA is still handing all case investigations and contact tracing , Mrs, von Hone stated that she is in touch with them on a regular basis. She is also still meeting regularly with the Nauset school nurses and other Health Directors. She is currently working with the nurses to set up a flu clinic for the school separate from the one the Town is holding . Sherrie McCullough is also working with the Food Service Coordinator at the schools in regards to inspections once school reopens. b . In the packets was a copy of 454 CMR 31 , a regulation which is under the Department of Labor Standards. It is a COVID - 19 Workplace Safety Regulation which was put into place back in July as an emergency regulation to provide a set of standards for all business in MA. They are currently under review and the comment period ended September 11 , 2020 . This review is for the purpose of updating and revising those safety protocols as needed . Guidance' s are still the same with the focus being on social distancing, hygiene protocol, staffing & operations and cleaning & disinfecting . All business are required to establish their own protocols related to those 4 entities for compliance in self certification in order to operate in Massachusetts. Enforcement still lies with the Department of Labor Standards at the State level as well as local Boards of Health . It is still the same tiered approach that was established originally as far as verbal communication, written notice and eventually fines. COVID Order #46 - the change in this was the limitation on the number of people allowed at an indoor gathering, which is now maxed at 25 people . Outdoor dining limitations have dropped down to 50 people, This order also extended the requirement for face covering to private properties and gave enforcement power to both State and local Police Departments and the ABCC (Alcohol Beverage Control Commission) . COVID Order #48 took all prior COVID orders and placed the enforcement entities and enforcement pieces together under one order to simplify and consolidate for consistency and clarification . COVID Order #49 extended the availability of daycare programs for students engaging in remote learning . COVID Order #50 extended alcohol service and outdoor dining beyond the original date that was set by earlier COVID orders , It also opened up some additional activities such as indoor & outdoor gaming arcades . Mrs, von Hone also included the Massachusetts Safety Standards and guidance for restaurants that were established by the State in addition to the safety standards and guidance' s for theatres & performance venues. Safety standards for restaurants : 6' social distancing is required Tables must be a minimum of 6' apart Maximum of 6 people per table Food must be prepared onsite and must be served with alcohol Customers must be seated to be served All employees & customers must wear masks unless eating or drinking Places of business must provide standard signage posted for customers and provide standard cleaning and hygiene protocols per the COVID standard orders Safety standards for Theatre and Performance venues (and any type of entertainment being offered at a restaurant) : Maximum of 40% on indoor capacity or max of 25 persons for an indoor setting BOH 9/ 16/2020 Minutes Page 3 Maximum of 50 persons for outdoor settings If singing or use of brass or wind instruments takes place, there needs to be a minimum of 10' between performers and a minimum of 25 ' between the performer and the 15' row of the audience Standard masks are required for customers & employees 6' social distancing is required Sanitizing protocols should be followed Mrs . von Hone also included a copy of Chapter 118, which was the order that was passed to allow takeout and delivery of alcohol purchased through a restaurant during the COVID emergency. The following requirements must be adhered to: Mixed drinks must be in sealed containers Alcohol must be purchased in the same transaction as food purchases Any alcoholic drinks that are mixed drinks are to be transported, if they are for takeout or delivery, in the trunk of the vehicle. Dr. Scherzo stared that he believes that the takeout and delivery part went through legislation and was signed by the Governor and not done through a COVID order. c. Action was taken by the Select Board on September 3, 2020 in response to 6 complaints received by the Health Department that were related to COVID - 19 violations at The Woodshed . Those complaints were centered on overcrowding, no social distancing and lack of masks . The complaints were received by the Health Department and came from the general public and a Barnstable County Health Inspector that was utilized by the Health Department this summer. As a result of those complaints, the Health Department issued 2 complaint advisories, one on July 9, 2020 and another on August 10, 2020, which was a joint letter with the Select Board because they oversee the liquor license. The Select Board, as a result of those complaints held a liquor license disciplinary hearing on September 3, 2020 related to COVID violations. In a 4- 1 vote, they suspended the liquor license at The Woodshed only from September 3, 2020 thru September 30, 2020. They will still be allowed to serve food . The owners are appealing the suspension to the ABCC . d . The Health Department received notification from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture that they are suspending all required barn inspections that are usually done by the Animal Inspectors. The inspections will resume next fall . 4. Approve Consent Agenda- 45 Elbow Pond Road - Leaching Facility Setback Regulation — Ronald & Nancy Price Motion : Approve the Consent Agenda for 45 Elbow Pond Road — Leaching Facility Setback Regulation — Ronald & Nancy Price Motion : Joe Ford Second : Annette Graczewski Vote: Penny Hausser Holeman — yes Action : Motion carried Annette Graczewski — yes Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Carmen Scherzo — yes 5 . Review & approve minutes from 8/ 19/2020 meeting Motion : Approve minutes as presented Motion: Penny Hausser Holeman Second: Annette Graczewski Vote: Penny Hausser Holeman — yes Action: Motion carried Annette Graczewski — yes Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Carmen Scherzo - yes 6. Topics the Chair did not anticipate As a citizen of Brewster and an employee of the Brewster Inn and Chowder House and The Woodshed, Joe Ford read a statement he had prepared . The statement does not reflect the opinions of the Brewster Board of Health as a whole. The statement was in regards to BOH 9/ 16/2020 Minutes Page 4 recent action that the Select Board and Health Director took in suspending the liquor license for 30 days, and his disappointment in the elected officials of the Select Board and the Health Director. Informational items were noted . Meeting adjourned at 7 :45PM i i I i i r 1 a i i `i l I i a i I i i