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Home My Public Portal AboutBoard of Health -- 2021-01-20 Minutes Town of Brewster noO ExW at4 40, rBREWSTER9MA SACHUSET S 02631 - 1898 ET Health Department 0 AAf 04 '9F rh .1j�4 �yti Amy L . von Hone, R. S . , C .H. O . Z N 2.+ Director PHONE : 508 . 896 . 3701 EXT. 1120 0 FAX : 508 . 896 .4538 Sherrie McCullough, R. S . •09 brhealth ,brewster-ma. gov Assistant Director 'moi � i�'�h ,x_,xrz� j' Tammi Mason ��/7�///$ R a�i �\\\\ WWW'BREWSTER-MA. GOV Senior Department Assistant 1„I1fl1111111i11t Board of Health Meeting Wednesday January 20, 2021 at 7 : OOPM Remote Participation Meeting Board members on remotely: Carmen Scherzo, DVM , Chair; Penny Holeman, MPH , MA, MS, Vice Chair; Joe Ford and Jeannie Kampas Board members absent: Annette Graczewski, MT (ASCP) Others on remotely: Amy von Hone, R. S ., C . H . O ., Health Director and Tammi Mason, Senior Department Assistant 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/lcablecastPulicSite/` ? channel = l or on Channel 18 and anyone that has a question or comment could email them to healthboardmeeting@brewster- ma . gov 1 . Call to order Meeting was called to order at 7 : OOPM 2 . Chairman 's announcements The Barnstable County Department of Health and Environment announced the launch of a region wide helpline to respond to Covid - 19 related questions . The Medical Reserve Corps helpline team can also walk residents through more complex questions, directing them to the right resources in their local communities and in other state government departments . Volunteers cannot provide individual clinical advice or a diagnosis through the helpline . If you believe you have been exposed to Covid - 19 and are symptomatic, call your health care provider. The helpline will be taking calls beginning Monday through Friday from 8AM to 4: 30PM at 774 - 330- 3001 . Barnstable County wants to ensure residents that a coordinated response is taking place in our region . Please wear a mask, maintain a physical distance of at least 6 feet and wash hands for at least 20 seconds . For more information, Covid - 19 case counts, testing and vaccine information visit http •//www. barnstablecountyhealth .org or http ://www. mass . gov The Medical Reserve Corps would also like to remind residents that critical delivery service is still available to our senior citizens and people who are considered high risk for Covid - 19 . Since April . 29, 2020, the Cape Cod Medical Reserve Corps ( MRC) has provided a free service delivering prepaid groceries to seniors and people at higher risk for infection. MRC volunteers pick up pre - ordered , prepaid groceries from food stores offering curbside pick- up options and deliver to residents in all 15 towns of Barnstable County. More information about this free service is available at www. ccmedicalreservecorps . org or call 1508 - 556 -7161 Monday through Friday 9AM - 4 : 30PM . BOH 1 /20/21 Minutes Page 2 3 . Citizen 's forum None . 4. COVID Cases and Vaccination update Mrs . von Hone stated that in the last 3 weeks, there have been an average of 20 -25 new cases added to our data . That trend doesn 't seem to be slowing down . A big part of the new cases is from the holidays . Most of the new cases are families . Last week's numbers were mostly in the 30 - 39 year old age group . There are not a lot of cases coming from the nursing homes, just a few staff members here and there . They are still testing (staff and residents) on a regular basis . Brewster is still in the high risk red category because of the numbers . She doesn 't foresee it getting out of the red anytime soon . Two thirds of the towns across Massachusetts are in the red category right now. Continued social distancing & mask wearing are going to be key to controlling this . There are 271 cumulative cases, 168 in the residential population and 103 in long term care facilities . In the last few days there have 15 new cases . Mrs . von Hone gave a power point presentation about the Covid - 19 vaccine . The vaccine does not contain the live virus, you cannot get the virus from it. The vaccine works by triggering an immune response which antibodies recognize and fight off the Covid - 19 virus . The vaccine will work if the virus mutates . There are 2 vaccines approved in the US currently. Pfizer and Moderna . These were approved under emergency use authorization . There were 43 ,000 participants in the Pfizer study and there is ongoing monitoring for safety and effectiveness . The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has guidelines for individual states to use to develop their own .vaccination plans . The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH ) developed a 3 phase plan for vaccinations with priority given to the most vulnerable population and healthcare workers . 1St shipments of the vaccine were received in December and were sent to major hospitals . We are currently in Phase 1 . Vaccine access is currently only through the CDC and MDPH . Phase 2 should be early February through April for 75 + , adults with 2 or more co morbidities, educational workers and essential workers . Phase 3 should be April — June, which would be open to everyone that wants a vaccine. Right now there are 3 major entities that have been approved to distribute the vaccine: i CC Healthcare — for hospital staff & healthcare workers a CVS & Walgreen pharmacies — for long term care facilities, nursing homes and congregate living Barnstable County Health Department — for 1 " responders, residential population (seniors, essential workers and the general public) . BON 1 /20/21 Minutes Page 3 The current plan is to establish 3 or more permanent sites (that would support satellite sites) across the Cape that will be staffed as soon as possible through the 3 phases . There are a lot of moving parts & challenges with organizing these clinics ; vaccination storage capacity staffing weather conditions sharing of the same resources limited vaccination supplies (CDC, MDPH ) to be fully vaccinated it takes 2 doses Dr. Scherzo asked if the drive thru clinic at the Orleans DPW would be a permanent site . Mrs . von Hone stated that it has not been determined yet . They are looking at the County Fairgrounds and the melody Tent . Dr. Scherzo asked about the Barnstable County Health Department rolling out information on the vaccine within the next few weeks as well as the registration process . Mrs ., von Hone stated that the Council on Aging is keeping a list of names of people that are interested in the vaccine : The list is an informational list only. Mrs . von Hone spoke about Prep Mod, the new State registration program . There will be homebound appointments available at some point . 5 . Consent Agenda - J .O ' Loughlin Inc . — 654 Airline Road — to allow 4. 8 ' of final fill over SAS facility Motion : Accept the consent agenda as presented to the Board Motion : Penny Holeman Second : Jeannie Kampas Vote: Penny Holeman — yes Action : Motion passed Joe Ford — yes Jeannie Kampas — yes Carmen Scherzo — yes 6. Tobacco Regulations continued discussion The Board started back on at section " F" . The Board talked about: Smoking bars • Cigar sales • Flavored tobacco products Blunt wraps • Electronic delivery systems • Free distribution coupons • Packaged sales • Self- service display • Vending machines • Prohibition of sales by healthcare institutions • Nonresidential roll your own machines • Sales by educational institutions BOH 1 /20/21 Minutes Page 4 • Incorporation of State laws and regulations Violations • Non - criminal disposition • Severability Distance between adult only retail tobacco stores The Board asked that all the changes be typed up in final format and bring back to another meeting for them to review. 7 . Next meeting : February 3, 2021 Noted . Informational items were noted Meeting adjourned at 8 : 10PM