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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-12-15-minutes-board-of-health0 Kittitas County Public Health Department To Protect and Promote the Health and the Environment of the People of Kittitas County KITTITAS COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH (BOH) Meeting Minutes December 15, 2022 Commissioners' Auditorium 10:00am Present Board of Health (BOH): Brett Wachsmith, Cory Wright, John Asriel M.D, James Donaldson Absent: Laura Osiadacz, Dede Utley Public Health: Katie Odiaga, Candi Blackford, Mark Larson M.D., Kasey Knutson, Kate Johnson, Lauren Wickerath Meeting called to order at 10:01am Introduction of Guests Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the October 27, 2022, Board of Health meeting minutes as presented. Motion 12-01: Motion to approve the October 27, 2022 Board of Health meeting minutes as presented. Brett Wachsmith moved to approve the October 27, 2022 Board of Health meeting minutes as presented. John Asriel MD second. All approved. Motion 12-01 carried to approve the October 27, 2022 Board of Health meeting minutes as presented. Public Comment Open Public Comment Closed Department Updates Administrative Officer/Director Update Candi Blackford updated the board on the following: • Assessment Coordinator position has been filled. Mackenzie Carter started last week. • Mackenzie Carter's Health Promotion specialist position is currently open. • Bringing back former CICT temporary staff for CICT project specialist- data entry, entirely COVID funded. ■ Mental Health programs coordinator job description approved and will be posted this week. • Lianne Bradshaw has officially completer her Epi program. Congrats Lianne. • Holding off on filling Marie's position. Will not get full details on emergency response funding for several months. Kasey Knutson is filling in as our local Emergency Response Coordinator. • The department had a great archiving day organizing paper records and archiving those documents according to their retention schedules. Health Officer Update Mark Larson M.D presented on the current "triple-demic". Currently recommendation is to mask indoors in crowded indoor settings. RSV rates are starting to decrease, but COVID and influenza rates continue to increase. Dr. Larson reviewed data of the following: • National influenza rates. • National hospital admins by age. • Wastewater data and how that can determine higher communicable disease rates (where collected). • Graph with comparison of 2018 to 2022 influenza rates and time frame. Board of Health Minutes December 15,2022 oft • School Absenteeism rates. • December 5 -+December 9` absenteeism trendline for RSV/Influenza. Dr.Larson said that the health officers meeting discussed recommendation of masking in indoor settings and flying. This is just a recommendation from the health officers. Mandates at health care facilities will stay in place for the time being with the increase of respiratory diseases. Other Business Communicable Disease division u - -date Kate Johnson gave an update on the 2022 Flu Clinic that was done in October. The clinic offered Bivalent COVID, Children's influenza vaccine, and adult influenza vaccine. With the help of community partners from Kittitas Valley Healthcare, Community Health of Central Washington, Search and Rescue, and the Central Washington University Paramedicine program the clinic provided: • 145 doses of Bivalent vaccine • 242 Pediatric/Adult influenza vaccine This year's data will be used to order vaccine for future clinics. Dr. Kim Schrier and Dr Umair Shah made an appearance at the clinic. The health department has started COVID clinics at the health department on Thursdays from fpm-3pm. Currently we are offering the Bivalent booster. The department is also looking into offering children's vaccine in the future. Currently data is showing that children are behind in vaccines and having a difficult time getting into their providers for appointments. We are hoping to help get children caught up once we establish electronic medical records. We will be updating the board at a future meeting. Board of Health Member Updates John Asriel M.D discussed current events today with low vaccine rates and events 20 years ago with a measles outbreak. Measles is the most preventable disease with vaccine available. Dr. Asriel is urging people to not neglect routine vaccines. Commissioner Wright informed the board that it is procedural process that when the Health Department Director reaches 6 months, they are eligible for a bump in pay. Currently the county has a moratorium on pay increases until March. Commissioner Wright noted that in the future, when this is lifted, he would like to have the board do an executive session at a BOH meeting to do an evaluation of the director for the six-month evaluation. Commissioner Wright also informed the board that FISH was having a shortage in resources. If there continues to be no improvement, he would like to bring this to the board for discussion on how or if they can help alleviate this burden. It was requested to check with Peggy at FISH to see where they are with numbers. Meeting concluded at 10:43am I Coryrash , Commissioner Chelsey fe , actor Kittitas County Public Health VA &".ip - Candi Blackford, Clerk of the Board of ealth