Board of Health

CITY OF GARDNER OFFICE OF THE BOARD OF HEALTH 95 PLEASANT ST, ROOM 29 GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS 01440 Members Present: Lauren Saunders – Health Director Susan Avallone, RN – Chairperson Michele Parker, MD – Member Geoff Tobia, Esq. - Member Minutes for Board of Health meeting held Monday December 13, 2021 ________________________________________________________________________________ 4:36 Meeting called to order. 4:38 Minutes from the November 22, 2021 Board of Health meeting were reviewed and approved. 4:40 Covid Discussion: The state contact tracing program ended on 11/30/21. Sue and Sandy Knipe are the 2 nurses covering contact tracing in MAVEN for this area since December 1st. There were over 750 active cases in the past week in the 8 communities in the Gardner area that they are attempting to cover. They are mainly focusing on complicated cases and high-risk groups. A Code Red call went out to residents just before Thanksgiving to remind the public of mitigation measures to help reduce the spread of the virus over the holidays. Lauren submitted a letter with guidance for residents to The Gardner News with steps to take if you have symptoms, have a positive teste, and when to quarantine or self-isolate. Residents should also be directed to call their PCP for medical advice when they test positive. In an announcement today, Governor Baker identified 102 municipalities in the Commonwealth with the highest proportion of families at or below the poverty level to distribute 2.1 million home- test kits statewide, Gardner is one of the communities that will get test kits. Athol, Winchendon, Fitchburg and Leominster are the other towns in the MPHN that will receive kits. A plan is in the process of being developed to distribute these tests. Many municipalities have been issuing mask mandates as the state does not currently have one in place. The main concern is that people are going to gather for the upcoming holidays and spread the virus. The members discuss the possibility of a mask mandate, they speak of what other area towns have implemented a mandate, the rising number of cases, the strain on area hospitals and the effects this might have on local businesses. There is concern that if mandated city-wide it would be difficult to enforce. They discuss issuing an advisory letter to local businesses to encourage mask-wearing. They discuss the wording of the advisory; Lauren will type it and it will be distributed. 5:10 Old Business: Staffing – The Health Department has hired a Transfer Station supervisor; the position has been filled by the current attendant. The part-time attendant position has been posted. The Health Department has also been approved to increase the Licensing Administrative Coordinator from a part time position to a full-time position; that position has been vacant since September and has now been posted. 5:15 New Business: MHOA is hosting a seminar about hording later this week. 5:25 Next meeting set Monday January 24, 2022 at 4:30 pm, Adjourn. _________________________ __ ___________________________ ___________________________ Susan Avallone RN, Chairperson Atty. Geoffrey Tobia, Member Michele C. Parker MD, Member All conversations are documented on recordings identified as B.O.H December 13, 2021 Meeting