Board of Health

BOH MEETING MINUTES 02-01-2021 Attending via TEAMS Conference Call Call # 1 617-433-9462, Conference ID: 183 195 087# Joseph Tennyson, MD, Chair Jim Griffin, Vice-Chair Robin Williams, Member Also in attendance: Director John Garside and Clerk Tina Nolin Meeting called to order 6:30 pm Reading and Approval of Minutes • Minutes for January 11, 2021 meeting: Vice-Chair Griffin motioned to approve the minutes and place on file, Chairman Tennyson seconded the motion, Board roll call vote was 3-0 to approve the motion. New Business • Discussion & Update of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Director Garside updated the Board on the recent activities of the Health Department regarding COVID-19. - Since last January, the total cases to date in the city are 3933; of that, 3593 people have recovered, and 98 have passed. There are 242 active cases, down a little since our peak after the Christmas/New Year’s holiday. Around January 16th thru the 23rd was our peak during the surge. Director’s Update - January 14th and 15th, we conducted our First Responders Clinic at Marlborough High School, where 340 doses of the Moderna vaccine were administered over the two-day event. The Marlborough Public Schools provided a lot of help, including facilities, school nurses, and custodial staff. We look forward to working with them again on other clinics, moving forward where appropriate. - On Thursday, January 28th, we administered 60 doses at 397 Bolton Street to the residents of 397 Bolton Street and 29 Pleasant Street, both properties of the Marlborough Housing Authority. Sixty- seven percent (67%) of the residents were administered the vaccine. - On Friday, February 29th, Bouvier Pharmacy held a clinic at 240 Main Street, and a Housing Authority property, with some of our Health Dept. staff helping as well. Ninety-five people were administered the vaccine. - Today, Monday, February 1st, the Department conducted a clinic at Academy Knoll, 22 Broad Street, where ninety doses or about 72% of the residence were administered the vaccine. - At the clinics held at 397 Bolton Street and 22 Broad Street, we had the help of the Assabet Valley Technical High School student nurses and our Health Department nurses, and our support staff. In addition, Assabet sent seven nurses and an instructor to both events.  Board of Health Minutes February 1, 2021 p2 - Along with the Assabet student nurses and MPS nurses, Patriot Ambulance has also agreed to help with vaccine administration. We have not worked with Patriot yet, but they are another excellent partner to have as we continue to have clinics. - Going forward, Marlborough Hospital will be administering 50 doses of vaccine a day, 250 doses a week, to the general population in the current vaccination phase. Starting tomorrow, they will be reaching out to their UMASS system-wide patients who have been patients within the last two years and offering them vaccines if they are in the appropriate phase. They will be doing 100 such system-wide vaccinations a day, 500 a week which will help. - In the future, some of our local private sector businesses, namely AFC Urgent Care, Care Well, and Hannaford Pharmacy, are planning on administering vaccines themselves. The vaccine mega- site in Worcester is probably the closest one to Marlborough when that opens. As vaccine becomes more readily available, we will hopefully see more of these private-sector options becoming available. - As of today (February 1st), the Department has received 800 doses of the Moderna vaccine, we have administered 490, and we have 340 earmarked for our First Responders’ 2nd-dose clinics. We are told not to use those second dose allocations so that we have them for the clinic. About eight days ago, DPH told us to expect only about 100 doses a week for at least a few weeks to use for first dose clinics. - Moving down the road, we are planning on the Senior Center/COA being our home base site for clinics, and they will be helping with phone registration for those folks who do not have internet access or anyone to help them register online. - Chairman Tennyson reported that the UMASS Hospital system is seeing COVID-19 patient volume coming down from what it was at the peak of the surge. The DCU center occupants are dwindling a bit, but according to the State, the plan is to keep the center open through the end of February. The number of people currently in the hospital with COVID-19 includes 48 patients at the University Campus, 35 at the Memorial Campus, 31 at the DCU Center site, 15 at Health Alliance, and Marlborough Hospital has 9, with 3 of those being in the ICU. System-wide, including at the DCU site, there are 141 COVID-19 patients, which is a lot better than a few weeks ago, suggesting we are coming off the surge. The state is also showing a consistent and sustained decline in numbers. - SCHOOL UPDATE: Assabet Valley Technical High School went back on January 19th with their hybrid 50% model. Marlborough Public Schools are also scheduled to return on the 22nd of February in a hybrid model, introducing the kids back to school for a few weeks. As they have been all along, K-2nd grade, special needs, and English as Second Language kids are in school full time. - Director Garside updated the Board on food inspections and communicable disease reports. Specifically, he spoke concerning the increased use of Maureen Lee and her team at Mojin Solutions, who have been doing the bulk of our food work for the Department as the inspectors, like the rest of the Health Office, have been helping in so many other ways related to COVID-19.  Board of Health Minutes February 1, 2021 p3 - Director Garside also reported that to date, other than advertising, there had been no progress filling the vacant public health nurse position. Subdivision Site Plan & Special Permit Reviews There were no subdivision site plans or special permits to review this month Unknow Business at Time of Posting There was no unknown business that came up Scheduling of Next Meeting The next meeting of the Board will be on March 8th at 6:30 pm. Attendance will continue to be remote via Teams meeting. ADJOURN Member Williams motioned to adjourn the meeting at 6:57 pm; Vice-Chair Griffin seconded the motion; the roll call vote was 3-0 in favor to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, 03/08/2021 Dr. Joseph Tennyson Dated Cc: Board of Health Members City Council, City Clerk, and City of Marlborough Website