HomeMy WebLinkAboutBoard of Health October 6 2015Whatcom County Council
Board of Health
October 6, 2015
CALL TO ORDER
Council Chair Carl Weimer called the meeting to order at 10:30 a.m. in the County
Council Chambers, 311 Grand Avenue, Bellingham, Washington.
ROLL CALL
Present: Carl Weimer,
Buchanan, and
Absent: Pete Kremen
1. PUBLIC SESSION
No one spoke.
Barbara Brenner, Sam Crawford, Rud Browne, Barry
Ken Mann
2. DIRECTOR /HEALTH OFFICER REPORT
Greg Stern, Public Health Officer, gave an update about this season's flu shot and flu
season. The flu vaccine is available. Effectiveness varies from year -to -year. It's early in
the year, so its effectiveness is uncertain yet.
Brenner asked about a possible reaction when she received the vaccine. Stern
stated it's possible another virus was circulating or the vaccine wasn't in full effect yet.
Another possibility is that some can get an immune response to the vaccine that creates
some flu -like symptoms.
Browne asked how long it takes to develop a flu vaccine for a newly- identified virus.
Stern stated that when the H1N1 virus was identified in March or April, they had selected
the vaccine strain within a month, and the vaccine was available in October. That was
incredibly fast. He described the process for developing a vaccine.
Stern continued the update about tuberculosis and the E.coli outbreak at the
Northwest Washington Fair. The tuberculosis outbreak was a cluster of unrelated cases.
They are spending time doing outreach to medical practices to develop a more robust
tuberculosis prevention and control system in the county. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) is developing a final report. The staff learned that animals don't have
to be present for E.coli outbreaks to occur. The first case was a high school student who
helped set up the event. The strain was present prior to the event. The Health Department
is reconsidering how to permit temporary food services in animal contact areas, such as the
barns at the fairgrounds. The staff are meeting with the Fair management.
Brenner asked if there is a chance that the bacteria can be airborne. Stern stated it
is in the dust. They are thinking of how it can get on food if it's in the air. They're looking
at what's protecting the food and the ventilation stream. They are seeing if it's possible to
safely serve food at these events through a variety of techniques.
Board of Health, 10/6/2015, Page 1
1 Browne asked if the food handler license requires a periodic refresher. Stern stated
2 it does.
3
4 Browne stated provide a brief food handling refresher before an event. Stern stated
5 a person is in charge for making sure everyone has a permit and the rules are followed. The
6 question is whether it's more effective to make food handlers or managers accountable.
7
8 Browne stated require an online or video course of people before they turn up and do
9 the work. Stern stated they would have to develop a local ordinance that is more stringent
10 than the State requirements.
11
12 Browne stated a recent study found that a testing lab in Canada didn't have time to
13 train its staff. Stern stated that's why it's important to have redundancy in controls to
14 check human errors and engineering failures.
15
16 Browne stated refresher courses are valuable. He's witnessed a restaurant worker
17 who was not following food safety regulations. Stern stated that if people see things
18 happening that shouldn't be, they should report it to the Food Program.
19
20 Weimer asked if the industry is pushing more vaccinations. Stern stated it's good
21 news that there are new vaccines and more effective vaccines. The reasons for the
22 recommendations are published on the CDC website, and are based on whether they're safe
23 and effective. Industries don't make much money on one -time vaccines.
24
25 Brenner asked about a meningitis vaccine. Stern described the new vaccine. It's a
26 vaccine for people who live in close contact groups, such as military recruits and kids on
27 college campuses. It's not a general vaccine for everyone.
28
29 Regina Delahunt, Health Department Director, introduced the new Whatcom Alliance
30 for Health Advancement (WAHA) Director. She submitted a handout (on file) and gave an
31 update on the 2015 -2019 Strategic Plan. The Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) and
32 Health Department staff have been learning how to have an impact on and change public
33 policy. The City of Bellingham is considering an ordinance related to smoke -free City
34 property. The County Board of Supervisors could consider a similar ordinance.
35
36 Brenner asked how something like that would be enforced. Delahunt stated it would
37 be enforced by posting signs and creating a civil infraction, but it mainly is a step toward
38 changing the culture. Staff is talking to the PHAB about the possibility and about avoiding
39 unintended consequences.
40
41 Browne stated a consequence they must consider is the ability of people to pay for a
42 citation they receive, especially of homeless or young people.
43
44 Sidhu stated promote volunteer healthy exercise programs in the workplace, which
45 have positive long -term effects and no cost. It helps to provide alternatives to smoking.
46 Delahunt stated they have discussed self -care in the workplace.
47
48 Weimer stated he appreciates having a policy agenda for next year. He would like
49 the Health Board to weigh in on topics such as the City of Bellingham's anti - smoking
50 ordinance. The Health Board meeting timing doesn't allow much of a discussion. Make sure
51 they set time aside on regular Council days for those discussions. Delahunt stated they can
52 bring topics to the Council's Public Works, Health, and Safety Committee.
53
Board of Health, 10/6/2015, Page 2
Browne asked the plan to address recommendations on how to deal with the problem
of spice, the synthetic marijuana.
3. PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD (PHAB) UPDATE
Ben Scholtz, Public Health Advisory Board Chair, stated the PHAB recently discussed
healthy workplaces, and can answer questions on that topic. He can also provide
perspective on food handling requirements.
He reported on the Healthy Planning collaboration, including analyses and studies he
reviewed. Public planning began as a healthy planning effort to respond to health effects of
rapid urban development. Eventually, public health and land use efforts split. Now, there is
a demand for sustainable planning, so planners want to reconnect with the public health
discipline.
The six qualities of sustainable design include a livable built environment, harmony
with nature, resilient economy, interwoven equity, healthy community, and responsible
regionalism. Programs have to do with active living, emergency preparedness,
environmental health, food and nutrition, health and human services, social cohesion, and
mental health. They are dealing with these issues locally.
The most frequent strengths in case studies was the ability to leverage diverse
funding streams, interdepartmental collaboration, and partnership with community groups
and private organizations. Sustainable public health cooperations are happening
interdepartmentally and with community organizations.
Case studies have identified that the area that need improvement is the collection
and use of health data, including numerical plans and targets. It's important to look at that
information early in the process.
Mann asked what kind of data is suitable in the comprehensive planning process.
Scholtz stated he would defer to staff to answer that question. They could use data on the
number of people who are biking, for example, and the percentage of areas connected by
bus transportation.
4. HEALTHY PLANNING RESOLUTION
Astrid Newell, Health Department, gave a staff update on the proposed resolution.
Staff and the Public Health Advisory Board (PHAB) have been actively involved in the
comprehensive plan updates for the County and the cities.
Buchanan described how the PHAB developed the resolution. He moved to
approve the resolution. The motion was seconded.
Brenner asked if there are any locations in Whatcom County that aren't considered
livable, but people are living there anyway. Stern stated they don't have the dense inner -
urban areas here, but they do have more invisible equivalents, especially in rural areas.
Often times there are not regulations that address issues such as water damage and mold.
People live in compromised areas, but they can't afford to live anywhere else.
Sidhu stated he supports the resolution, but it doesn't address the growing senior
population. Planning efforts must include access to services without making people in the
county come to Bellingham.
Board of Health, 10/6/2015, Page 3
1
2 Browne stated the growing number of seniors will be heavy users of services, and
3 they vote. He is concerned about whether that will be at the expense of the younger
4 generation. He is a strong advocate of focusing on prenatal and children's issues. Dealing
5 with health and education issues with children provides benefits that impact their entire
6 lives. He's concerned the aged will be very vocal in demanding that they're taken care of,
7 at the expense of a population that can't legally vote. He wants to see more emphasis on
8 childhood issues and early intervention.
9
10 Brenner stated don't create a competition between seniors and children. They do
11 place a lot of emphasis on prenatal care and children. Keep doing that, but they need a
12 balance.
13
14 Sidhu stated the amount of wealth carried by people over 65 is different from the
15 amount of wealth controlled by people under 25. The affordability of services is an issue in
16 addition to the demand for services. A section of the older population that are poor and
17 have no other resources have programs such as social security and Medicare. Younger
18 people may not have those resources available or the knowledge that older people have
19 about accessing and influencing these things. Planning efforts must balance how services
20 are delivered.
21
22 Brenner stated Medicare and social security won't be around in the future. There
23 seems to be a change in the emphasis on the elderly. They understand the promise to
24 provide prenatal care and care to young children, which provides financial benefits. The
25 elderly don't have that emphasis.
26
27 Melissa Morin, Health Department, stated the resolution states the PHAB will be
28 tasked with returning to the Board of Health with recommendations on tools and resources
29 by the end of January. She submitted and read from a presentation on implementation.
30
31 Weimer stated he would like the Health Department and PHAB to also consider the
32 six -year transportation improvement program. Morin stated they will spend time looking at
33 where these tools can be applied, such as to the road plan.
34
35 Brenner stated the tools for healthy planning could use data from smaller counties.
36 Morin stated they can look at other places for tools to adapt to Whatcom County. For the
37 data, they are working with peer counties.
38
39 Brenner stated she didn't know why they include a health impact assessment (HIA)
40 for alcohol and food in the primary planning topics to be addressed. Also, many elderly
41 people could be using alternative transportation. She asked if there are statistics on the
42 number of elderly who use alternative transportation.
43
44 Sidhu stated it would be interesting to see the information and data from
45 communities of similar size north of the border.
46
47 Browne stated providing services to both children and seniors aren't competing
48 objectives, but they can't take care of the aged population without a healthy youth
49 population to provide the tax base and labor force. The resolution doesn't provide enough
50 emphasis or focus on health and education early intervention. The youth need to be healthy
51 and educated if they are going to provide support to seniors. Also, a health issue in the
52 transportation policy should include creating marked, shared bike lanes that indicate cyclists
53 should ride with the traffic direction, and pedestrians should walk facing the traffic. Morin
Board of Health, 10/6/2015, Page 4
stated the community in East County is doing education about proper pedestrian and bicycle
behavior when there isn't a dedicated facility.
Weimer stated he supports the resolution.
Brenner stated she also supports the resolution..
The motion to approve the resolution carried by the following vote:
Ayes: Brenner, Mann, Sidhu, Browne, Buchanan, and Weimer (6)
Nays: None (0)
Absent: Kremen(1)
ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 11:55 a.m.
The C661661, approved these minutes on February 9, 2016.
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Jill Nixon, Minutes Tran cription
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Carl r Weimer, Council Chair
Board of Health, 10/6/2015, Page 5