Public Works Nov 22 2022N.V. hatcom County
Council Public Works & Health Committee
COUNTY COURTHOUSE
311 Grand Avenue, Ste #105
Bellingham, WA 98225-4038
(360) 778-5010
Committee Minutes ® Final
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
1:30 PM
Hybrid Meeting
HYBRID MEETING - ADJOURNS BY 2:30 P.M. (PARTICIPATE IN -PERSON AT
311 GRAND AVENUE SUITE 101, SEE REMOTE JOIN INSTRUCTIONS AT
www.whatcomcounty.us/joinvirtualcouncil, OR CALL 360.778.5010)
COUNCILMEMBERS
Barry Buchanan
Kaylee Galloway
Kathy Kershner
CLERIC OF THE COUNCIL
Dana Brown -Davis, C.M.C.
Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final November 22, 2022
Committee
Call To Order
Roll Call
Committee Chair Kathy Kershner called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.
in a hvbrid meeting.
Present: 3 - Barry Buchanan, Kaylee Galloway, and Kathy Kershner
Absent: None
Also Present: Todd Donovan, Ben Elenbaas, and Carol Frazey
Announcements
Special Presentation
1. AB2022-531 Report from the Health Department on COVID Response, Recovery, and Beyond
The following people presented:
• Dr. Greg Thompson, Co -Health Officer, presented about the strain
on our healthcare systems because of a surge in respiratory
infections (especially in kids), and where we have been in terms of
COVID-19 in Whatcom County and how that compares to the state
and the nation
• Erika Lautenbach, Health Department Director, presented an
overview of effort and support throughout the course of the
pandemic thus far
• Kathleen Roy, Financial and Administrative Services Manager,
presented on the support and funding resources the Health
Department was able to provide for the community during the
COVID-19 pandemic over the past three years
• Cindy Hollinsworth, Communicable Disease and Epidemiology
Manager, presented on the transition from response to recovery and
routine COVID work as well as what the department anticipates
moving forward
Kershner stated there is a two-year report on the County Health
Department's website that goes through February 2022 and provides
information on the data that was being shared while we were in the thick of
the pandemic.
The presenters answered whether the data presented for COVID-19
outcomes is just for 2022, whether we have the capacity to pick back up
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Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final November 22, 2022
Committee
with the sexually transmitted infections (STI) and hepatitis outreach
services which were temporarily set aside during the pandemic; whether we
have any data on why children are being hospitalized right now at a rate of
four times higher than the last five years, why respiratory illnesses are at
the highest rates ever seen before, and the shortage of child fever
medications; whether there are any medical providers, hospitals,
pharmacies, or other healthcare providers that are receiving any incentives
for administering vaccines and where that information might be available;
whether there is any local connection for reporting and receiving support in
Whatcom County for adverse reactions to a vaccine; whether the Health
Department is keeping track of people who might have adverse events;
whether the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues
guidance based on information that is coming through the Vaccine Adverse
Event Reporting System (VAERS) and whether the Health Department
follows the guidance of the CDC and does not make determinations based
on local information or information from Peace Health; whether there is a
service the County could provide to submit to VAERS on behalf of people;
whether raw data from VAERS is available to the public and whether it can
be aggregated by geography; whether the Health Department can put
resources on the website for how to report adverse events; and whether
there are any questions the Council should ask the Medical Examiner from
the Health Department at an upcoming report from the Medical Examiner
regarding whether there are increased death rates or sudden deaths in
Whatcom County.
This agenda item was REPORTED.
Items Added by Revision
Other Business
Adjournment
There were no agenda items added by revision.
There was no other business.
The meeting adjourned at 2:22 p.m.
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Council Public Works & Health Committee Minutes - Final November 22, 2022
Committee
ATTEST:
WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL
0 1
WHATCOM COUNTY, WA
KaTy Kershner-via email 11/28/2022
Dana —Brown- %,
�-CS c'iI Clerk Kathy Kershner, Committee Chair
6y) (AV11
Kristi Felbinger, Minutes Transcriptlon
Mudeon; County Page 3