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WC CWF Health District Board Minutes - 07/09/2021 WICHITA FALLS-WICHITA COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH BOARD MINUTES Acowirr July 9, 2021 z Wichita Falls-Wichita County Public Health District 1700 Third Street - Parker Conference Room Wichita Falls, Texas Public Health BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Keith Williamson, M.D., Chair Physician -City Appointment Lauren Jansen, Ph.D., R.N., Vice-Chair Registered Nurse—City Appointment Melissa Plowman Restaurant Association - City Appointment Tonya Egloff, D.D.S. Dentist- County Appointment Paris Ward. M.A., B.S. Citizen At-Large - City Appointment BOARD MEMBERS EXCUSED ABSENCE: David Carlston. Ph.D. Citizen At-Large - County Appointment BOARD MEMBERS UNEXCUSED ABSENCE: Julie Gibson, D.V.M., Secretary Veterinarian - City Appointment OTHERS PRESENT: Lou Kreidler, R.N.. B.S.N. Director of Health Michael Smith City Council Liaison Amy Gardner Municipal Court Prosecutor Woodrow W. Gossom, Jr. County Judge I. CALL TO ORDER Keith Williamson, Chair called the meeting to order at 12:00 pm after a quorum of members was attained. II. APPROVAL OF MINUTES AND ABSENCES Keith Williamson called for the review and approval of the May 14, 2021 minutes. Melissa Plowman introduced a motion to approve the minutes as presented and Tonya Egloff seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The absence of David Carlston was noted as excused and Julie Gibson as unexcused. Ill. DOG PARK ORDINANCE Lou Kreidler said the Dog Park Ordinance is actually a Park Ordinance not a Health Ordinance. Complaints surfaced back in April and May from groups that frequent the dog park on individuals bringing out puppies too young, sick animals and smoking (tobacco free area), so it was decided to review the 10-year old ordinance. All the changes made are animal related so it was brought before the Animal Shelter Advisory Committee (ASAC), next to the Board of Health, then to present to Council. One item found was Animal Care Officers are not listed as one of the groups that could enforce the Dog Park Ordinance, so clarifications have been made as follows. ARTICLE VIII. Off-Lease Dog Facility in Lake Wichita Park. Sec. 82-251.Compliance. Compliance with the rules and regulations in this article is a condition of using the city's off-leash dog facility in Lake Wichita Park. A person found by a city peace officer, animal care officer, or employee of the city's Parks and Recreation Department to have violated these rules and regulations may be issued a citation and/or ejected from the park by said city employee, and it shall be unlawful for any person so ejected to reenter on the same day. Sec. 82-254.Use of off-leash dog facility. (b) Dogs must wear collars or harnesses bearing a current rabies vaccination tag and a city license tag at all times while in the off-leash dog facility. (c) An owner may not accompany more than two dogs in the off-leash dog facility at any one time. Both dogs should be of the same size and be located in the same area of the dog park. Language clarified that an owner must be in the enclosure of their dog/dogs if any issue should occur. (d)No dogs under the age of 4 months of age are permitted in the park at any time. Shots and rabies vaccination are not completed until 4 months the last thing needed at the park is an unvaccinated puppy that may be ill. (h) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep a dog leashed in the off-leash dog facility. Dog leashes must be removed within the double gate entry, and the dog released without the leash into the off-leash pen making sure the gate closes fully after entry or exit. Upon exit. the dog should be secured with the leash in the double gate area. Only one owner at a time may utilize the double gate entry to leash and unleash a dog. (i) It is the responsibility of any person/persons having care. custody. and control of any dog(s) who uses the park to read the dog park rules before entering. (j) Shoes shall be worn inside the park at all times. Bites to people's feet has occurred to not wearing shoes. Sec. 82-255.Care of off-leash dog facility by users. (a) Owners must immediately clean up and dispose of waste left by an accompanied dog. It shall be unlawful for an owner to leave the off-leash dog facility without first cleaning up and disposing of all waste left by an accompanied dog, whether inside or outside of the dog park per City Ordinance Chapter 14 Animals- Sec 14-12 (a) and(b). Sec. 82-256.Health rules for off-leash dog facility. (b) It shall be unlawful for any person to knowingly bring a dog that has a contagious condition, disease, parasite, or open wounds into the off-leash dog facility. Clarification of any wound. (c) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a female dog in season into the off-leash dog facility. Removed whether or not the female dog in question is leashed. Sec. 82-257.Bites, scratches, and aggression in the off-leash dog facility. (a) All bites and scratches by a dog within the off-leash dog facility must be reported to the Animal Control Division of the Health District. It shall be unlawful for any person to fail to report to the Animal Control Division that a dog accompanied by him in the off-leash dog facility bit or scratched a person or another dog, removed with 24 hours of the bite or scratch incident added immediately after a bite or scratch occurs. Reported 24 hours afterward made it difficult to obtain information. (d) It shall be unlawful for any person to bring a dog with a previous bite history or a dog known to have aggressive tendencies into the park. Judge Gossom asked if there was a number posted to call. Lou Kreidler replied the number was out there, once the ordinance passes Council all the new information will be posted on a new sign. Sec.82-259.Possession unlawful. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess food for humans or dogs, removed including dog treats, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages, or glass containers in the off-leash dog facility. People do use the area to train their dog and did not want to make that a barrier to be able to. (b)This facility is a tobacco free area, and possession and/or use of tobacco products, including electronic devices. shall be unlawful. People are smoking in the already tobacco free area and needed them to understand that includes electronic devices. Lauren Jansen wondered about her dog over four months, still a puppy that loves to play and wrestle with other dogs that maybe construed as being aggressive. Lou Kreidler stated it is owner responsibility to control their animal while out there. People with animals recognize the difference in playing from being aggressive, there is a difference in the behaviors. Socializing them young is easier than full grown. Judge Gossom said the earlier the introduction is probably a good idea, to let the dog grow through that stage and play. Keith Williamson said that is how they learn the difference between a play bite and not a play bite, Melissa Plowman said to continue to allow individuals to train their animals in the area, she reads possess food for humans or dogs excludes dog treats. She thinks it would not be allowed and if somebody reads it the same way to see somebody do that would be perceived as breaking the law. Maybe a different kind of language can be used to say for training purposes it is allowed. Lou Kreidler agreed that is a good point, at the end of the sentence she will add This section does not apply to dog training treats. The Board was asked for a vote of recommendation that includes the amended language to send to Council next week. Keith Williamson stated under Sec. 82-859 (a) will be the addition of a final sentence to state This section does not apply to dog training treats, is there a motion to endorse and send to City Council? Lauren Jansen moved to accept changes to the ordinance as written with inclusion of language to Sec. 82-859 (a) adding a sentence that 2 states This section does not apply to dog training treats. Melissa Plowman seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. IV. ANIMAL CONTROL ORDINANCE Lou Kreidler stated the ordinance will not be a major overhaul, when the ordinance passed a couple years ago a couple of items were found that needed to be tweaked. ASAC reviewed the changes Wednesday with the recommendation to provide the changes to the Board. ASAC will meet again to review the Animal Ordinance before it comes to the Board for recommendation to Council for approval. The plan is to have the revision ready for the September Board meeting. V. COVID-19 UPDATE Lou Kreidler said in review of the case numbers since the beginning of June have seen a trend that is of concern. The beginning of June had 16 new cases with 3.08% positivity rate, the last week of June had 42 new cases with 6.98% positivity rate and this week had 53 new cases with 15% positivity rate. On the many questions as to whether or not the Delta Variant is in the community, the State has very strict guidelines to follow to even do the specificity testing for the Delta variant that identifies the strain. Five or six samples have been sent off but those results are not back. Chances are with the amount of travel seen the Delta variant is in the community just because there is not a test result that says the variant is in the community does not mean it is not. She asked to please do not share until released at 3 o'clock this afternoon of a death reported this morning of a vaccinated individual that passed away in the hospital, the first vaccine break though death in the community. The individual in their 60's with pre-existing health conditions arrived at the hospital with COVID symptoms had the Johnson & Johnson (J&J)vaccine that has less of an ethnicity rate about 70%. Lauren Jansen asked of the new cases how many,of the people admitted had been vaccinated. Lou Kreidler replied at about 60 vaccine break through cases had 2 or 3 hospitalized, at 53 this week had 3 break through cases all symptomatic and 1 hospitalized. Keith Williams said with over 40,000 people vaccinated that is a very small break through. Lou Kreidler has seen some reduced testing believed to happen in the physician's community. A couple weeks ago she spoke with a physician that had someone in the practice with COVID symptoms, but that was not the first thought any more so did not test until their symptoms did not resolve then tested. COVID is still here that needs to be the first thought not the second or third. The numbers are probably higher then what has been seen because people are not getting tested, knowing a mild case of COVID is like the flu are not worried, riding it out at home. Also, a test can be picked up at Wal-Mart, Sam's, probably any pharmacy for$20, can do it at home but those results do not go anywhere. Lauren Jansen asked are home tests fairly accurate and is any specific vaccine on the break through cases or all vaccines. Lou Kreidler said the guidance from the State says that if someone presents to the Health District that they did the home test before the State will take that they have to have a test by a lab. Break through cases have been from all the vaccines with the majority of the last few J&J. Statistically expect to see more break through cases with the single dose J&J with a 70% ethnicity rate because it is not as.effective as the two dose Moderna and Pfizer with a 90-95% ethnicity rate. Lauren Jansen wondered if people who get J&J vaccinations actually understand that. Lou Kreidler thinks people understand. A majority of the population waited for months on the list for the one shot J&J, it was explained but their choice remained to wait for the single dose and be done. Councilor Smith asked with this variant at what point will accurate information be known on its progression. At some point, as a person that had the shots he will start wearing a mask everywhere. Lou Kreidler stated it has been found the vaccine is effective against the Delta Variant, effective if vaccinated. Tonya Egloff read an article that said it is about 88% effective on the Delta variant and the pharmaceutical companies are a little worried that the mRNA process was so effective it was not going to be a yearly vaccine. Keith Williamson had heard extremes on both sides, it either runs out in six months or good for several years. 3 Lou Kreidler does not think it will be known until further out from those initially vaccinated, hopefully will know when the State returns the test results from those individuals. If an increase in number of cases are seen, then may get more State support to send off more tests for results. Hospitalizations for July started out with 4 then the last few days at.8, 9, 10 per day, so far 14 individuals hospitalized; 3 in their 30's, 4 in 40's, 2 in 50's, 4 in 60's and 1 in 70's.The County vaccination rates: 12 years and up at 42.32%for one dose and 38.33%fully vaccinated, 65 and older at 78.4% for one dose and 74.17% fully vaccinated, State average is at 84.3% for one dose and 38.33% fully vaccinated. The areas of the State and Nation seen with the large influx of Delta variant cases are the communities with a vaccination rate below 40%.Wichita County is a perfect melting pot for things to go bad. People are continued to be encouraged to get the free vaccination. A lot of information is out there to combat, with additional grant funding to be received will do an education campaign with community local leaders to say get vaccinated it is safe, in hopes that people will feel more comfortable and get vaccinated. A Health Equity grant of$400,000 is expected to be at Council probably the end of August or first of September with that will hire three individuals. The grant requires a list of specific populations those with poor health outcome and harder hit by COVID-19 to work on. Another grant Public Health Workforce at $1.9 million will hire 9 or 10 positions in support of the Health District workforce with vaccinations, health education campaign, those type of events. Just found out the COVID Epidemiology grant is getting an additional $97,000 but have not met to discuss, probably will try to hire an additional EPI position. The EPI position will not do as much disease epi but population based epidemiology to look at the diversity in the community, the social determinates of health. Hopes are the Health Equity and Public Health Workforce grants will work together that one will help feed data and information into the other. Keith Williamson asked if Lou had heard anything about the impact of natural immunity, it is a messier immunity than immunization, unreliable. Lou Kreidler said the last thing she heard it still was at about 90 days. She is worried about what July 4th will do to the numbers the next week will be interesting, people are tired, ready to get out get back into groups. CDC recommendation still is if not vaccinated wear a mask and that is not happening, it is the perfect storm for spread. Lauren Jansen said people are very aggressive and rude she thinks it is kind of based on being deprived for so long, maybe they need to be re-socialized. Keith Williamson said that has been the observation at the hospital that people came out of the pandemic mean. Lou Kreidler thinks the mental health fallout of the last year is going to be far and wide. VI. NEXT MEETING DATE Friday September 10, 2021 was noted as the next meeting date. VII. ADJOURN Keith Williamson adjourned the meeting at 12:50 pm. a/L/1D .tom Signafur; Keith William ;n, MD Print Name-Keith Wlllamson, MD, Chair, Lauren Jansen, PhD, RN, Vice-Chair,Julie Gibson, DVM, Secretary 4