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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2004/05/06 - Board of HealthBOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS May 6, 2004 Chairperson Commissioner Jayni Kamin called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m. Attendance: Cmmr. Dist. 1, Herb Baze; Cmmr. Dist. 2, Wes Johnson; Cmmr. Dist. 3, Jayni Kamin. ATTENDANCE Dr. Mark Trucksess, Health Officer Steve Kutz, Department of Health Director Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Manager Arleen Hyatt, Environmental Health Specialist Oakland Bay Pediatrics Staff Sonja Cochran, Public Health Clerical Staff Joy Johnson, Public Health Clinic Coordinator Tami Smith, Public Health Clinic Nurse CORRESPONDENCE None APPROVAL OF MINUTES Cmmr. Johnson/Baze moved and seconded to approve the Board of Health meeting minutes for March 4, 2004 and April 1, 2004. Motion carried unanimously. B-aye; J- aye; K-aye. ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES Fee Hearing: Mr. Steve Kutz, Health Director, requested a fee hearing to be scheduled to for June 3rd, 2004. Mr. Kutz will prepare a fee schedule for the proposed changes and a resolution for approval of the changes. Cmmr. Baze/Johnson moved and seconded to set a Department of Health fee hearing on June 3, 2004 at 10:20 a.m. Motion carried unanimously. B-aye; J-aye; K-aye. Health Officer's Report: Dr. Trucksess, Health Officer, reported for April 2004 Communicable Diseases cases; one case of Hepatitis B, nine cases of Hepatitis C, one case of Positive PPD and one case of Lyme Disease. The STD cases reported for April 2004 were one case of Gonorrhea, three cases of Genital Herpes, one Latent Syphilis, and two HIV cases. From January to April 2004 there have been forty cases of sexually transmitted diseases. A rash that infected a number of employees at Fred Meyer's is being investigated. Dr. Trucksess reported lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among women. The number of men dying of lung cancer is declining, but more women then men continue to smoke. Genetic metabolic and hormonal factors are important factors to the way women react to carcinogens and lung cancer. Even the women who quit smoking twenty years ago are still getting lung cancer. In 2003 an estimated 80,100 American women were diagnosed with lung cancer and of those 68,800 have died from the disease. MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS MAY 6, 2004 - 2 Dr. Trucksess stated the Center for Disease Control (CDC) was caught off guard by a flu vaccine shortage in 2003. He stated the government would begin stockpiling the vaccine early in 2004 for the flu season. The CDC is hoping to have about 83million doses of flu shots prepared for distribution this fall. The goal is to not have a shortage this year, and to target children under the age of eighteen. Dr. Trucksess reported 906 birds and 104 horses were tested statewide for West Nile Virus (WNV) and all of them were negative. There were 110 humans tested and of those tested thirteen were identified confirmed cases with the WNV. All of the confirmed cases were acquired outside the State of Washington. There have not been any human WNV infections acquired within the State of Washington. Dr. Trucksess reported the Chinese Ministry of Health reported a number of SARS cases but so far there have not been any cases reported in the United States. Cmmr. Johnson questioned if there is a count of the cases reported in China. Dr. Trucksess replied, there were nine cases total. The first case identified was a twenty-six year old female graduate student who was working in a virology laboratory and the second patient was the mother of that graduate student. The disease was transmitted from the daughter to the mother. The third patient was a twenty-six year old nurse who provided care to the graduate student. The nurse became ill on April 5, 2004. The fourth was a thirty-one year old male graduate student that worked at the same research laboratory. One of these patients did die from the disease. He commented he didn't know about the other four patients. Cmmr. Johnson questioned if all nine patients contracted the disease in April 2004. Dr. Trucksess replied no, it was a cumulative of all the SARS cases in China. Cmmr. Kamin asked if the patient that contracted the Lyme disease had been in contact with ticks, and is Lyme disease common to the area. Dr. Trucksess replied that wood ticks cause Lyme disease. In Washington State there are lizards that eat wood ticks and it may be why there are not many cases reported in the state. Mr. Kutz replied that Lyme disease is in the area. He stated there is not a case reported every year but there are episodic cases. Cmmr. Johnson questioned if the WNV cases reported in our state were acquired outside Washington State. He also questioned if it is a contagious virus. Dr. Trucksess replied no, WNV is not communicable from person to person but it is possible to communicate it by a blood transfusion. He stated there have been no human cases reported that have been acquired in Washington State. Mosquito season is approaching and the threat of WNV is upon us again. There is a horse vaccine to protect them from the virus but a human vaccine has not been developed. Ms. Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Manager, informed the Board that each season her department collects and sends in dead birds for testing of the WNV. The mosquito -trapping program has already begun for the season. The trapping program is for surveillance of the types of mosquitoes in the area. MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS MAY 6, 2004 - 3 Mr. Kutz stated someone had brought in a dead songbird to be tested, unfortunately songbirds are not the kind of birds that are tested for the virus. He commented that crows, ravens, blue jays and raptors are the types of birds that are tested. PERSONAL HEALTH ISSUES Certificate of Recognition: Steve Kutz, Health Department Director, introduced staff members from Oakland Bay Pediatrics and other guests that have come to the meeting to witness the presentation of the certificate for excellence in the immunization program. He stated Oakland Bay Pediatrics deserves recognition for the effort that they have put into immunizing the children of Mason County. For many years the Nation has been working on getting the rates of our children being immunized up to acceptable levels. Mr. Kutz also acknowledged three of his staff members Tammy Smith, Joy Johnson and Sonya Cochran are very important in the immunization program for the county. Mr. Kutz presented a press release for Mason County Department of Health Services to recognize Oakland Bay Pediatrics for outstanding achievement in attaining an 82% immunization rate in 2003. Their rate far surpasses both state and national immunization rates for 2002. The National Immunization Survey for 2002 places Washington State at 69.2% and the national rate at 74.8% for the 4:3:1:3:3 immunization series. The Board of Health members presented a plaque to the Oakland Bay Pediatrics staff. Mr. Kutz stated the rate achieved by the Oakland Bay Pediatric staff required an effort by all of the staff. Each year the Department of Health goes to the clinics and performs a survey for statistical data. There are many components to keeping records of immunizations. Oakland Bay Pediatrics has achieved the highest rate seen in Mason County. Cmmr. Johnson commented that he was impressed by the 82% when he compares it to the state and national figures. He stated it was a tremendous accomplishment by the Oakland Bay Pediatric staff. Mr. Kutz talked about the staff in the Personal Health Department and how they participate in the success of the immunization program. Mr. Kutz gave a brief description of Ms. Smith, Ms. Johnson and Ms. Cochran's contributions to the immunization program. He explained each of the complex tasks performed by the department staff to ensure the health and safety of each patient receiving the vaccines. The health department staff is responsible for checking quality controls of each clinic in the county that receives vaccines. The clerical staff in the Personal Health Department maintains a database of all vaccines given to each patient in Mason County. Mr. Kutz stated the flu vaccine must be kept at a certain temperature inside of a refrigerator. The staff is required to log the temperature and rotate stock prior to its expiration date. He stated it is a requirement to have an emergency generator for electrical backup for this refrigerator because of the vaccine. He acknowledged Mr. Rutter's maintenance staff and the importance they have for maintaining the integrity of the vaccine by ensuring the electrical and backup system are working properly. Cmmr. Kamin thanked the Oakland Bay Pediatric and the personal health staffs for their dedication to ensuring the children in our community are immunized and healthy. Cmmr. Johnson asked if the records that are entered into the database are available to the parents. MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS MAY 6, 2004 - 4 Mr. Kutz replied, yes and often times other clinics will also call for a copy of the record. ENVIROMENTAL HEALTH ISSUES National Drinking Water Week: Ms. Debbie Riley, Environmental Health Manager introduced Arleen Hyatt, Environmental Health Specialist. Ms. Riley thanked the Board for approving and recognizing the importance of drinking water by Proclaiming National Drinking Water Week as May 2-8, 2004. Ms. Hyatt is the drinking water program staff person. Ms. Hyatt stated she had taken over the drinking water program one year ago. She presented a power point presentation on the sanitary survey and the process involved. The primary purpose of her program is public health. She commented on the sanitary survey as her most effective tool for protecting the public health. The survey is an inspection that identifies any conditions that may present a public health risk. She explained there are two types of public water systems that are inspected group A and group B. In Mason County there are 216 active and 52 inactive group A systems, and 600 active and 79 inactive group B public water systems. Ms. Hyatt stated she was responsible for all of the water systems in Mason County. She has created a web site for drinking water. It contains all the forms and packets for drinking water systems. There are also links to the State Department of Health (DOH) web page. Ms. Hyatt stated she has set goals by using the sanitary survey project as her tool. Her goals include public health safety, educating the small water system managers and gathering data to identify improvements needed. Ms. Hyatt stated many of the group B water system managers have limited education and training in the requirement of providing a public utility and about water quality regulations. She does identify the training that the managers may need and finds resources for them to get the information. She provides a list of free training's that DOH offers. Ms. Hyatt described the inspection she performs for each survey. She provided the Board with a copy of her checklist that she inspects. The checklist that she completes is entered into a database and sent to the DOH. They keep an updated database of all the water systems in the state. Ms. Hyatt spoke about the resources for the program. The program is funded by a grant as pass through money from DOH. For the surveys she performs DOH pays $500.00 for group A and $325.00 for group B. The current status for sanitary surveys of group B systems are ahead of schedule. There are 100 surveys to perform in 2004 and at the end of April, 35 of them have been completed and submitted. There were 19 group A surveys to be performed in 2004 and at the end of April, 7 of them have been completed and submitted. The complete power point presentation given by Ms. Hyatt is available at the Environmental Health Department. Cmmr. Kamin asked if the group B systems are ahead of schedule. Ms. Hyatt replied that they are ahead of schedule, and she is getting a fabulous response from the water system managers. Cmmr. Baze asked how inspection fees received by the State funding offset Ms.Hyatt's position. MASON COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH PROCEEDINGS MAY 6, 2004 - 5 Ms. Riley replied the State funding received has allowed the water system position to be increased from .3 FTE to a full time position. The program originally was not operated properly and now that it is being managed correctly the funding available is enough to support a full time position. If the state stops funding the sanitary surveys the county will pick up the cost to continue surveying the systems. Cmmr. Kamin thanked Ms. Hyatt for her efficiency and her presentation. Update: Ms. Riley presented the Board with an update of the Certified Contractor list. Ms.Riley announced the changes that have been updated on the list. Environmental Health Waivers/Variances: None OTHER None PUBLIC COMMENT None ADJOURNED The meeting was adjourned at 10:57 a.m. due to no further business. HEALTH OFFICER MarIF1ucksess, Health Office BOARD OF HEALTH MASON COUNTY, WASHINGTON Katnin, C air+erson Wesley( Johnn, Commissioner Herb Baze, Commissioner