2022-02-15-BOH-min - Laserfiche WebLink

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Dr. Heiger-Bernays — Yes, Mr. Flynn — Yes. Motion carried. All in favor. Unanimously moved. Lexington Mask Mandate and COVID update Dr. Heiger-Bernays gave an update of Covid-19, the situation in Lexington, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, and the US in order to review mask mandate in Lexington. • Covid-19 cases in wastewater has gone way down, consistent with the numbers of Covid-19 cases. Covid-19 cases were still being reported. • The home testing results don't appear in the electronic database that are reported by the State. • PCR testing is going down as people received their home tests, which is consistent with data from the state. There is still good surveillance testing going on with people who are working at universities where they're required to be tested once or twice a week. • Omicron remains a highly transmissible variant. It has a very short incubation period. Some evidence shows home tests do not detect Covid-19 in people who are not symptomatic. • New evidence shows 30% of people remain infectious after five days of isolation. • Children under 12 cannot have boosters and children under five cannot be vaccinated. • It is recognized that Covid-19 cases have increased routinely after school break. March 151h is two weeks after February school break. • Available tools to protect health are: vaccination — boosters when possible, ventilation of indoor spaces, use of well-fitting masks. • Residents in Lexington have elevated rates of vaccination compared with many other communities. • Effective and consistent masking is critical to reduce risk under the new isolation and quarantine periods. If people cannot effectively mask and may be subject to longer home isolation or quarantine, regardless of vaccination status. • It is clear that masks are effective. • Only 58% of Lexington residents are boosted. Dr. Julie Hackett, Superintendent of Schools and Karen Rufo, Director of School Health Services spoke to the Board and gave an update on the Lexington School district. Ms. Rufo sent a letter to the Board on behalf of school nurse. Dr. Hackett urged the Board to consider keeping the mass mandate until March 15, so that schools can get through those couple of weeks post vacation. Then masks could be voluntary when the mask mandate ends. Schools will continue to do weekly Covid-19 pooled testing as well as participating in the at home antigen test program. Ms. Rufo stated there will be vaccine clinics at the schools. There will be three more clinics through March 151h. People will have enough time to get vaccination by extending mask mandate to March 15th. Dr. Hackett recommended keeping mask mandate in place until March 15th. Dr. Geller stated he would like to remove the mask the mandate sooner than March 15th, even by one week. Mr. Flynn stated the mask mandate in Lexington applying to public spaces excluded schools. Schools are not within Board's authority. Dr. Heiger-Bernays expressed we are one community, 5