Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 30 Dec 2021

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From YouTube: Board of County Commissioners Open Session December 30, 2021

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https://www.carrollcountymd.gov

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Okay good morning, I'm commissioner ed rothstein wishing everyone has had a very merry christmas.

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For those that have um celebrated and are preparing for a healthy and happy new year, looking.

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Forward to 2022 being better and more prosperous in 2021, as we all work together um called this.

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uh Session a little short notice, I appreciate the um the opportunity to gather with.

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Our experts and our team here in carroll county, but before we get into that information.

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uh Discussion, let us, as always rise for the pledge of allegiance and a moment of silence.

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Okay, for uh those that are watching uh or going to follow um this meeting, we have.

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uh The ceo of our carroll county hospital, gary hoover, the head of our health department, sue doyle,.

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And rob black her deputy. We have mike robinson the head of our fire and ems, along with sheriff dewees.

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um Our sheriff in carroll county and on the dice, as you see we have uh my colleagues.

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Commissioner, boucher fraser and weaver and commissioner wants is virtual at this time.

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The intent of this- and uh you know, and I'm going to kick this off- was to provide information for.

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Me and my colleagues and the community to then have the conversation on what steps need to be.

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Made if they need to be made in moving forward uh with the with the challenges that have been.

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Continuing to rise, uh the catalyst has been conversations that I've been having with.

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You know my colleagues and those that are going to be talking in just a couple minutes.

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um Specifically as well, especially with our hospital uh situation and having met with the.

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State health department and health officials the other day the prudent measure was to have this.

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Meeting this morning, so I appreciate the short notice in our staff spin and especially uh chris.

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Really appreciate the work that you're doing in getting us all together for us and with that.

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Said unless there's opening comments? Oh well, I just had to say I'm glad we're having this.

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The way that the virus is spreading so forth and everything's going on around us, I think.

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We it's good to have this conversation, have all get all the information up front. So if.

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What and if we're going to do, we have all the information here, because the more information.

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You have the better decisions you can make. So it's good to have everybody here discussing.

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This and I appreciate everyone- that's here virtual and the people that came here in person.

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I do appreciate all that because it's it's just going to make for a better meeting.

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Better understanding of the situation, I agree, I think, as we're moving into this. We.

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Need to get updated information almost daily now things are changing fast, so we need to look it.

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Calling this meeting up because I think it's reassuring to the public, so thank you very much.

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Okay, commissioner, lance you have.

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No, I agree uh the more information we have, the better. We can be moving forward and.

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Appreciate everybody taking the time out of their busy schedules this week to uh to be here thanks.

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Okay, and as uh commissioner wants reminds me, along with many others, uh the value that we.

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Have in everything we do is the transparency in the discussions and decisions that we make.

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Here in carroll county uh and for the county and for our community, so this is just another.

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Step in doing that, um we do welcome a public comment. uh We have folks in the room, along with.

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uh Possibly folks online and we'll find out about that. In addition, the last thing I'll say is: we did.

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Receive uh we being, I know, my colleagues and I received a handful of emails um that were.

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Some more colorful than others uh on different discussion points dealing with uh the situation.

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And we'll leave it at that and they may be highlighted during some of the conversations.

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That we have, um but what I'd like to do um is turn this over. Can I say something about.

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The emails first sure I just want to say I do appreciate all the emails I read all of them. I do.

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And the reason I read them is because there might be something in the email that I haven't.

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Stalled up or considered before so I do appreciate getting all the emails it's another way that we.

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Can gather all the information that we that we can before making a decision, so I do appreciate them.

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The tones and some of them, I don't appreciate, but that's the way it is. I understand that, but.

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I do keep sending emails. I appreciate it. Okay, um public comment right now is scheduled for the.

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End of our conversation, um however, let's see where this goes and we may end up having public comments.

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In the middle or after a couple of uh discussions that we have that are provided from.

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uh The hospital and health department and we'll we'll go from there so.

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Mr hoover, our ceo of carroll, county hospital life bridge, why don't you.

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Get us started good morning, commissioners. Thank you for the invitation again. Hopefully,.

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You can hear me as as well as see my screen. Give me a thumbs up if we're good.

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Okay, very good. Thank you. A lot of this information, I'm going to share with you and I'll ask my expert.

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Colleagues from the health department, keep me honest if you see something different, but this was.

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Fresh out of a maryland hospital association call that I participated this morning on with about 100.

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Leaders from across the state, including hopkins, um's, etc, and the state of maryland, is setting.

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Some new records for cases and hospitalizations. I have some graphs that I'll go through shortly.

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We've reached daily levels with more than ten thousand cases and over two thousand hospital.

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uh Hospitalizations, the seven day, positivity rate that was reported on the mha call, is 19.31.

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Percent and that places maryland 10th on the list across the country in terms of new cases.

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And hospitalizations not a record that we're proud of at this point across lifebridge our in-house.

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Covent positive continues to be extremely high. We have over 200 cases in our facilities. This is as.

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Of yesterday I I don't have for the other entities today, but I will tell you: our numbers have gone up.

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Again I'll show you a graph on that as well. We are reinstituting most of the cdc guidance around.

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Personal protective equipment that was initially laid out in waves, one and two specifically that.

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N95S and eye protection are now required by our staff that are providing clinical interaction that.

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Any plexiglas barriers that may have been removed are now being reinstalled in public facing areas.

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Our social distancing, signage in all areas, that's being reinstalled as well.

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Our staffing is extremely challenged with the volumes the acuity levels, staff shortages.

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Etc, and throughout these challenges we continue to have many of our partners experiencing the.

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Same level of challenge, be it transport sniff placements they're having their own share.

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Of of challenges, the only thing that we have not reinstituted is further restrictions on.

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Our visitation policy at this point and the main reason being uh we may need those family members.

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To help be caregivers with us by bedside, and that is something that we are evaluating each day I'll.

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Go on to the next slide: this is maryland's new cases. You can see the spike uh to the far right.

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At 10 10 873 uh new cases, this was as of december 28th. It has gone up further since that date.

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And there is the seven day, positivity rate at 19.3 percent.

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Here's lifebridge statistics: this is a stacked uh trendline graph. If you will the gray area.

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Indicates carroll hospital that number shows 52. It's actually 56 covet positive in-house. This.

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Morning, out of the census of 181, keep in mind we're licensed at 161 bed facility northwest at.

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61 and sinai had 87.. uh I know this number has increased among my sister facilities as well.

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Just to show you the volume of activity, uh these are three separate graphs. What are typical average.

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Daily census, our critical care unit and emergency department visits look like on a daily basis.

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These bar graphs indicate each paid period over the last I'll call it 20 months. You can see that.

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Far left hand side the bar graph, that is red vertical, as well as the horizontal.

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Red graph indicates pre-covet volumes before we entered this pandemic. What were our typical daily.

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Volumes, that's that red bar graph that you're looking at so as a point of reference. You can see.

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Our average daily census well above that pre-pandemic level, our census this morning.

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Was 181 and we're starting virtually every day, 170s 180s we've been as high as 199.

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This morning it was 181 our critical care unit. Our average daily census pre pandemic was seven to.

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Eight patients per day we're overflowing now for the last several weeks, we've had 10 12 14. We have.

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Several patients in imc that are not in a critical care bed, but from a classification.

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Standpoint, they're critical patients, so you can see how we've exceeded that's the middle graph.

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That I'm referring to that says ccu adc average daily census. You can see we're at 14 right now.

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And our ed visits per day, uh we were averaging right around 130 pre-pandemic. We are back at.

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That volume, the difference this time is the acuity level and the number of coveted.

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Patients that we're seeing coming through the emergency department, just as a snapshot of the.

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Level of activity that's occurring with several key indicators at your hospital.

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I know this is an eye chart. I apologize for this, but I want to draw your attention. These are.

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uh Three separate graphs in one view, october november december, that shows the number of.

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Event, days and isolation days and covet positive patients and just look at how this is trending.

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Unique vent patients and patient vent days in october 186 and unique vent.

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Patients of 34. in november 203 total event days, 45 unique vent patients and now we've jumped up to.

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307 in december and I'm projecting we haven't peaked yet I believe january is going to be.

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Even more difficult, I don't see, I don't see us spiking uh and peaking until the end of january.

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Total isolation days in december, 1361 almost double what it was in november.

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So status actually today, instead of yesterday house census, 181 ccu still at 14., covet positives.

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Have increased to 56, we have 11 vents that are in use. uh In the last 24 hours we had 125 ed.

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Visits we have 21, patients that are boarding in our er means they're waiting for a bed to free up.

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And, quite honestly, we discharge about 25 to 30 patients per day. We get that many or more in.

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Admissions per day, so we're not gaining any ground in terms of capacity. We continue to operate on red.

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And yellow alert on a regular basis, what does that mean for those who are not medical red means that.

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The hospital has no monitored beds available in critical care, telemetry or throughout the house.

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That are all in use and yellow means that the ed is temporarily requesting that we receive no.

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Patients in need of urgent medical care, so we are operating just like the majority of.

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Hospitals across the state on red and yellow on a regular basis, our wonderful partners, our ems.

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We've asked them to go on reroute multiple times. Michael's team has done a fabulous job, cooperating.

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We very very rarely ask for reroute so know that things are critical when that's happening.

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We continue to operate in phase two of our search plan. What does that mean? Well, we have.

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We have separate phases, the the phase two we're implementing nurse extenders. These are nurses that.

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May not have practiced bedside for many years. They may be in quality in education or their.

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Community navigators care coordinators or they may be actively working in our pacu, our or surgical.

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Services or wound care or cardiac rehab, any number of other outpatient areas. They are now being.

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Extenders on our units, because we don't have a sufficient number of staff or resources to manage.

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The volume of patients that we're dealing with we have also implemented a reduction in our ors.

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This has created some discussion across the state. Are we canceling all cases and doing emergent only.

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Not yet, I know that governor hogan is evaluating that, but we have reduced our capacity by 40.

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At carroll hospital, our surgical leadership reviews cases every day based on emergent, need.

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Resource needs bed availability. Are there going to be patients that will be admitted to critical care.

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All of those factors are evaluated on a daily basis and unfortunately there are certain.

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Elective cases that are being delayed or postponed because of those resource allocation restraints.

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What this happens, what this does is it frees up staff as well as pacu beds. That's.

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A post, anesthesia care unit post surgically we overflow into that for medical needs because.

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We don't have enough uh capacity throughout the rest of the house, so we're using our pacu beds.

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As monitor beds for other patients and the other message I'll send out- and you know, we still have.

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Community members saying you know I can't get a test, so they show up to the emergency department.

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Mildly symptomatic requesting a coded test. Please don't use the emergency department for testing.

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Needs you know, I know that sounds like common sense, but you'd be amazed at how many patients.

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Show up on a daily basis asking to be tested, so I know that we're working with our health department.

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Colleagues and hoping to scale that up, we've also been reaching out for support in order to do more.

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Aggressive testing- and I I believe, that's part of dr wack and sue's presentation, but I will.

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Pause there, that's the status of the hospital, I'm open to any questions. I do have a question for you.

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If we're continuing to operate on red and yellow alert and yellow means that you're requesting to.

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Receive new patients in need of urgent medical care, other hospitals in the region have the same.

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How far away do these patients have to go to get some some care, and how long does it take them to.

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Get there because it says urgent medical care and if you got to put them it just it just seems such.

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A terrible situation, it is, it absolutely is, and very rarely is it requested. It's probably a better.

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Question for michael to answer, but I will tell you that we have. We have received patients as.

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Far away as west virginia, uh we have sent patients to hanover to york to gettysburg wherever there's.

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A critical care bed available and- and I can tell you that there is a state process called.

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C4 coordinated care division, uh it is locked up the majority of the time finding a critical care.

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Bet across the state of maryland is extremely difficult right. Now: hey garrett, thanks and.

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I do have uh backup for you, so, uh mr robinson, um if you can just uh share with us your thoughts on.

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Yes, where we're at with uh yellow and red, um certainly and chris, is going to pull up some slide.

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In anticipation of this, I prepared a couple of slides and let me just start out first of all, at.

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8 30 last night after I had another event over the training academy, I stopped by carroll hospital at.

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The request of providers that were there couldn't even get inside of the er because they hold.

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Ambulances and queue at the door to prevent additional contamination. I was met with.

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Four of our county medic units and I quickly went around to check on the acuity of those patients.

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All four of them were what we call pui's, which basically are people that haven't been confirmed.

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But are probable covet infections, out of the four patients, all four of them had temperatures.

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As high as 104 degrees, they all had respiratory distress, they had low oxygen saturation levels.

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So I proceeded from there to meet with the charge nurse and again we put carol on a re-route.

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Status and reroute supersedes red and yellow alert and what it means essentially is.

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That no one can come to the er that you're to bypass everything, and the purpose of that is to.

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Give them some uh room to clear out patients, so I told the charge nurse we would start out with.

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A three hour reroute: that's it now quarter to nine, so a little bit after midnight. I believe.

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We went off of that status, so the challenge is to answer. The questions is: where do we take patients.

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At that point well, at the same time, we did that the next hospitals in our immediate catchment.

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Area which are the lifebridge facilities at northwest and sinai as well as fmh gettysburg.

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And hanover they're all in a similar status, so we have gone beyond and reached our critical mass.

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Status, there's nowhere else to take people, I'm watching the news this morning. I see that.

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The hospital systems in york, pennsylvania, they're, going to be getting some federal strike teams and.

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I had made that recommendation to mims the state ems several weeks ago at a meeting, and I don't.

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Know where they are on that, I believe they've requested some federal assets, but what we need is.

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If simply maryland calls in their assets, all that's going to do is rob from the nurses.

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And the ems people- and it's not going to accomplish anything mike if you can unpack this.

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For a second yeah, so what we're seeing is just mems stands for and what is federal strike terms.

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Mems is maryland institute for emergency medical services systems, so they're the.

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State agency, which is a direct report to the governor that regulates ems care to.

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Include things like hospital categorization, they maintain the red and yellow alert status system.

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And everything else in between so we're meeting weekly with all the partners in the ems community.

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In the medical community and we're doing a call, we had one yesterday and really no immediate.

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Solutions but I'll talk about some things that we're initiating uh here in carroll county first.

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Of all we're seeing an increase in responses of about 15 to 20 percent daily, and these calls and.

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I know chris weinbrenner is putting together and coordinating among the health department.

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The hospital and fire and ems uh some press releases and some things that will be timely,.

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We've got to get people to stop calling 9-1-1 and to stop coming to the emergency room.

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Because there is nowhere to put them on top of that, we're seeing some staffing issues.

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Which right now are all the burden of that is on the 13 companies that operate ambulances.

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And the challenges are, is the majority of our people are part-time people? They work full-time.

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For other regional fire departments and they're, either being held over in their jobs, they're being.

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Stressed out to the point that they don't want to work, so we potentially have a staffing crisis and.

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I'm working every day with the cc visa people to try to head that off, and there have been days when.

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We're actually understaffed, which means it might take two or three ambulances to make up one crew.

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On the scene and that's something we just have to monitor and our contingencies basically are.

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We're working as much as we can, but the the critical nature of this is such that we're.

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Exhausting just about everything we can and we might be looking for assistance, the strike teams.

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Are groupings of healthcare, healthcare, staffing, primarily nurses,.

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Nurse practitioners pas and even physicians, that would be deployed through the department of health.

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And human services in the form of what we call a dmacc team disaster, medical assistance, team.

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Essentially, a self-contained hospital and really where we need to be is we need more.

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Surge facilities, so, if you call 9-1-1 all of our hospitals are on a reroute, we might take you.

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Downtown to the convention center, where they've got a super er set up, but the result of that even.

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Though we're taking you 25 miles out of carroll county, the result is in two or three hours. They.

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Can do a comprehensive workup, provide you with some medications to take home and if they're.

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Resource intensive we can make that happen quickly. It may be that you need to place one of those in.

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A tent outside of the er and that that's a long-term uh strategy hospital waiting times.

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For our ambulances and medic units, we had an issue the other day, a six-hour wait.

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Time and talking to some of our partners and other jurisdictions I found out this morning.

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Baltimore washington, medical center in glen burnie, they had an ambulance that arrived.

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Last night from anne arundel county at 6 15, they got out of the hospital at 6 30 this morning.

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So over 12-hour waiting time because they didn't even have a chair uh to put that patient in so so.

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This is like a kid with a broken arm from, like you know, commissioner frazier, as we all know,.

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Is a okay wrestling coach right but uh says one of his kids or one of his opponents. Kids.

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You know just looking at the shoulder and there you go you're a champion.

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And then um it's brought in by ambulance they're now waiting in the ambulance for six hours.

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Before being seen, potentially yes, okay and again, the other option is, is urgent care and.

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Most of the urgent care is because they've never experienced anything of this. They just don't.

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Have the capability for the processing and the logistics involved? So to me the only option is: is.

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We're going to have to set up some of these surge facilities at strategic locations in the state.

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Our other challenge- I don't know chris, can you advance this for me.

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If I may direct where I'm saying, if we're having problems, staffing, what we already have, how are we.

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Going to stamp the search facilities do we need to call it the national guard? What is the options.

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Well, the national guard, unfortunately, a lot of their medically trained people work as paramedics.

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In fire departments or their nurses in er, so a state solution really is not going to accomplish.

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A whole lot we're to the point where we need. You know political things to be. Turning for.

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Federal assets and the federal assets are available. Like I said, pennsylvania has some coming.

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Maryland, I think, is trying to do that. Are you saying human resource assets? Yes, human resources.

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But also the logistics uh in the post-9 11 world maryland received lots of funding.

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Through the urban area security initiative- and there are capabilities- even here in.

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Carroll county to set up a surge facility, but we need the human resources to staff.

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Such a facility um we're meeting this afternoon uh with emergency management and we've been meeting.

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About two or three times a week, just to look at things on a daily basis right here is yesterday.

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Afternoon this shows region, three, which is the baltimore standard, metropolitan statistical area.

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These are all the hospitals, I think it's 16 total and there's the yellow alerts. Where you see the.

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White lines, those are not applicable. Hospitals such as johns hopkins peds, which doesn't fall.

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Into red and yellow alert and the shock trauma center, these are the re-routes. At that same time,.

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And everything you see in gray, which is all the hospitals, means they're at maximum capacity, so.

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It's not a question of as garrett elaborated. It's not a question of just doing some strategic.

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Initiatives we're beyond all of that. I've been doing this for 46 years and I have never seen.

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Anything of this level, this isn't like a a hurricane or a tornado, which is time.

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Limited we're looking now, especially with the omicron variant, that given saturation events that.

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Occurred on christmas were now starting, probably yesterday, and into this weekend going to see.

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Another surge and then beyond that another surge. So this is something that may take 30 days to.

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Get under control, but the other trend that we're seeing, I know of at least two ems providers right.

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Now, in our system that are positive and we don't know what else has been going on, I put out what's.

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Known as a general order, this past friday to all the stations- and I talked to the cc visa folks.

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Making recommendations for mandatory social distancing and fire stations mandatory masking and.

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Highly encourage that fire companies re-evaluate uh some of their fundraising events, so I spoke.

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To the president of reese on friday, convinced them to cancel their bingo, they had an event.

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Last week, with their election, where they had 85 people in a room with the positive tested person.

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We set up an op, an option for testing, so we're addressing all the things as they.

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Happen but again with this scenario that you see here, this is a daily basis. A couple.

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Initiatives that we're going to be putting in place chris, if I can get the next slide.

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And here's some data from december, the 1st through december, the 29th.

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Just at carroll hospital, 686 hours of red alert, 507 hours of yellow alert and 31 hours of reroute.

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Which is something that we initiate as the fire ems once we go there and make a face to face so.

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Today, we're going to begin an initiative through the state called direct to triage, which means.

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When our patients come in on a stretcher, we have a way if they're not acute, to put them in the er.

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Almost immediately and that's a process, I'm just waiting for mims to give us the opportunity to.

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Throw the switch- and that will begin today and that will allow us to process our patients quicker.

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Providing the ed has at least a chair to put them in, but quite frankly they don't have that. I'm.

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Looking at I'm having some additional stretchers out at the training academy, where we can offload.

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A patient go pick up a spare stretcher and then maybe leave the stretchers behind with maybe one.

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Ambulance looking over two or three ambulances to try to get our people back on the street, so.

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The turnover of our ambulances is a big issue and carol has been extremely cooperative, we're having.

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A dialogue and again, as with any crisis, we're going to be dealing with the human dynamics.

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People are going to be short fused. Last night I watched patients for a couple of minutes, so.

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One of our medic units could go out and sit on the picnic table at the ambulance, unloading area.

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And eat their lunch, and this was at nine o'clock. So um when you have people that aren't getting.

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Their basic human needs met, we start to have additional issues and it's a cascading effect.

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uh With everything else, so we have guidelines that are there. If I can see the next slide.

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And one of the things that we have that we've implemented is: this is a check off sheet that.

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When we go into a residence or into a facility and if the patients are in the negative areas,.

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Then we recommend to them. When we tell them, you do not meet the criteria for transportation. We.

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Would like you to sign a refusal form, it's still up to that patient, whether or not they want to go.

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So there may need to be some kind of a legislative initiative that you know puts some controls.

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uh That are in place, um but that's probably not gonna be that possible, because then we've run.

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Into a whole lot of legal issues, hospitals, obviously- and this is a long-term issue-.

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Things like tort reform would go a long way because somebody comes into a hospital.

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In the midst of a pandemic, then there is a litany of things that have to be done.

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In terms of medical procedures, and things like that, that people aren't going to.

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Shy away from because of the liability involved, so bottom line is we're doing everything on our end.

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We're modifying procedures, we're working with the hospitals and moving forward.

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I'm going to be meeting with the cc visa people we're going to have to look at other strategies.

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It may be that we need to request, starting with our oem, making a request to mema to maybe get.

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Additional strike teams, which would be five ambulances at the advanced life support level.

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In a leader, we might pre-deploy them somewhere, like our training academy, at least during day time,.

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When we see our surge and those five, ambulances are ten ambulances and there are federal assets.

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In place to bring up to a thousand ambulances and medic units into a region, uh they did this in the.

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Metro new york area two summers ago when the first surge occurred so we're looking at all options and.

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Again, our bottom line is is to provide consistent service to the citizens, so when they call 9-1-1.

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We can have an immediate response, uh be timely and provide a consistent quality of care. So that's our.

G

Bottom line, so what I was going to ask is what you're saying is: some of this is direct effects.

A

Of coping 19, yes you're, seeing but a lot of what you're describing are really the secondary effects.

A

Yeah 19 that the hospital is at capacity because of the 56 coca-19 patients that are there now.

G

Correct and the net effect in the community is doctor's offices are.

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Refusing to see certain patients, the urgent cares are overloaded and one of the key elements and.

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We're working on that through chris is between the health department. The hospital and ems is getting.

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The public education element out there. So, yes, we know you have covid, but there's nothing medically.

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Available in a hospital, that's any different from a patient staying at home, so the home isolation.

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And again, people knowing when to pull the trigger because the level of acuity increases. So they.

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Start to have a significant fever they're having trouble breathing, which is becoming more and more.

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Difficult, and with that other signs and symptoms, however, the 56 that are in the hospital and gary.

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If you can answer this one for me, those are those that are in critical need that need.

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To be in the hospital uh carriage, you have the breakdown of the 56 that are in the hospital.

A

You know the demographics of those 56 uh just shine a little bit of you know, light on that.

D

It's a very good uh question you proposed there. I do give give me a second and I'll bring it up.

F

Hold on a second come back to that question. We do take a look at the age cohort. I will say this.

F

This latest uh omicron variant is affecting a younger population, at least what we're seeing.

F

We actually had a 40 and a 41 year old that were both in our critical care unit.

F

Passed away this past week, so it is affecting a younger population.

F

um uh Move on to the next topic- and let me dig up some of my data here, okay, I I appreciate that yeah.

A

Go ahead mike continue, or did you have more yeah, just our other issue and I'm doing a preemptive.

G

Strike on that is our potential for supply chain issues. um Fortunately, carroll county has been.

G

Proactive and we have a huge stockpile of ppe, but that may not be our critical area. An example is.

G

During my time at the hospital last evening, one of our medic units went through two oxygen cylinders.

G

We typically don't even use a single cylinder on a call. We have piped in oxygen in the ambulances.

G

So we verify with our suppliers oxygen's something that they can manufacture quickly. The.

G

Other part of this is things like medications, and particularly those who support respiratory effort.

G

We have a contract with carroll hospital. I talked with their.

G

Incident commander they've gone into the incident command system there and she's.

G

Checked with the pharmacy they're checking with their suppliers, another area that we have.

G

Is the monitoring of respiratory status, the probes that we use? I contacted our vendor.

G

And they're, looking at a national shortage of a probe for a device that we have called entitled.

G

Co2 monitoring, which tells you how well you're ventilating and what other things we need to do.

G

There's a potential for a nationwide shortage of that particular item and there may be other.

G

Things coming so again as commissioner ross dean alluded to. This has a significant cascading effect.

G

Upon other areas, including supply, including human resources and then our whole ability to protect.

G

uh The environments that we're in and you know as more people get affected, people are simply.

G

Going to be calling out not showing up to work and again the continuing impact from this I was.

A

Told that pulsar you mentioned pulse ox. I was told that um pole, socks and a very low saturation and.

A

People don't even know they're at such a low saturation, yes, and as a former coved patient. I.

G

Had my own pulse ox and I know when I sat at home last year with it, I went down to a a dangerously.

G

Low level where most people would have gone to the hospital, so the reality to that is people are.

G

Maybe in a critical condition at home, they don't know it. So we've got to be very careful.

G

With our public education message that we aren't deterring people from calling 9-1-1 and coming.

G

To the hospital, when they reach that level of acuity, where they need to cross over and get some.

G

Professional assistance, that's what I've shared any questions. I just have one question here.

C

A lot of times covet is not the initial infection. Sometimes it's a secondary infection.

C

And I know we have flu and other things going in the community.

C

You know somebody becomes infected with that. The immune system becomes compromised and they come.

C

In contact with code- and it really hits them, is that happening with a lot of these? Are you seeing.

G

What we're seeing in the trends is, most of these people are and I'll use that word sparingly.

G

Because I think I'm in that category, you know they're senior level people a lot of people are.

G

Coming from our nursing facilities, which is also becoming problematic, because I think the nursing.

G

And extended care community could do a lot more in place versus referring these patients. We.

G

Had a call westminster last night, somebody had a failure of a urinary catheter, but that failure had.

G

Been going on for four days and they're calling 9-1-1 at 10 o'clock at night, so more could be.

G

Done in those facilities, but commissioner weaver you're right on target, we have what are known as.

G

Comorbidity factors so the average person reaches an age and a large population percentage at.

G

A certain age is type 2 diabetics. They have copd, including emphysema and asthma, which are.

G

Significant comorbidity factors, on top of that we have the flu and the cold season so again,.

G

Prevention vaccinations. We can't say enough about that, so we have people that are chronically ill.

G

And on top of that, they now get the kovid viral strain either omicron delta, whatever it may be,.

G

And that complicates things to the point that they think it may be their regular health condition. Now.

G

They're waiting they get very sick and now they're calling us right. What about younger uh generation.

C

uh 20 year olds, 30 year olds, without sitting seeing money because most of them have very.

G

Good immune systems, um a lot of them have some resistance, so a lot of them are probably getting.

G

It and they're never getting tested, they may be spreading it, but they're staying where they are.

G

In the workplace, um you know and I'll use our ems population as an example, most of those.

G

People engaged in ems are in a younger category, 40 years of age and down to 16 years of age. They.

G

Have higher levels of immunity, they're active nutritional things? All those factors are in place.

G

That they're probably more resistant, and we also are overlooking the fact of people.

G

That may have had coved that have that built-in immunity and we're really underestimating that.

G

And, and not really taking advantage of the fact that, while some of those people may not be.

G

Vaccinated, they have natural immunity and I don't want to put you too much on the spot. We do have.

A

Health department we got yeah you've got experts out there, doctor no you're.

A

Absolutely an expert in there, your 46 years of experience, says a lot, um but.

A

We do have dr wagon sue on as well that can probably address those specifics directly.

A

And also you know, garrett can share with us uh again the demographics, the numbers as far as.

A

The ages and things like that that are in the hospitals, uh we're in the hospital right now.

A

So anything else, you know what would almost terrifies me, but it really does. Is.

A

The supply chain concerns, I mean probes and other things that you would typically.

A

Need and use in transport or life-saving measures are now in it's all terrifying. You don't have.

B

To supply people that are that have some urgent medical needs might not be able to go to hospital.

B

Here might be transported 40 miles, 25 miles away all that transport time I mean things can happen.

B

There I just it's all, just a cascading effect and it's it's it's terrible. It's terrible! That's why.

B

We're meeting to get this information and see if we can help mitigate this in any way, because.

B

This is a crisis, and it has we have to. We have to deal with this crisis.

D

Director, I am thoroughly impressed with your leadership on this. The same with president hoover.

D

These briefings are fantastic for the public. I want to ask: have we lost anyone, while in our.

D

Transportation custody as emergency services, or are we going to maintain when we have someone.

D

Waiting, we haven't lost, anyone have we no, I mean. Obviously, we have some critical patients that we.

G

May transport in respiratory failure: respiratory arrest, while while there are costs that we haven't.

D

Lost anyone as up to date correct um no other than people that have other medical conditions.

G

Normally but but if you're measuring something by death, I think we have a problem yeah. I think.

H

Well, I just want to make sure that we got to that point no, but we're measuring if we're measuring.

A

Death, that's one thing: if we're measuring people that are, unfortunately, are getting sicker because.

A

Of delays, right and because of uh more anxiety and angst and um frustration uh of loved ones,.

A

And others, especially during this time, that's another category and that you know uh hits us.

A

All personal I mean I've shared it before you know my other, they don't die, but they go through.

A

Situations that they shouldn't have to go through because of this right, so measuring death is not.

A

The measuring stick, something we don't want. Our ultimate goal is to save lives, yes, and just as.

G

A final comment, commissioner: frazier summed it up, is we're in a crisis. There's nothing.

G

To define, there's nothing to discover the data is there. What we now need to do is be.

G

Proactively in a continuous quest for solutions as this progresses to the next level and what.

G

I want to say is and as a newcomer to carroll county government is I'm very impressed with.

G

The collaborative effort that's going on between health department, the lifebridge health system.

G

Emergency management, fire ems, the sheriff everybody is working in partnership and I.

G

Can tell you, from the perspective of my office is we're working every day every hour to assure.

G

That things are being met and we need to maintain that collaboration and, uh along with that, you know.

G

Manage the stress levels and maintain our composure, because without effective leadership,.

G

And I commend you all for your initiative without your leadership to drive this uh we're going to.

G

Have even more significant problems, so thank you, but you guys are the experts and we need to listen.

D

To you, I'd like to do is um sheriff. If you want come on up and then we'll uh take it home before.

A

Open discussion with the health department right: um what's that yeah, you know I'll get that um yeah.

A

uh Garrett before uh hand off to the sheriff, um if you can break down the numbers, that'd be awesome.

F

Yeah, I do have some data. Unfortunately, I don't have yesterday's data, but I can tell you an.

F

Aggregate uh of all the covid patients this past year that we have taken care of.

F

22 percent were in the age 60 to 69. Category 16 were in the 50 to 59 category age. Cohort 10 were.

F

In the 40 to 49 age cohort, another 10 were 39 or under and the remaining 40 or whatever, that is 43.

F

Are 70 and above so it's it's affecting all age cohorts uh I'm still trying to get the data on.

F

What was yesterday's age breakdown? I just want to echo and then out then I'll be quiet, but thank.

F

You for asking uh echo michael's comments about the supply challenges. We we have a very robust.

F

Global supply chain team that works at lifebridge and we're seeing shortages in areas that I never.

F

Would have anticipated blood collection, tubes, uh citrate tubes, feeding products, testing kits.

F

You name it it's! It's really a challenge from a supply standpoint right now,.

A

The um the numbers uh vaccinated unvaccinated as far as uh what you're saying.

F

Last time I looked at it and it wasn't this week it was a couple of weeks ago. 85 were unvaccinated.

F

The 15 percent that are having right food, most of them did not receive a booster. I don't know.

F

The exact percentage, uh but there are some breakthrough cases that are occurring about 15.

F

That have been vaccinated. Typically, most of those individuals have other comorbidity or.

F

Complications that exacerbate the problem- yeah, okay, I appreciate it um steve did you have.

A

Something commissioner wentz. That was my question. uh You know we're skating around the very fact of.

E

Of the bird that's being put on our first responders and um our nurses and doctors and.

E

Etc, etc, uh with the very fact that that huge number of people are unvaccinated.

E

uh Which leads to the point of you, know, uh asymptomatic uh being able to stay at home uh and.

E

And you know those facts I believe are critically needed so that we can make great decisions here.

E

And I appreciate that, and I also want to point out while I appreciate mike robinson's.

E

Incredible report there: let's not forget the fact that 75 percent of the folks that we're.

E

Talking about on our first responder group are volunteers, so they're actually doing this on.

E

Their own and putting their own health at risk and not getting any compensation for that whatsoever.

E

I don't want to get that lost in the fact, but those two things I I want to point out and.

E

Vaccinated versus unvaccinated is a huge issue. Yeah really really will say. I appreciate also.

A

The 911 callers and the entire team that it makes or takes for actions to happen. It's not just one.

A

Or the other, but it's you know from like you said, like the collaboration you have with the sheriff's.

A

Department to transport the 9-1-1 caller to get you there, transport to the hospital and move on.

A

From there, but uh good points um sheriff, uh if you can just share with us, you know your thoughts on.

A

What's going on and uh again, if you're seeing some of the challenges, I think stephen, you touched on a.

I

Little bit one of the challenges for mike myself garrett- anybody, that's 24, 7 365- is keeping our.

I

Staff healthy so that they can respond, and it's not only staff, but it's the family members that.

I

Are at home when staff gets there and they become sick. So I run two large 24 7 365 operations. The.

I

Detention center and then law enforcement for the county with some other entities, the courthouse and.

I

And other other smaller units within the county and the struggle has been.

I

Keeping my staff healthy so that they can respond to to these calls, and I I think that.

I

um We've learned an awful lot over the last year and a half to make sure that.

I

um We keep our deputies and and uh in the jail and and out on the road, healthy, their families and so.

I

uh I'll start with law enforcement, we're stressed, there's no two ways about it, but.

I

We're in very good shape and and we're responding effectively, there's no diminished manpower within.

I

Law enforcement- some of the municipalities, have had some issues with kovid and and some of their.

I

Officers, you can imagine a a smaller jurisdiction with five or ten officers that that might have.

I

Two three four or five go down that it completely uh knocks them out. So we've been able to step in.

I

And help those jurisdictions with our manpower and so um there's, there's really uh the the.

I

There is, there is stress within in law enforcement, but I will tell you that if you're someone that.

I

Thinks that we're we're weak right now and that this is a place to come and either commit a crime.

I

Or if you live in this county and you want to commit, commit a crime you're, sadly mistaken.

I

Because not only will we come out and arrest you, but I have a jail. That's open to accept you.

I

And I will accept you, and so I don't want anybody to think that there's any panic! That's going on.

I

In our community there are other jurisdictions around us that are suffering greatly, that that.

I

There is some panic, but here I I assure you that that is not. That is not the case, but.

H

I will tell you that this is this real quickly. This can't happen unless I have.

I

Quality relationships with health department, with garrett's crew, um with mike's crew, with.

I

Everybody that's emergency management that that helps me acquire the the protective.

I

Gear everything that I have the one thing that we've done over the last year that has really.

I

Kind of kept us in the game is the ability to test and determine whether someone.

I

Is uh asymptomatic symptomatic and um pulse oxis, or something that we have? um I have a great staff.

I

That uh that you can imagine and fire and police are all all togetherness. I do have people that.

I

Moonlight as paramedics and and uh emts, I have a risk management. Great gods is my emt that that.

I

Does a lot of testing and one of the things we'll do is we'll throw pulse ox on people just to check.

I

Their oxygen level just to see if see if they are someone that needs some some critical care, but to.

I

Manage our our staff, so they aren't overwhelming hospitals um has been key to keeping us in the.

I

Fight both in the jail and and out on the road did you have something. That's why I was going to.

B

Ask you if you had enough ppe and testing to keep moving forward so that your your people are safe.

I

So the the one of the things that is difficult to get your hands on is rapid tests and I think.

I

The public is starting to realize that rapid tests are difficult. Pcrs are now taking a little longer.

I

For us to get back um so so we're we're dealing with symptomatic deputies and we're also working.

I

With their families, also because if I send a deputy home and and they're with family and.

I

They believe they have code, but then I can't get that deputy back to work, so we will go to houses.

I

That are of our deputies and tests and make sure that uh um that that there's there's not that.

I

Covet issue there we also test for influenza, with the the rapid kits that we have those rapid kits.

I

Aren't cheap? We constantly are ordering hundreds at a time because we're going through them quickly.

I

But it is one of the single things today that has kept us operating in the fight so that there is no.

I

Panic and and they're not rushing to a hospital just asking for a test or to a pharmacy just.

I

Asking for a test or our jail is open. um That is probably the place that that has stressed us. The.

I

Most, you can imagine it's about a little over 40 000 square foot. That building is 150 inmates.

I

And a revolving hundred, um or so with staff, that's in and out we've restricted just about everything.

I

Except for the health department and our medical staff and obviously our kitchen support that comes.

I

In and out of the jail, I think you guys remember a couple weeks ago I presented a video visitation.

I

System that we're in the process of implementing and that will help ease the stress of the inmates.

I

That need to communicate with their with their families and that that's been the.

I

Biggest stress you know, the jail itself is old. um I think I've told all of you this. It's not.

I

Built for 2021 corrections, but man is it built for 2021 pandemic, because it's small housing units.

I

That only have 10 15 people in them each housing unit, and I can move people around strategically.

I

Once I accept them into the jail and I can quarantine them in smaller housing units before.

I

I transition them into a larger population that has been quarantined for a period of time, so we've.

I

Been extremely successful, with keeping the virus out of the jail with the inmate population, because.

I

I have no intention of opening the door and just letting inmates out they're there for a reason.

I

And my intent is to keep them there, but part of my job is to make sure that that building stays.

I

Very healthy and they've done a wonderful job. The deputies have over there. We have a.

I

Mask mandate within the jail and not just a masked mandate right now you either wear an n95 or kn 95.

I

We believe those are the most effective masks for what we're doing. We have hand, hand sanitizing.

I

Stations um scanning and and and assessments before you come in, so the jail is operating.

I

At capacity and and uh we're very successful there, but but again just to reiterate that that.

I

Garrett's staff- I know he goes through this um he's not telling you this, but he's struggling with.

I

With his personnel also to keep them healthy, um mike is everybody that's doing. This is struggling.

I

To keep their their people healthy so that they can go out and serve other people and.

I

And that's important for the public to understand that we're all working together to do that.

I

um But understand when these folks come to your house or they're responding or you go to a.

I

Hospital that that the folks there are struggling also to stay healthy and their families as well.

A

The um going back to the test I mean, is it a weekly basis? I mean you're you're ordering these.

A

Rapid tests we do yeah, I mean we're, we've been ordering them for months, just to get our hands on.

I

The rapid and the ability to have the equipment so that we can test you know we. We do use north carol.

I

High school, our police academy, which is a good open air place to have people respond and do tests.

I

Greg's up there now he was up there yesterday. He seems to be up there every day.

I

And gets calls from people. That said that say, I'm symptomatic I want to be tested. I get a briefing.

I

From him every day on who's who's covered positive who was tested, whether they're symptomatic or not,.

I

And then we have policies and procedures on how we quarantine them when we bring them back.

I

And um it is a system that we've perfected over the last year so that we can keep our folks in.

I

The game and not create panic within our own ranks and that's been very successful, a key to doing it.

I

One last thing so I do have. I have no problems with telling people I'm vaccinated and boosted.

I

I believe in it I think it's it's important to have. um I I certainly respect an individual's.

I

Rights but I do have um the ability to vaccinate any of my deputies that come to me.

I

24 7 because we have a robust medical staff in the jail. We have those things on hand through.

I

The health department, so we can vaccinate individuals that that want the vaccine.

I

And so that's been also a key because people um they're around others and they're like well.

I

I guess it it may be better for me to do that and they they come to me and they don't have.

I

To wait in line anywhere, they can come straight into our detention center and get the vaccine so.

I

Self-Containment has been very very key and not not necessarily relying on anybody else to to to.

I

Try and keep us healthy. It's it's been containment of ourselves and getting vaccinated before you get.

A

Sick yeah yeah, we got a lot. I've got a lot of folks. That say well. Can I get it while I'm in.

I

The hospital- and unfortunately it's just simply too late by right by that time so sheriff- is the.

D

Test saying part of the procedure of omitting an inmate you, like your screen, importer, admitted.

D

Yeah good now, once they're in do they have the ability to request? Yes, immunization, yes, good.

I

And I I don't know the exact number, but it's in the high 80s that that we have vaccinated with.

I

Within the jail and- and you know early on- there was a little bit of grumbling about. Why are you.

I

Why are you you know inoculating inmates? Well, the the reason I'm doing is so I don't have to.

I

Open the door and let people people out and and and and it keeps them healthy and um it keeps.

I

The courts off my back from saying, what's going on in the jail and have a wonderful relationship.

I

State attorney's office, the courts. We speak regularly about the population in the jail and so.

I

One of the other things is that the courts are delaying any jury trials and they're they're.

I

Really buckling down on their operations, which stresses my operation significantly, because I've.

I

Got to move people to and from the courts and the longer they delay, someone from being on trial. The.

I

Bigger my population gets within the detention center, so you're faced with the same stress as.

D

President hoover is, without a doubt, yeah I mean if, if you know his his job is to get people healthy.

I

And get them back out the door. um uh You have to keep. I got months or even years potentially and.

I

If I and if I do that, my my population swells significantly and then I don't have a place.

I

To put them so, um but right now we're fine, that's that's simply not an issue um on law enforcement.

I

Or, or with the detention center, those are not issues when you say you're vaccinating in the.

B

High 80s, what do you mean the inmate population itself? So 80, um I would say, probably I could get.

I

You better numbers for that, but but we have a high a high concentration of inmates that are that are.

I

Inoculated, okay, that's I was wondering I thought it meant. 80 people you vaccinated or whatever.

I

I don't know what the number is this morning. I didn't look at it, but we're saying in the 140s.

I

Low 140s, with population on a daily population- and we have put out.

I

Two not only my deputies but local law enforcement and state police that, if there's the ability to.

I

Write a citation, a criminal citation for someone, as opposed to to arresting them, bringing them.

I

Into the jail, if they're local, if we can, we can find them uh easily if they they it's gone. Then.

I

Then, let's do that um and and there's a ton of cooperation there there's no issues there at all.

D

You two have been very reassuring um in spite of what we're faced with it's very reassuring to the.

D

Public to know that you guys are in command and have a full understanding situation or face with.

D

But eric there's no two ways about it: you have to have department, heads and elected leaders.

I

Working together, 24 7 365., if you don't there's a breakdown somewhere, you throw garrett into it.

I

You throw sue and dr whack into it. We talk to them regularly and it's a unique concept here.

I

It just simply works and we know what each other's doing, but there's a ton of cooperation. If I don't.

I

Have it um I call mike or I'll call somebody to get it and if I have it I'll give it to you.

I

So that we can, we can keep everybody healthy and stay in the fight. If we're.

I

Not in the fight, then, then there's there's panic, yeah. It's well said, and uh you know.

A

Again, I I don't want to give uh commissioner wentz so much credit, I'm talking about transparency, but.

A

The importance of this communications, um it doesn't make it easier. You know I mean it's.

A

A tool to get things done, but the fact is we are in a crisis we are in a log jam. You know, you know.

A

Like you said, uh the the hospital is critical. um We're gonna hear from the health department on.

A

The numbers that they see and how to what they recommend to mitigate these challenges, because.

A

Something's got to give, and you know I mean it's- it's a balloon. That's overfilled right.

A

Now- and we just don't want to see it pop so um keep working together, take care of your people.

A

Exactly commissioner, lance just a quick question: uh jim you mentioned that you're you're.

E

Utilizing n95s and the uh you know the mass that are certainly looked upon as being the best.

E

Are you having a situation with a shortage on them or is the supply chain here for men.

I

Good, I I'll tell you the numbers I've got. I have no problems with telling you I'm sitting.

I

At about twelve thousand k and ninety fives at about nine thousand uh and n95s and.

I

And I've got a ton of the dailies, but but uh um I went into a state in the jail where um we're.

I

Gonna use a lot more k's and and um and we're gonna we're gonna go through that and we're.

I

Constantly ordering so that we keep up, we keep up with that, because we feel in that environment.

I

You've got to wear those masks um so that we can get through this. This variant and and hopefully.

I

Be successful so I have the supplies and it's only because we were able to order them and be.

I

Proactive with with getting them, if I gave that to mike and fire departments, they go through that in.

I

A week what what I have um but for me, I have it and then I do also support the.

I

The local police departments that need support if they can't get their hands on ppe, like that or.

I

Gloves or or other things, so so I have it, but I'm going through it so better, be.

D

Careful director robinson might come knocking on your door yeah. Now that he's told me about this.

I

No secret, I have no doubt I have no problems with telling people how things go and what we're doing.

I

And um but uh but we're here we're here to support and help and- and I think collectively that takes.

I

Place yeah, I think, um as we move on we're going to have the conversation, what else do you need.

A

And what else can we do? You know from our role uh for you, so um I see a couple ems here, uh probably.

A

Worthwhile getting some of the boots on the ground conversation on. What's going on from your.

A

Perspective um now are you speaking individually or from ems? uh It would be. I I just spoke to.

J

One of the uh the leaders say: I'm sorry, introduce yourself first uh michael carolineko. uh I would.

J

Just be speaking today, obviously as a uh as an ems uh fire ems career member, at large, with the county.

J

uh And not representing obviously any of the departments I work for or any other.

J

Roles right now, but I can speak clearly from the. I guess the experience that we're in the midst of.

J

Right now, pretty clearly so, okay, so with that said, um share with us just for you know a few.

A

Minutes sure your your thoughts uh not to have a conversation, if we have a conversation, will be.

A

After just occurs, go ahead; well, it's just. I think you know one of the things that we've really.

J

Highlighted in the last little bit- um and you know conversations with the director and otherwise.

J

uh We're historic, for you know historic standards at this point. It's the challenges and I think the.

J

Daily demands, obviously we're seeing at the er our relationship with everybody. That's there.

J

We're seeing the demands on those individuals, but I think especially here in the county, we're.

J

Seeing the wear and tear of uh of our individual members that are out there going day to day.

J

Trying to take care of the citizens- and you know the call volume I think it you know- varies per day.

J

There's days that you know, I work at slower stations and busier stations and uh even the.

J

Slower stations, I'm not seeing the firehouse for the majority of the day. That's that's atypical.

J

You know we're seeing a lot of sick individuals right now. Obviously, there's a lot of stress of.

J

uh The transition um you know the the the need to work, the need to be able to be compensated.

J

And you know and obviously support our families in the little bit we make here in the county.

J

So you have those stresses that are always residual but at the same time,.

J

You know, given all the other circumstances, it's just been, it's been a demanding experience.

J

You know I heard you know, commissioner uh lance has said about you know the 75.

J

Percent of volunteers, and I think that they're doing the best that they can to support us and.

J

I appreciate that, from the organizational side and from the day-to-day operations.

J

um I think that it's fair to say across the board that uh that ems is supported.

J

Upwards of well over 90 by the career staff, we're bearing the load of this right now.

J

It's difficult um well we're exhausted we're going to keep fighting we're going to keep.

J

Being here for carroll county um we're not going away- and uh you know I think, everybody's pretty.

J

Resolute in that, but you know we're to the point where you know when you're you're at the er for.

J

Five or six hours trying to get rid of a patient, you know there's at least a sense of community.

J

Where you're ordering pizza and trying to feed each other and get through it, but uh you know.

J

We can't understate the struggles that we're in right now and now we're going to continue to be.

J

Here for the county and continue to to do what's right, but we also look for for your support. You.

J

Know in this moment and moving forward, we needed the support and uh change in july last year,.

J

You know circumstances are where they are, but obviously we need the support moving forward and.

J

Would have been really nice to have a little bit more structure and ability to be able to absorb.

J

What's happening in the county right now, but.

J

It is what it is as far as that's concerned, I will continue operating with how we have to.

J

um I will say: uh hands down while having director robinson here has been.

J

um I guess game changing for a lot of what's been happening. um We've been seeing him in the.

J

In the er, like last night, uh you know showing up the er. While we have units that are frozen.

J

In place not being able to offload patients for hours uh actually ended up in gettysburg.

J

At that point uh with the patient- and you know it it's it's at least seeing that active leadership.

J

That engaged leadership has been uh a world of difference from that county level and having.

J

That direction you have seen the general orders and everything else has been great, so I do appreciate the opportunity for you absolutely thank you. Thank you. Okay, um dr wack uh sue one. You.

A

uh Come on screen or whoever, if it's gonna, be both of you or one of you, um hello, ms doyle, and I think.

A

uh Rob's there somewhere, I saw yes, okay, um give me a little bit of an update about what we know.

K

And then I'm gonna talk about some changes at the health department and I'm going to talk about.

K

What we're trying to implement in the community um so right now omicron is the dominant strain.

K

That we're seeing in the community um there's some early evidence that that strain is not as severe.

K

People are not getting as sick, but we don't know that right now um how that's gonna source out.

K

Because you know it takes about two weeks lag time for us to be looking at this, the most effective.

K

Way to lessen the impact and decrease the needs and the transmission of the communities through.

K

Vaccination we are expanding our vaccination clinics in the county, we're going to be moving to.

K

Carroll community college, so that we can vaccinate more individuals. One of my colleagues put out.

K

You know that it's probably too late for people who have not been vaccinated to be.

K

Safe during this surge, but if you have been vaccinated and you've not been boosted, it'd.

K

Be a really great idea to come and get boosted now now is the time um you know vaccinations.

K

Are effective, they're effective against all the variants right now um we want to make sure that.

K

People understand it, that's fine if you've had covid and you think you have some natural immunity.

K

But there are studies out there that show that about a third of people, don't get any immunity.

K

Or have any immunity just from having covet so getting vaccinated after that? It also.

K

Ensures that you're safe from all the variants um covet infection is followed by a double risk.

K

Of re-infection, um you know the side effects of having covid not vaccinated are a lot worse than.

K

If you have governed and you've been vaccinated, I sit here as somebody who had three full.

K

Shots because I'm immunocompromised and I was exposed to a family member who had coven and.

K

I got moving back and share with you that what I had was no more than I'm old. um Actually, I think.

K

Every cold I've ever had was more severe than the symptoms that I had you know. I stayed home.

K

Thankfully I wear my mask religiously at work. I spent three hours in a vehicle with two of our.

K

Employees we were all masked, not one person that I was in contact here at the health department.

K

Was infected by me because of that, um so you know we are increasing our security at the health.

K

Health department- and I want to make everybody aware of that and what we're doing.

K

We're going back to curbside service and appointment only services. um I need the.

K

Workforce that I have, I probably have like six or seven people right now um and I I need to.

K

To safely have a workforce so that we can do what we need to do in the community, um there's gonna be.

K

Some changes we have about 130 restaurants, that did not renew their licenses yet that time has.

K

Come it needs to be done by the end of the week? So if you come to the health department, there'll.

K

Be a tent outside we are going to be providing those services outside. We can't have 130 people in.

K

The health department in those close quarters and keep our workforce safe.

K

We've implemented canned can 95s here we're recommending double masking if you're, using.

K

A surgical mask um in the health department, we have told all of our employees no cloth mask. Do.

K

You want to wear a cloth mask needs to be over a surgical mask at a minimum. um Let's see what else.

K

Do I want to address, I also want to address the new cdc guidance. I just want people to understand.

K

That the cdc guidance they were trying very hard to adjust the guidance to be able to function in.

K

This surge that that guidance was because we're in unprecedented times we're seeing record numbers of.

K

Cases and that that guidance is to protect our health care workforce and that they sent out.

K

The bare bones- and they have not sent out um the update on the guidance, so the state of maryland.

K

Has questions that they've submitted to the cdc? We are continuing in the state of maryland to follow.

K

The old guidance until they get their answers. um I also want to point out to people that um the cdc.

K

Is saying it may take them some time and they're not sure of their timeline to actually get the.

K

Updated variants, various guidance documents out to everybody, so really what we were trying to do is.

K

Protect our healthcare workforce and say that if you're asymptomatic, um you can reduce your uh time.

K

Incorr in isolation and then mask and come back so that we have a workforce that can address.

K

These needs, let's see what else is going on. So I talked about moving to um the community college.

K

To do vaccinations so that we can increase the number of people that we're seeing. uh We were.

K

Creating quite a massive health department, we can only see about 60 to 80 people a day.

K

um Hopefully, at college we'll be able to increase that to two or three hundred addition. In addition,.

K

To that I just received an email while we're sitting here that we have secured the ag center.

K

For drive through testing we're hoping to have that up by next week, we will be working with.

K

Emergency management and uh we will be requesting other resources, mostly manpower. I apologize too.

A

You got cut off when you said ag center say that one more time. Oh I'm sorry. Can you hear me now.

K

I uh okay, you just froze for a second okay, we have secured the ag center and we will be doing testing.

K

For right now, tuesdays and thursdays, we're hoping from nine to one and we'll be able to get to 300.

K

Individuals through um last week, we tried to meet the demand and testing at the health department.

K

We allowed and opened up to people with no appointments to come.

K

We created a little bit of traffic jam, shout out to uh westminster pd for coming and helping. um We.

K

Did test 253 people that day? This is just not the area that we can continue to do those services in.

K

We're working with the lab to make sure that we can get enough test kits and we have staff right.

K

Now, who have identified what our needs are and I will be sending out or you know, a request for.

K

That assistance um so that we can try to meet the needs of the community. The ag center seems.

K

To be the logical place, that's where we were before um shout out to garrett. We had staff.

K

Go over there to see if there was something we could do at the hospital to increase testing, but.

K

That just was going to be create another traffic jam. So um I kind of defer to dr whack to chime in.

K

And add anything that I've missed or anything that he really wants to hit the highlights on.

L

L

You pretty much hit all the highlights. There's just one one additional point: I'd like to make and.

L

uh Chris, if you could uh give me the screen I'll just share the latest from the um you have it.

L

Is that I just got a thing, it said accessibility preferences chris, is that them is that you giving.

L

Me access, that's correct, oh can you do it again because I closed it. Sorry.

M

You're still the presenter just click on the screen at the very bottom. It says.

M

Share screen yeah, it's saying open system preferences.

L

So honestly, do I have to do that or can I just go ahead and.

L

I don't know, can you see this? No, not yet.

H

L

What do you see you? Nothing we'll see you.

L

Hold on, I'm sorry, go to the meeting. Oh here we go.

H

I'm sorry it's an apple thing. I got a.

L

Yeah here it goes.

L

Not really, okay, I think that should do it.

L

um Now it's asking me to restart, so maybe this might be easier to if somebody else just pulls.

L

It up go to the coronavirus.maryland.gov, it's the the um the dashboard.

L

Well, I can just describe you what I was going to show you, but you know, as they say, a picture is.

L

Worth a lot of words, um you know when you look at the evolution of this pandemic since the beginning.

L

We've been through these surges and each surge has a kind of a shake to it. You know, there's an.

L

Initial ramp up there's an accelerating phase, then there's a decelerating phase, a plateau.

L

And then it and then it ends, and then we get a little break and then we're on to the next surge.

L

If you put the the uh hospitalization data there, you go, that's perfect so, but yeah so see the the.

L

Positivity graph, if you could hit that little arrow at the bottom on the lower.

L

Right of the positivity graph on the right and go over to deaths, one more one, more.

L

There you go so perfect, thank you, so um you can see the shape of the of the prior outbreaks.

L

And then you can also see that the deaths um followed those surges. You know with each surge.

L

There was a surge in the deaths and um we peaked out with each prior surge around 50 deaths a day.

L

And then, if you fast forward to the far right of the hospitalization graph, you can see that curve.

L

Is still accelerating it's getting steeper, it's not it's, not bending, it's not starting to.

L

Decelerate and plateau, which tells us that we're still not close to the peak of this thing um and.

L

Yet the hospital system, as mr hoover has related in great painful detail and mr robinson regarding.

L

The ems we're at capacity today, and yet we still have a long way to go before this thing. Peeks out.

L

And then, in terms of the mortality, even if omicron turns out to be less severe, although that's still.

L

An open question: we are already at 40 30 deaths a day, we're very quickly if these patterns hold.

L

We're going to blow past 50 deaths a day in the not too distant future, and so there's significant.

L

Mortality ahead of us, um and yet our hospital system is already at capacity and and I think that.

L

The the sort of the conversation we've had here about, on the one hand, some of the commissioners.

L

Have said that we're terrified and I think that's an appropriate response, but then.

L

I think uh sheriff louise is correct, that we can't panic- and I- and that is you know- for those who.

L

Have been in the military, that's been sort of a definition of bravery is being terrified, but.

L

Still being able to do the right thing, and so the system is, is near collapse. We know this because.

L

This has all been modeled before in terms of what would happen during a pandemic and we've.

L

Known that our health care system has limits, um we are approaching those limits. Will we hit.

L

Them I don't know, but we certainly the the the end point of our system collapsing is in sight um and.

L

The mortality won't be just from covid. At that point, then we'll get into additional mortality.

L

From people not being able to be treated for their heart attacks, their car crap is their fault. So.

L

You know we kind of kicked around like what can we do well, just like when you're trying.

L

To put out a fire with a fire extinguisher, you direct the stream at the base of the flames. You.

L

Direct your efforts at the source and the source of this right now what's driving this whole thing.

L

Is community transmission and we do know now, unlike two years ago or you know even a year ago,.

L

We know that the vaccinations work we know that mass has worked. We know that distancing works.

L

So whatever policy changes you guys can make addressing those three variables in our community.

L

On as wide of basis as possible, that will help slow this down and stop spread, or at least.

L

Decelerate the spread so that we can get to the feet sooner rather than later and that's all I got.

A

Okay thanks dr whack questions comments for either she or dr wack or the good. The group.

D

Mr doyle, thanks for your presentation also, dr whack, I'm a big admirer of you and I like how.

D

You put it in basic layman terms, I was wondering: is there any analysis of what has taken place.

D

In south africa, which I believe was the first nation to go through this armor crime variant.

D

That we can overlay what we're going through to see any potential projection of where we might be.

D

Going through the same situation, is there any data from that infection that nation that would help us.

L

There is data, it's very preliminary data. It's. It may be hard to generalize from their experience.

L

Because they're, a very different demographics and understandable proposition of their.

L

Outbreak was was different than ours, um so and but now in england, they're going through.

L

The same thing and some of the same patterns or emergence emerging in england that suggests that.

L

On in general, omicron may be less severe than than uh than the delta any prior variants, but our.

L

Hospitalization data show today that, regardless of what happens going forward today, we already have a.

L

Crisis so it doesn't, it really doesn't matter how much less severe omicron is, because the scope of.

L

This outbreak and the rapidity with which it's accelerating has already overwhelmed our system.

L

So, even if omicron ends up being 50 less severe, it doesn't matter. We have so many more cases and.

L

They're arriving so quickly that our system can't handle it. So in a way, it's almost irrelevant what.

L

Whether omicron is more or less severe or what their experience is, because we we're having.

L

An experience right now, where the system is is completely overwhelmed and omicron is the dominant.

L

Variant in our state right now, so this is totally an omicron thing. We can't say: oh well, maybe it's.

L

Still, delta and and when we get more omicron we'll be better off. No, this is omicron today, but that.

L

The state of maryland epidemiology lab basically said last week that omicron is that's what we have.

L

Right now is omnipot, so so, whether it's more or less severe, it doesn't really matter, because we.

L

Know today that we're getting hammered, but would it give us a potential projection of hope of when.

D

We could start seeing some relief that won't be continuously the bell curve. So, to speak like how.

D

Yeah, how much time do you think we'd be put under all this stress a month two months? That's a great.

L

Question I can tell you that you can't even start talking about when it might end until you see that.

L

Hospitalization curve start to bend. It's still. I don't know if you guys can see me, but it's sloping.

L

You know it's it's getting close to being straight up, and so until it starts to do this, then you can.

L

Start saying well: okay, if it keeps bending like that, then maybe you know a week from now two weeks.

L

From now it'll plateau and then maybe another four or six weeks, it'll start to drop and then.

L

You can start to project like okay, then you know in such such a time. We may get some relief, but as.

L

Long as it's doing this, who knows because we don't know where it's going to top out well, that's why I.

D

Was hoping, maybe from other nations experiences it gives us some indication of potential hope.

L

Yeah I wish I could give that to you right now. I mean uh you know just to follow up on that.

A

Are there other, not necessarily nations but other communities, other states other.

A

Areas that we are starting to see relief that we can kind of have a comparison analysis to.

A

Or no yeah, that's a great question. um So unfortunately, right now, as I think.

L

Mr robinson, mr hoover may have said this earlier. uh We are we're one of the leading.

L

Areas in the country, unfortunately- and so we are- we are the the walking point on this and.

L

So it's hard to know so, in other words, people are going to be looking at us.

A

Being in the top 10 when it turns to say okay, this is the expectations. Okay, that's right! um Gary.

F

I'm not aware of any state. I completely agree with everything my colleagues have stated.

F

I'm not aware of any states that have plateaued yet to dr waxman right. Okay,.

A

Unless anything more direct to these two, what I'd like to do is open. It you've been very patient.

A

I appreciate that um for open comment and then we can have our discussion from there and move.

A

Forward um first, chris, do we have anybody uh as a caller? I have no caller, sir okay um roberta.

A

Why don't you uh take over and just let you know when you come up just share your uh your name.

A

Where you're coming from you'll, have you know three minutes uh give or take you know um and.

A

Do not expect conversation, you know it's it's an opportunity for you to share your thoughts.

A

And we'll take that into our discussion afterwards. So okay uh first card, I have is kate, martin.

A

N

So my name is kate martin, I am a self-employed small business owner. I have five kids.

N

Two in public schools: three, not in public schools. I just found out about this meeting.

N

Last night and I was a bit concerned looking at the surrounding counties, heather implementing mass.

N

Mandates, vaccine mandates, etc and restrictions on you know, businesses the amount of people that.

N

Can come into businesses, and my concern is one of the things that we really haven't focused on.

N

Is the silent pandemic of the um mental health crisis that our kids are going through and.

N

Parents are going through. My concern is that I know that we haven't followed, played, follow.

N

The leader with the other counties as we had talked about in the very beginning, but I don't.

N

Want to see our county play follow the leader. I want us to continue being a leader in the state.

N

I don't think that we need to shut down businesses. I don't think we need to shut down schools.

N

And do the virtual learning it was an absolute nightmare um and I just believe that you know.

N

The statistics that we're looking at, I think we're looking at a very small, very small numbers.

N

And we're focusing on the wrong things, meaning you know the positivity rate, the capacity rate.

N

We know hospitals and medical facilities are short staffed, which means the capacity.

N

Rate, yes, although it's over capacity, if you had more of the human resources that.

N

I believe his name was michael had mentioned. We wouldn't be operating at the over capacity.

N

Again, I just ask that you, commissioners, really take into consideration.

N

The silent pandemic that we are facing I'm concerned about the country's future.

N

I think this omnic variant is not as catastrophic as the ones that work that we've had initially.

N

And I just hope that you seriously consider keeping the county open, not implementing the.

N

Mask and vaccine mandates and keeping the businesses open, um and I thank you for the.

N

Time today, no absolutely- and you brought up some good points and I think we're gonna have.

A

Those part of our discussion, because good good questions to be asked thanks. Alberta next is brian.

O

Thompson good morning, commissioners, thank you, um I'm brian thompson, I'm the chair of the concerned.

P

Parents of carroll county group um I've my eleven year resident. I've got four kids in the school.

P

System and like my colleague kate mentioned, we kind of share some of the same concerns around the.

P

Silent pandemic, that's facing our children, but but first you know I want to say just after listening.

P

To everyone talk about the situation, I really want to thank our hospital staff for our care units. Our.

P

Emergency care units, I mean that they're they're our heroes right now. They really did an amazing.

P

Job and without them you know I I don't know where we'd be, so I really want to thank them. um I want.

P

To thank you guys too, for your leadership, because you know they say the definition.

P

Of insanity is repeating the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and I think.

P

What we've seen is that you know we I think the spread is gonna is gonna happen regardless right.

P

We're seeing that now, especially with omicron we've seen neighboring counties, institute mass.

P

Mandates and we're still seeing the spread. So what I ask is that we look at the data around masking.

P

Particularly before making any type of decisions around that, I you know, I'm double vaccinated.

P

I had covered a couple weeks ago. It amounted to a man cold. You know it was really not that bad. um So.

P

I would also advocate for vaccines as well to the public not mandating them, but making sure people.

P

Are informed and given all the right information so that they can make informed decisions.

P

um I also you know, I think, a lot of the focus of the conversations in the meeting.

P

Today are the right focuses, which is: how do we get our hospitals, the help they need.

P

How do we scale up capacity, so we can assist with the surge of patients that we have.

P

I do think you guys have some really good questions around. You know what are other.

P

Communities other nations facing at the moment, because there is data out there that needs to be.

P

Looked at you know you look at the uk, for example, they're facing the same thing, so I think I think.

P

We can get some information around projecting how long we're going to be in this and what type of.

P

Resources we're going to need, but again I think beyond that. I think you guys again may make us.

P

Proud and you're doing an excellent job for us. So thank you very much for that. Okay, brian thanks and.

A

Again, you, uh like the other, brought up some good questions. I know we'll be talking about shannon.

Q

I pretty much agree with kate and brian. I think that it was very informative to hear.

Q

What everything everything everybody had to say today it was um a little bit eye-opening, but at.

Q

The same time, I had a little concerns that it doesn't seem that we are as prepared in our.

Q

Medical response, as maybe we should have been- I mean I feel like there's a lot of meetings and.

Q

Talking going on now about what to do, but maybe in october that was the time to really have a.

Q

Plan that you could just flip a switch right away, I don't know- maybe maybe there was, but it doesn't.

Q

Sound like we're ready to deal with a surge when, when you know I saw it coming in october,.

Q

I ordered my at home rapid tests and tried to get my household in order, because I remember.

Q

What we went through last year, so would I like to see a little more preparation, perhaps but.

Q

Hopefully, we can take care of it on the back end. um It concerns me a little bit to hear that it's.

Q

Just so much focus on vaccinated, vaccinated and unvaccinated when, clearly, the problem is.

Q

The elderly and those with underlying conditions- and I just wish there was some way we could get to.

Q

Those people before they even get to the hospital I mean, if our health care, if our doctors, our local.

Q

Doctors can somehow identify these high-risk patients. Isn't there something we can do.

Q

Before they get, you know, if there's a surge unit, we can open before they even get to the.

Q

Point or you know I just feel like we have to do better- there's got to be something better to do.

Q

This is just me as a normal person. Who's been listening to every podcast. You can imagine for.

Q

The last two years, but I think that not even as a last resort, it should be completely off the.

Q

Table that we implement any kind of mandates or restrictions on anybody in the public.

Q

No business closures, no capacity restrictions, certainly nothing that touches our children.

Q

Our children do not have any risk from this disease, and even their parents don't have much.

Q

Of a risk from this disease, so we have to let the bulk of the society continue to operate in.

Q

A normal fashion you have got to get to these elderly people, and these the people who have.

Q

Diabetes and are obese, you have got to get to them and beg them to get the vaccine. If you know target.

Q

Those people target the people who are clogging up the hospitals find a way to do it. I don't know.

Q

How to tell you to do it but find a way to do it, because the message of vaccinate everybody.

Q

Isn't necessarily helping the hospitals, you know if we're vaccinating the seven-year-olds, it's.

Q

Not keeping anybody out of the hospital, so we need more targeted focus, just be smart about it. Let's.

Q

Just keep people from getting to the hospital. That's the number one focus cases don't matter at.

Q

This point: it's never going away. Our hospitals are probably going to have to deal with this.

Q

On a long term basis they may need 10 extra beds forever now, so I know you're doing your best. Just.

Q

Think about it outside the box, from what the cdc is telling you, okay, thanks, shannon and jim miller.

R

Thank you, commissioners, and they obviously said a lot of. I think some of the talking points, but I.

R

Just want to point out, I think my biggest concern is you know: we've done really well in carroll.

R

County one thing you've, nobody mentions is we're actually the third highest vaccinated county in.

R

The state 75 percent of our eligible um population is vaccinated. I think we should celebrate that.

R

You know, I think, that's something as a county, we should celebrate. We actually stand with us on that.

R

You know we hear a lot of everyone saying this pandemic, the unvaccinated we're doing pretty darn.

R

Good in carroll county, um one thing that that was mentioned, I think, is a big deal. Is you know.

R

You look at um our children and the and the pandemic of mental health crisis. High schoolers.

R

Are facing 50 percent increase in suicide rates and depression? You know our elementary school kids.

R

Have three elementary school kids? They have not had a my kindergartner, doesn't know what school.

R

Is without a mask and not seeing friends faces, my fifth grader has three straight years now. You know.

R

Her whole elementary school has been the pandemic. You know we got to figure out how to target.

R

Those who need protected and allow our kids and our younger our younger population, somehow return.

R

To normalcy, I will say that you know I'm a little concerned that our experts don't really understand.

R

The the current wave which governor hogan spoke about his and his his um um you know: health, w.

R

Spoke about it's being driven by delta right now, the hospitalizations are being driven by delta.

R

Right now he actually mentioned that yesterday in a tweet that we're still seeing delta driving.

R

Hospitalizations omicron cases, which the cdc said with 75 percent of our cases. They revised that.

R

Down to 22 percent last week, okay, we're just starting to see the the wave of omicron cases.

R

But delta's driving hospitalizations, which makes sense, which is why you're seeing the severity.

R

So the hope is, as these cases rise, the severity actually comes down. As you point out,.

R

Commissioner, about south africa and the uk, and actually new york city is seeing that as.

R

Well, they're, seeing a huge spike in cases they're, seeing one-tenth of the hospitalization rate that.

R

They saw in the initial delta wave you know, so I think there is some positive that come out of this.

R

That maybe we should focus on, but I ask that we just you know, keep in mind that our our teenagers.

R

Our children they're struggling right now they really are and the last thing we really want to.

R

Do is put any restrictions on them. Please. You know I've advocated for sports. You guys know that youth.

R

Sports is big. You know we can't take that away from kids right now. You can't take high school.

R

High school sports away from our high schoolers, you know um you got to look at things to target.

R

The community that needs it booster, shots, I'm double vaccinated, like everybody else here, okay,.

R

They work, let the public know they work the last 25 percent get to them.

R

Okay, but let's try to focus on targeted measures, um and I will say this: you know vaccines aren't.

R

Going to end this, you know, there's a really good article published about professional sports. Those.

R

Of you who watch sports 98 nfl is vaccinated, 100 of the nhl is vaccinated, 100 nhl is vaccinated.

R

95 percent of nba they're having outbreaks it's gonna, it's going to occur, it's going to occur.

R

We have to have that honest conversation right they're going to occur last thing: is you heard.

R

Them talk about they're using n95 and k95s in their own health buildings, they're, not using cloth.

R

Mass anymore right, they know now and dr wen who's on cnn baltimore's own, has said they're facial.

R

Decorations, so how about we take them off our children, all right, let's focus on those who need.

R

The k 95 the n95s, give them out. They don't protect themselves, let's focus on those who need it.

A

Okay, thanks jim again appreciate all your comments um and they're gonna be discussed. I would expect.

A

uh From us, along with uh appreciate uh gary and the health department,.

A

uh Staying on because a lot of the uh questions uh chris, can you take down the uh clock? Please.

A

um That was on you in three minutes yeah and a lot of the questions were directed where.

A

I think garrett and the health department can also highlight some of the responses.

A

Now it's a open discussion for us, so whoever may I you know I I know uh what one lady was.

C

Saying here about the uh you know, asking people to get vaccinated. I had a neighbor pleaded with.

C

Him get vaccinated to uh it's been two weeks ago. He died got covered two weeks. He was done.

C

And he wasn't gonna, he didn't believe it was real nope, not gonna, do it. So you know you try that.

C

Happens and people are responsible for themselves, we're not responsible for everybody. However,.

C

As leaders in the community, we are responsible for 300 000 acres here in carroll, county and 180.

C

68 000 people become our responsibility to uh direct some things. First of all, we got to get.

C

Rid of all political ideologies out here, we do not want to get into politics on anything.

C

We are responsible for our boundaries and the people in it.

C

What can we do in there? First of all, we have some unvaccinated. That's their responsibility at this.

C

Point we can ask them, we can go, do whatever we can, but this becomes somewhat their right or their.

C

Ability to do things we can express everything to them, um but you know that becomes sort of their.

C

Responsibility at that one, we do have strange systems, we, the hospital, the police, seem to be.

C

Doing very well, but I'm sure it's a strain to keep up what you're doing here. The health department.

C

Is strained what do we do? First of all, I think we have to come up. How can we help those institutions.

C

Get uh through this, at least for the next I'd say 30 days, and I'm looking 30 days down the line.

C

I don't think we can look any further than that. um I think dr wack made a good point there. You.

C

Know those things are going up. We can't go too far in the future, but we do have to start to deal with.

C

What we have now, I know some of our uh gerstell mcdaniel community college, I think, has delayed.

C

For a week here, going virtual for the week, I believe in the present time.

C

So they're doing they got a little bit proactive on things. The school system they will have to make.

C

Their own decisions- they are elected officials, that's up to their board of education to make.

C

Those decisions, I I think they know how we feel about it- uh we're in communication with them.

C

Also, all the time, but that's their decision, how they're going to handle uh the school board. The.

C

Other thing is, we do have the flu and colds. This is the season when that happens, and for young kids.

C

They are spreaders of this. I mean you put 30 kids into a room and they now they've been out.

C

Everywhere across the country and everything we bring them back into a closed environment, we know.

C

That's going to spread out to the community and they're going to take everything home with them.

C

Whether it's a cold- and this happens every year in the school system, you look at the first of october.

C

The absentee rate goes up due to colds. First of uh the middle of january first february,.

C

Absentee rate goes up it's because all the things they've brought back with them from other areas.

C

And just exposure and going out, but um you know how long can we support? Can the hospital support.

C

This, how long can these things happen? We have to look at and, as I think some people said, businesses.

C

I think know what they need each business here and we do not want to mandate things to a business.

C

A business that deals with the elderly may require mass, a business that deals with teenagers.

C

May look at it differently than what the other businesses do, but I do not want to get into.

C

The area where we have to deal with the business we're going to have to mitigate this the best.

C

We can, I think, for the next 30 days and come up with some things that we can be responsible for.

C

We're responsible for county buildings, we're responsible for our county work staff here so.

C

I think we need to look at that. I think we need to continue uh selling the idea of vaccinations.

C

People won't get them, but we still have to continue to educate and get people out there.

C

As much as possible on this, so you know you've got to look at the whole picture we have to. I.

C

Think mitigate the areas where we're stressed the most and I think the hospital needs a lot of help.

C

At the present time, but here again, where do you get staff? Where do you get the people who want to.

C

Do this, that's the issue and they're having the same issues. Where do you get people to.

C

Work in businesses now uh you know a lot of people aren't. Where are we going to get emts? That's.

C

Very hard to find and uh keep in mind we're not going to keep up.

C

uh If this continues the way it is, unless everybody comes together, people are going to.

C

Die and we're not going to stop that uh we're it's a reality and we're going to try to mitigate what.

C

We can, but it's not going to be what I think we want it to be, would just shut a switch off.

C

And make it end, it isn't going to happen we'll have to design plans for years to deal with this.

A

No kate, I appreciate you saying you learned about this uh last night. This was only um designed to.

A

Occur, I think it was monday or tuesday um because of the conversations that we've been having with.

A

um The hospital, our health department and others and the strain that they are having.

A

So, in order to get all the information for us to come together, we do it in an open session.

A

And that's why, um and I appreciate the gist of what the four of you said, which is also.

A

A lot of what others said, I may not agree with all of the information effects, but I definitely.

A

Understand the sentiment and the gist of it, and there was no intent in my mind that.

A

A mandate- and I shared this with you earlier- was going to take place especially to the public.

A

I don't think we're in a position to do that, we're absolutely not in a position.

A

uh To do that with our education system, I mean, like uh commissioner weaver, you shared that's.

A

Their job we can say here the resources and here's what's going on, but it is not our role uh to put.

A

That in place, nor is it our role to put a mandate in place for carroll county as a whole. I do agree.

A

We should lead by example, and uh you know we can do that within our own government, and I I.

A

Appreciate all of you talking about vaccines, how you promote it! um I don't want to mandate any of.

A

It I never wanted to, I don't think any of us ever wanted to so whoever says they, you know again are.

A

Spewing conspiracies on, unfortunately, this social media is silly. Nobody up here wants to mandate.

A

Any of it now I do want to say, if you're not vaccinated, uh the best thing you can do is to.

A

Have a mitigating situation by wearing a mask or something when you're coming into a crowded area.

A

Being vaccinated, like you know, brian, you said it was like a man cold, because you're vaccinated the.

A

Symptoms are much less, that's exactly what we want to happen. um So how do we minimize the impact in.

A

The hospital of coven 19 patients, so others can get to the hospital that need the care they need.

A

As opposed to being rerouted other places, that's what this is uh intended to do. At least I think.

A

um So uh but I do I appreciate you know the just, especially when you're talking about um vaccines.

A

And the last thing is mental health. I absolutely agree. uh One we've got to silence the stigma.

A

Of mental health and continue to highlight, if somebody is in need that they need to get the care.

A

Necessary I've highlighted it with myself, you know personally and professionally and.

A

It's important and whether it's 30 years in uniform that causes that or masks or something.

A

We've got to identify it, and so that doesn't come lightly uh on me.

A

When you're referencing it um and we gotta do something about it and maybe put more resources.

A

Towards it I don't know, but again we have to look at that, but dennis what's gonna say.

B

I have to agree with what's been said so far. We did not come here today with the intent of.

B

Number one telling the school system what to do. They have a board of education, they're separately.

B

Like the body they don't answer to us, they have to work with the health department, decide what how.

B

They're going to end up and that's their job, to do that in conjunction with the health department.

B

We did not come here today to tell businesses in carroll county what to do. I have no intention of.

B

Shutting any businesses down and, like commissioner weaver said if your business deals with mostly.

B

Elderly people or people at rest- maybe you want to put some controls in for your business and.

B

That would be the wise and prudent thing to do if you have a business that doesn't deal.

B

With people that are, it might be more susceptible to getting the covet, then.

B

You might want to do different things, but that's up to each individual business to do that.

B

We're not here to tell them what to do. However, I I do think we need to lead by example. We need to.

B

Do for our county office buildings and our county employees? What we think is the right thing to do.

B

And that's basically, what what we came here to do today is to try to lead by example and.

B

See what we're going to do? There's someone mentioned getting the right information out.

B

That is so critically important, but when all this other stuff comes around, it's so hard to know what.

B

The right information is, I have an acquaintance of vine that passed away a couple weeks ago.

B

This person was in the late 30s. He had high blood pressure, he had, he was overweight.

B

He wasn't vaccinated asking why you didn't get vaccinated, he was told, and he read that.

B

If he got the vaccine he would get cancer. Whoever told him that or wrote that down or.

B

Put that out on social media, in my opinion, they're responsible for that person's death.

B

That's why he didn't get vaccinated. You can't get the wrong information out there and people believe.

B

It, but they do believe it and that's causing a problem. We've done the best we can, I think, to.

B

Get the right information out here between from ourselves here I just it's just so frustrating.

B

When something like that happens, because right information is not out, there.

B

And I was actually watching the comedian, the other night, now there's no funny matter, but one.

B

Thing he brought up. He says how many people here think this the covet is very serious and not too.

B

Many people applauding his foot, he goes yeah, you know most people that aren't affected by it. Don't.

B

Think it's very serious but maybe ask some of the families of people that have died or spent.

B

Weeks or something on ventilators how serious they think the affection is, it's a whole different.

B

Perspective depends on where you're coming from this is serious. People are dying from it.

B

We have to do something and I think it's our responsibility as leaders here, to do something to.

B

Mitigate this uh covet to spread into this as much as we can for the people that we're in charge of.

B

For the county office buildings for the other county buildings for those things not the school.

B

System, not the businesses. I am. I firmly believe that everyone should be vaccinated and get the.

B

Booster, I've I've vaccinated, get the boost. I've already had the booster. My family members have.

B

I forced them noted, but they all have, but I think that has to be done, but I'm not going to tell you.

B

You have to do that. That's not my responsibility. Everyone has to look at that on their own.

B

However, I do believe that if you're not vaccinated- and you don't have the booster.

B

Perhaps you should not go into uh indoor gatherings. You shouldn't go out to large.

B

Public meetings and stuff like that, where you can possibly get it and spread it, I think that's.

B

The responsibility, if you don't get vaccinated okay, but then you have to take some steps on.

B

Your own not to spread it to other people around. That's that's my opinion. What I'll.

B

Say so far I have other things written down here, but we'll go into that much earlier. Commissioner.

E

um Okay, thanks ed a couple things that a few of you hit on with the social media thing.

E

Of course, you all heard me say it before about social media, but.

E

It's disconcerting to me to have one of our colleagues uh get on social media.

E

And um perpetuate the uh ridiculousness uh when it comes to our hospital. Unfortunately,.

E

I don't look at that, but it was shared with us on an email and you know to blame the hospital.

E

Is just absurdity to me: um the hospital is full of heroes. Our our first responder community is.

E

Full of heroes- I'm just done I'm so done with that ridiculous stuff that goes on, and um you.

E

Know I will say that, and you all know who I'm talking about and I'll leave it go at that, because.

E

um That just adds to the challenges that all of us are dealing with as we move forward here and.

E

It's incredibly disrespectful to the to the community uh of of workers at that facility.

E

And everywhere else, uh it makes me incredibly sad. uh I will say that I am not here to mandate either.

E

As a matter of fact, I don't know that we have the legislative authority even to do that if we could.

E

And for me- and I will share this- uh I just lost a classmate of mine uh this past week, uh who I went.

E

To school with, uh who did not believe in the vaccines, um the gentleman's no longer with us.

E

This continues to go on and on so for me, it's about personal responsibility,.

E

And uh that says it all. I truly believe that uh at this point, you've got to know how.

E

Serious this is, and you've got to to to get away from this. This craziness of doing this.

E

Of commenting on everything all the time and and pulling people down into a huge rabbit hole.

E

I believe it's time for us to say to everyone, please uh we we implore you to take personal.

E

Responsibility if you feel ill stay home, if, if you, if you are not comfortable uh going into a.

E

Public place don't go to those that are having functions. Does anybody remember common sense.

E

I'm not sure that that's a thing anymore either, uh but.

E

That's how I've done this job for the last seven years, utilizing common sense so.

E

To me, if you have a gathering of people, uh it's just common sense to me and and respect for.

E

Fellow man to to wear a mask, if you choose to in in that uh in those in those venues.

E

If you feel like you, can't have those and- and mike robinson uh alluded to this before- maybe.

E

It's time for folks, during this critical period that we're in for, however long it's going to be in.

E

To postpone some of these, uh these gatherings to to not continue to uh to have this stuff spread.

E

But um I I was not here today to do any mandates. uh I don't know where that rumor came from.

E

uh Well, I do know where the rumor came from. uh It gets back to what I said when I first.

E

Started this conversation, the absurdity of those on social media and other platforms.

E

uh That that um that have taken this to a whole level of disrespect- and uh I include one of my.

E

Colleagues, in that, uh I also believe um that it, it is incredibly uh important.

E

That we watch out for one another and uh respect those that either want to wear a mask or don't.

E

Respect those, uh and not not not stoop yourself into that rabbit hole to to make.

E

You know these kind of comments, so um you know I'm comfortable making sure that we continue to to put.

E

Out the importance of this kind of a platform, the transparency of knowing what everybody's doing and.

E

Making sure that we advise people that it's it's critically important to utilize.

E

Best practices and to bring back that common sense, that's going to get us through this.

A

Okay thanks, um commissioner. Thank you very much. First of all, I want to thank my colleagues for.

D

Having this forum and the leadership for commissioner ralstein to bring it forward.

D

And all the players have come together in this and I will state that in factly agree you are.

D

Upset with mr williams that we as individuals need to take responsibility for our own health.

D

That is critical and I'm heartwarmed to see that my colleagues don't want to enforce.

D

Any mandates, and one of the reasons that is a concern over citizens is not me as indirectly.

D

Insinuated by my colleague, but it's a direct result of other jurisdictions surrounding us.

D

Putting those mandates in place and turning to us for some sort of leadership so that pressure.

D

Of surrounding jurisdictions, around carroll county, which is viewed as an island in maryland,.

D

Is a legitimate concern for conservative citizens out there? I also want to emphasize that.

D

Getting this alleged vaccine, which truly is not a vaccine in its true sense, does not protect you.

D

From contracting and spreading the disease, if anything, I think it's scientifically determined.

D

That you can be an asymptomatic spreader of the disease, just as if you're not vaccinated.

D

And I will thoroughly encourage those people who have who are obese or suffer some from some other.

D

Comorbidity, just as some of our citizens here have emphasized, they are the people who the most of our.

D

Resources need to be focused in on to help. We need to focus their resources and on helping the people.

D

That are most vulnerable and dying. Thank you very much. Okay, uh wait before you jump in, and I know.

A

uh Dr whack, you want to jump in and uh gary. I think you also have some comments just bear.

A

With me, a second um a comment about states of emergency baltimore, county howard, county prince.

A

George's county, montgomery, county baltimore city and anne arundel county should be deciding next.

A

Week, frederick county is looking at a state of emergency themselves. What I find very interesting.

A

Is unfortunately, and commissioner wants brought it up or somebody brought up commercial weaver, maybe.

A

This is not politics, this is about taking care of a community. This is not about south africa.

A

It's not about england, it's about carroll, county and, unfortunately, the newspapers. The first thing.

A

They say is county executive so and so democrat is calling a state of emergency and that's a problem.

A

Where we are very well divided and that causes a lot of angst, this is not about politics. It's.

A

About how do we take care of carroll county and I'm I'm really fed up with this? You know.

A

This is a democrat view, there's a republican view and we're in ireland we're not. This is about a.

A

Community um and it's not about constituents and we've got to do something. That's why.

A

We're having this meeting uh to openly talk to uh garrett, to the hospital to dr wack and the.

A

Team on what resources they need to mitigate the challenges that lie in front of us so with.

A

That um and I apologize, I'm gonna hold you off one second, dr wack. Chris, do we have a caller.

A

Yes, sir okay, why don't we give that caller the opportunity and then I want to hand it off? I I.

A

Know this way tempers you down. Okay, we're going to go through with this caller. Yes go with the caller.

M

Caller you've been unmuted, please identify yourself. You'll have three minutes.

S

Okay, my name is francine hahn. I live in westminster.

S

I've been a carroll county resident for about five years. um I just have a concern when you talk about.

S

Caring for and being concerned about the mental health of carroll county residents.

S

It doesn't seem as though, that those of us who are vaccinated, who are boosted who wear masks.

S

Are really being thought about in this equation? uh You know it is a bit terrifying to go out.

S

In a county where almost no one is smashed and where all these pleas, which I appreciate.

S

For people to actually get vaccinated are falling on deaf ears and that's absolutely apparent with.

S

What's happening here in this county, and so I don't see why a mass mandate in the county.

S

Is burdensome it would just be helpful. I mean I'll start doing my shopping in baltimore, county.

S

I'll take my tax dollars to baltimore county, where I can feel more protected, more cared for.

S

I do I do go to a couple of small businesses here in carroll county, where they do require masks.

S

Because it just feels safer and as for schools, I know you can't do anything about that and I don't.

S

I don't want the schools to shut down. I would just like for there to be more a focus on.

S

How can we encourage the vaccination rates to go up in each of the individual schools, so there can.

S

Be an off-ramp for the mass mandate so that we can have a safer environment for our children.

S

And I don't think that that's been talked about enough. It's not it's, not a mass mandate or nothing.

S

There are other options out there to make our community safer, and I think that needs to be the.

S

Focus instead of this, this fight with the state over a mass mandate when the state is providing.

S

An off-ramp possibility- um and so I just I just want- I just want you, the commissioners.

S

To think about those of us who you know, we who have lost loved ones, who are scarred.

S

Who, um who are dealing with our own mental health issues and are trying our best to do all that.

S

We can to protect the loved ones that we still have um and it's a struggle. It's a real struggle.

S

And um and yet we're surrounded by people who honestly don't seem to care about the community.

S

As a whole, and and aren't being very helpful in doing that and that's frustrating and it makes it.

S

Harder from a mental health standpoint- and so I was hoping that I would.

S

Feel more support from this meeting, but I don't so thank you. Okay, thank you. Tracy.

A

Commissioner frazier did you want to go about dr first okay, uh dr wack, please, as soon as you speak,.

C

Dr wyatt and garrett, would you guys please uh add one thing: what do you need from us now? What.

C

Do you want from those areas from us? I guess the two things I'd ask you to respond to somewhere.

L

Okay, uh so to your point, uh commissioner, we were all referred to uh mrs doyle, on on the.

L

Specific ask um I just want to uh commissioner bouchette. I know you and I don't agree on.

L

Vaccines generally or the coveted vaccines specifically, and so I'm not trying to persuade you.

L

um And I again, I put my offer on the table to have this discussion offline. But since this is a.

L

Public meeting and we are creating a public record. I want to make sure that the public knows that the.

L

Covet vaccine is a vaccine, it's not a so-called vaccine, it does prevent serious illness. It does.

L

Decrease transmission and it is safe. Those are very well established, well-supported data-driven.

L

Facts that need to be consistently repeated over and over in public sense settings, because there.

L

Is so much disinformation out there on social media and we certainly can't leave statements.

L

Like that unchallenged in a public meeting, that's all thank you for clarification. Will you state.

D

That vaccinated people do spread the disease yeah, I I, but they also can have breakthrough infections.

L

That have uh transmission occurred, but it is less. They are sick. Thank you for clarifying that.

A

I don't know, but that's not the point. On the one hand you have called for I'm sorry doctor.

B

Go ahead, I'm sorry. I cut you off dr wack, I'm sorry, but on the one hand, you and other people.

B

Have called let's get the right information out there to write information out there and then.

B

You make a statement like that about the vaccine, which is totally incorrect. He just reiterated it.

D

That's not what you said, he didn't say anything about the vaccine and people have.

B

Getting the vaccine, they couldn't get the the chronovirus. He didn't say that. But you said it's.

B

A so-called vaccine, it's not a real vaccine. That's incorrect information like that should not go out.

B

From a public official at a public forum like this, it shouldn't this, you want to keep putting that.

B

Stuff on social media you're welcome, then, why are we up to the third booster they're called? Fourth.

A

The vaccine is a vaccine, it's approved it's a vaccine because you don't understand because you.

D

Don't understand science there's a big difference scientifically between the vaccine that your virus.

A

That is not there anymore, that's smallpox. How did we get rid of them because it was a vaccine? These.

D

Vaccines will not eradicate this virus. That's what I'm getting at this virus will be with us for the.

D

Rest of your life, just like the special influenza and that's not what you said. You said this is a.

B

So-Called vaccine, it's not a real vaccine! That's not going to eradicate this! That's not what.

B

You said, though, then, then be more specific, with what you're saying this is the right information.

N

So the right information gets out there you put out the wrong information right, we'll.

D

We'll quote the cdc as redefining a vaccine from his previous definition to its new definition: okay,.

C

Yeah, why don't we talk about what what steps we can take here? Let's move on.

E

This is not going to go anywhere, that's what I was going to suggest because.

E

We can sit here and and debate all we want. I know but but steve I get you, but the fact is.

E

Listen clearly over the last three years, whatever uh is said about social media and perpetuating.

E

Fear by quoting uh ridiculousness doesn't resonate with our colleagues, but we have a responsibility.

A

Up here on the diocese, it doesn't resonate and everybody you know knows that. So I think.

E

We should move on to uh what steps we need to take. Let's move on, uh as far as you know,.

E

The public or our building or whatever it is that that um that you decided okay, I.

E

Do here I I get you I I do I I I got it and it's, but I will say we have a responsibility.

A

To do the best we can to ensure from the dice and our role that the facts are put out.

A

It's not our facts and someone else's facts. It is the facts and that's why a vaccine is a vaccine. So.

A

But you're you're right, I think um garrett. There was um some comments that were made.

A

By some of our uh you know, uh speakers that came out um that did you want to clarify.

A

I'm trying to find my notes because I took a handful of them. uh Did you take notes? Garrett.

A

On uh yeah, I'm happy to make some comments regarding around uh one, in particular around.

F

The planning activities, how is it that hospitals couldn't anticipate these next waves and quite.

F

Honestly, each hospital across the state across the country are required to submit surge plans.

F

To their state health department, carroll hospital did the same thing. We did this very early on and.

F

So what we couldn't anticipate is what is the impact that it creates to an overwhelmed staff.

F

The average age of our nurses is 51. 52-Ish. Keep me honest here, sue, but many are making career.

F

Decisions: I've had enough of health care. I've had enough of covid, I'm retiring. That was one wave.

F

Another that said, you know, if I'm going to do this as a career, I'm going to go to work for.

F

Agency staff and I'm going to travel a little bit. Do a 12-week assignment, make double or three times.

F

What I'm making now, why do I want to do this, and so could we anticipate that as part of our search.

F

Plan no we're responding as aggressively and vigorously as we can to staff the hospital with.

F

The overwhelming volumes that are occurring- and this is a national crisis- this is not a carroll.

F

County crisis ask any hospital in any jurisdiction, they're struggling with the same scenarios, so.

F

From a planning standpoint, I think we had a very strong surge plan in place. We could not.

F

Anticipate where it's going to peak and we could not anticipate the devastating impact that it's.

F

Had to the staff, those are two failure points that I think we can learn from for the future.

F

In terms of my ask in terms of support what you can't solve my staffing crisis, unfortunately,.

F

Every hospital is doing the same initiatives we're reaching out to international nursing agencies.

F

We're calling domestic agency staffing we're encouraging many people to pursue health.

F

Occupations for the future, but that doesn't solve the crisis that we have right now. There are five.

F

States five hospitals across the state right now that are operating under crisis standards.

F

Of care, I'm not going to name who they are, but de facto I would say most of the hospitals are.

F

Already meeting those trigger criteria, they just haven't officially announced it yet and what does.

F

Crisis standards of care mean it means inadequate supplies, inadequate staffing, inadequate capacity.

F

To alter or modify the way in which we deliver care, none of us got into health care. For that.

F

Reason but we are operating under critical standards every hospital, every part of this state.

F

My other comments around: how can you support us? It would be great if we could have a unified message.

F

That get boosted get vaccinated. It makes a difference. You won't get as severely ill, as others.

F

Does it impact the elderly, the obese, the unhealthy more than absolutely, but it's also affecting the.

F

Younger population, if you listen to my comments around age cohorts 25 of the population between.

F

The age of 40 and 59, which I consider to be pretty young, are being affected by this 10.

F

Of the population under age 40 are being affected by it. Okay, so I'm not a mathematician, but that's.

F

35 of our population that aren't elderly or obese and they're being affected by this virus. Okay, the.

F

The other thing that I would suggest is continue to support the health department in its effort.

F

To set up testing sites, we are overwhelmed in the hospital. We don't need to be conducting outpatient.

F

Testing you know, go to the health department use the sites that are out there, they're going to.

F

Continue to try and ramp up additional testing locations utilize those appropriate resources.

F

Don't show up to the emergency department unless it's truly an emergency. That's my ask.

A

Gary I appreciate it and you know um we're fortunate to have in-person. You know.

A

Callers or speakers, and uh you all said about the importance of getting vaccinated.

A

You also said the importance of not mandating, which none of us believe in mandating either.

A

Vaccines getting a unified message, I'm trying to figure out how to get that unified message.

A

It becomes very difficult and what I share with you is to help us reach out to whoever you are.

A

And whoever clicks and say listen, I was here you're vaccinated the importance you get a man.

A

Called whatever you want to say, but if you can find one more person to get vaccinated.

A

That's a message that will help unify this community. This community is better.

A

Than I think anyone else out there, carroll county is no carroll county better than anyone.

A

But for some reason, we're still not able to get that that message across to everyone that needs.

A

To get vaccinated so just consider that at this point um but uh garrett I appreciate that another.

A

Question garrett that was brought up had to do with delta and omicron in the hospital. I.

A

You know, and I just don't know, is there any sense of that um because you said there's 52 or 59.

A

In the hospital I mean- and I just don't know the difference between positive, I honestly.

F

Don't have the breakdown, uh nor do I know if we have the capability right now to determine.

F

What percentage of that or omicron versus delta? I I don't have that data at this point.

A

A

Okay, what else, uh what else do we want? Dude did dr white have a comment on that you just.

B

Sorry, dr wack, no, I was just going to say that that you know I was going to agree with uh garrett's.

L

Observation that that typing of the of the variance that's done at the state labs.

L

And um that's what I was basing my remarks about the dominance of the omicron variant. That's coming.

L

From the state lab, I don't know where the other folks are getting their information, but.

L

That's that's what they're reporting to us at the local health departments on a positive note, is.

D

It potentially a chance that the omicron variant being milder will push out the delta and be less.

D

Severe yeah will the virus downgrade over time like the smash influenza did? Is that potentially.

D

Happening or will happen um so, as I said before, the omicron, at least from what the state lab is.

L

Telling us the omicron variant has already pushed out delta. um It may be that it's milder, but that's.

L

Not an inevitable thing: the mutations that create these variants don't go just in one direction.

L

They can create variants that are more lethal, they can create variants that are less lethal.

L

They can make variants that are more contagious. They can make variants that are less contagious.

L

We don't know, there's no necessary direction to that. um So that's why it's! It's not prudent!.

L

Especially since we're already in a crisis with our healthcare system, to count on this being less.

L

Serious somehow, because we're already in a crisis, so it doesn't matter if, if this is really less.

L

Serious or not, it's overwhelming our system two days so projecting things hoping it's going to.

L

Get better, that's not a plan. um We have to deal with the crisis, that's in our lap right now. Thank.

B

You, okay, I think, go going. I'm sorry. Let's go say I was brought up that we could use some more testing.

B

Sites so I'm going to ask sue doyle. How can we help you with that? Where can we put more testing.

B

Sites out are we going to go back to the ag center you're, putting them at uh carroll community.

B

College now understand can we do and if, if we made that space available to you, could you staff it.

K

So those are our big issues. um We are at the community college, starting the 7th and then.

K

After that, we'll be there monday, wednesdays and fridays doing vaccines. We have secured.

K

The ag center for tuesdays and thursdays for testing we can push through about 300 people.

K

In the period of time, we're working with um valerie hawkins and the rest of the team to.

K

Try to staff that we have the testers and we have some other individuals, but we're going to need the.

K

Manpower to control traffic- that's the biggest, we don't want anybody getting hurt. um We can do three.

K

Lanes we're pulling back our experts that we're doing it before um I don't want to spread. I mean.

K

At the health department, we have to spread it out over eight hours because we can't have that many.

K

Cars coming in um we're gonna do appointment only for right now, because we do need to be testing and.

K

Be available for other community partners and that's really important that we can keep our.

K

Services going for the people that are running government and that you know public safety and.

K

Those types of things, so our big ask- is going to be some manpower we have reached out to.

K

The state at govats to see if they'll help staff, our vaccination clinics and most of the roles.

K

That we're looking to fill are not roles that, where we need medical professionals.

K

Or anybody with expertise, these are roles that people can be easily trained. For you know, line.

K

Management observation afterwards um and you know, management of the traffic out there at the ag.

K

Center will be really helpful. um We have a couple people already on board, saying we'll be there.

K

You know if anybody out there wants to volunteer go to maryland, respond sign up. um Tell them you.

K

Want to come out and volunteer to help us, um but you know when we're rolling back services, so that.

K

I can pull staff from their other jobs, but in the end we still have to go out and inspect.

K

Restaurants, we still have to secure building permits and we still have to keep life going so.

K

You know, there's a limited amount of people that we can pull and keep those other services going.

K

And and really you know, looking at those things spoke with uh secretary schroeder, we have a one.

K

O'clock call today, so I I can tell you from there. I know that commissioner rostine, I want to thank.

K

You I know that you've reached out and asked for national guard support. um We were on the health.

K

Officers call last night and we were told you know that they're they're trying to get some manpower.

K

To us to help support increased testing um the fact that they're setting up five testing sites.

K

Throughout the state doesn't help carroll county. I want people going three counties away to get to a.

K

Testing site and when they set up those test sites. That's what happens when you go to the websites.

K

It selects the closest testing site to you when you enroll and that could be howard county. It.

K

Could be frederick county, it could be charles county if that's the day, they're doing the testing.

K

So we want to try to expand those services here. um The ad center is open to other days. um If, as long.

K

As there's availability they're going to allow us to keep our setup there as long as there's no.

K

Other activity, so that's really going to help us that we don't have to set up and tear down.

K

um That's probably about it, but I'll keep everybody posted. Okay. Is there one thing.

B

Nothing was mentioned was a surge facility. What can we do to help set up a search facility or do.

B

We have the ability to do that county or this it has to come from the state or federal government.

B

Because I know both things were mentioned, but it seems like something that should be done here.

F

Can I speak to that briefly, so, as part of our surge plan, we have a 10 bed, medical hospital.

F

In our parking lot, that means set up at the beginning of the pandemic.

F

Now we've used it on occasion, but not as overflow for patients we've run some testing out of there.

F

We've tested employees, we can't staff that unit. It's not a physical bed issue in carroll hospital.

F

At this, that's not our present limitation. I have two nursing wings that I can't staff three north.

F

That's ten beds and three west that is 18 beds, so I have 28 available rooms. I can't staff it.

F

So it's not about physical capacity that I'm struggling with. Okay, thank you and uh yeah, like.

A

Sue said good conversation with the state um getting them to understand the criticality and.

A

You know the national guard is being called from the governor. It is administrative.

A

So it would support um what sue is describing. So, let's just keep working towards that and I.

A

Really do appreciate valerie and the entire team working together. um You know where.

A

There's no distance in the discussions we're having okay, if I may very quickly.

D

We've addressed vaccinations and testing. The one element we haven't talked about is the treatment.

D

What is the treatments that are being utilized as saving people's lives? Because we seem to have.

D

Reduced the fatality rate, I believe, looking at the chart relative to previous outbreaks, what type of.

D

Treatment is available, I think that's one of the most important components of this conversation has.

D

Been completely void, what is saving people's lives and what do you need in treatment.

K

I can share what happened with the health officers call last night. I know that there's um the fact.

K

That we had the security incident at the state. The data was not getting to the federal government so.

K

There was a decrease in monoclonal antibodies that was coming to the state of maryland.

K

The governor did act on that immediately. um I think they reduced actually the supply by.

K

Half I do know, the new um medications that are coming out are all coming to the state they gave.

K

And I can I can. I will have to go back and research this, because I just listened to.

K

The presentation this morning before I came into work um on how many um doses were coming. I think.

K

We were under um delivered last week, but we are going. That's gonna be made up for this week um and.

K

Then the projections were that we would be getting those things coming to us on a regular basis.

K

At the right rates, um I know they're working with hospitals on getting those medications there and.

K

Getting them to centers that can administer them. I know that we were working in carroll.

K

County to get a site and that we were one of the only counties that did not have a site locally.

K

So that people were having to travel so I can follow up on those and the last thing I want to.

K

End with for you all just so that you know is that we have been getting um home test kits.

K

That we've been able to give out for free the rabbits, um so they I don't know what formula.

K

They use we've been getting 850 every two weeks. There's two tests in a kit. The kits go together so.

K

If we're handing them out to just test they're going to somebody um last week we were told we.

K

Were going to get double the volume starting this week that didn't happen, I actually had.

K

To send staff to the airport to pick up the test kits because they were not delivered uh set three.

K

Cars down got them here so that we would have them here. This week we have now uh officially ordered.

K

Pallets of these home test kits since august, and we have never received any, they have been.

K

Delayed, they have been hijacked from by the the federal government for the program that.

K

They're instituting we were promised, we were getting three pallets next tuesday. I.

K

Just got an email while I was sitting here with you all. We are not getting those pallets.

K

So we are pretty much dependent on whatever home test rapid kits we're getting from the state.

K

I cannot guarantee that. um I know that we have a supply set aside for next week. That'll go out to.

K

The library so that people don't have to come to this location- and I know that we've had a.

K

Supply set aside for um 9-1-1 and and some other partners that are key to keep the workforce going.

K

So you know, if somebody has a poll to get us some uh buy next nail test kits that would be lovely.

K

I don't know if the sheriff wants to give me a call afterwards figure out what test kits he's.

K

Using and where he's getting them, maybe there's a resource we don't know about, but every place.

K

We've checked: we've not been able to secure that resource. Okay, we'll uh we'll definitely follow.

A

Up- and um you know a lot- I mean it's where the priorities are and uh that's where the resources.

A

Are going uh that that was the conversation we're having is identifying ourselves as critical.

A

To then make it a priority. um Okay, any other comments. What uh I'd like to do is, I believe,.

A

That, chris, you said, there's one more caller. This will be the end of our.

A

Calls and then we will have our discussion final discussion. uh Chris, we have one more caller. Okay,.

A

Caller you've been unmuted, please identify yourself and you'll have three minutes hi this.

T

Is daniel eli I'm a president of eldersburg uh I've been uh in the carroll county since uh 1996.

T

My wife and county as well um I currently tested positive for covid. I was showing symptoms. uh I had.

T

Co tested positive on tuesday, I'm fully vaccinated, um my wife is unvaccinated and she tested positive.

T

For covet as well, we both ran fevers, uh we're both pretty healthy, we're both under well I'm 40.

T

um She's under 40., um but we're both uh pretty much uh back to normal now, what almost 72 hours.

T

Or 48 hours earlier, I just want to give some statistics uh that that I think is, is.

T

You know, potentially, that we can that we can look at um we're talking about kids, uh um the.

T

The current deaths uh for covid in maryland, for 19 and under are 12 deaths so annually about six.

T

Deaths for kids in maryland, there's been uh 18 kids murdered in baltimore city this year.

T

You know when we look at shutting down schools or going virtual, I think we got taken. I have three.

T

Kids, one in elementary one in middle school and uh one in uh in um preschool and it and it takes them.

T

It's mentally the mass mentally that they don't want to go to school. They want to be home, schooled.

T

They want to get in a co-op. I really feel that we need to look at the healthy individuals and the.

T

Healthy kids and and and it doesn't really matter about vaccination or unvaccination to me because.

T

I think, more importantly, it's the mental health of the kids and I'm against.

T

The um mass mandate and I'm against going virtual to the schools.

T

Sorry, can you hear yes keep going.

A

Thank you hung up, commissioner. Okay. Well, I'm gonna, say: okay, so then yeah turn off the uh the timer.

A

And get us back on screen and now, let's have our conversation and make a comment about that. Last.

B

Caller no amount of death deaths are acceptable. Oh six, a year is okay, it's not! Okay! It's not! Okay and.

B

That's what it seemed that he was trying to say it's only six deaths a year for kids, that's six!.

B

Too many shouldn't be any stuff like that bothers me, so I just I just had to say that sorry, the the.

A

Focus of this again was gathering the information uh understanding the resources that are needed.

A

To continue to support our community and keep it as healthy uh moving forward and going into 2022.

A

So I really truly appreciate um sue and dr wack and garrett and the sheriff and mike.

A

uh All being a part of this discussion, along with the community and callers, um I think from.

A

Our perspective to the community is: there's zero intent to push a mandate moving forward.

A

Absolutely no authority or responsibility in having the schools do that because that's the.

A

Board of education's uh responsibility- and we do talk to the board of education.

A

But you know that is not our role, um so that is their role in moving forward.

A

And, like commissioner, wants you shared, I'm not sure we even have that legislative authority.

A

To mandate something to businesses, but regardless, I think it would not be in the best interest.

A

Of carroll county to move forward with that anyway- and I think we've all agreed to that.

A

So now the question that was uh discussed or brought up by a couple was.

A

Leading by example in the county, and what do we want to do in the county facilities um so.

A

I'll open it to that, but I mean besides that, what else do we want to talk about.

C

I just want to say thank you. We heard from the leaders in the community dealing with the stock.

C

Head of the hospital, the health department, the doctors that know what's going on from the shower.

C

Heard from our emts, we know we should have a pulse on what's going on in the community and I think at.

C

This point I heard one thing: help with the testing sites and that's what the health department which.

C

I think that's has to be a priority of ours to help them with those testing number two go back.

C

Now to where we are as commissioners, what do we want to? uh Where do we want to go with what we.

C

Have control over for our own employees or our own staff, and that's kind of I think, going to be the.

C

Rest of the conversation here today- okay- well, if you want, I mean I'll start off what I think we.

B

Should do for our own buildings that, if someone is not vaccinated, they should be, they should wear a.

B

Mask into the building- and it be honest with you: if we could get the n95 mask, it would be ideal. I.

B

Don't know we can get a hold of that, we have them, and those are the ones that should be distributed.

B

To the employees, because they obviously are the best I'd like to have one myself by the.

B

Way but anyway, I think we should do if you're not vaccinated, wear a mask in coming into work.

B

And perhaps even if you're not vaccinated, if the job can be done remotely and I'm not sure.

B

That all has to be looked at. Maybe that's even a better solution, because it would keep them.

B

Out of the the workforce and the potential of spreading anything would be zero and using the.

A

Honor system on whether people are vaccinated or not, because we are not being directive in.

A

Saying show us your vaccine card. Well we're not asking for that right now, but let's go right now.

B

Let's well that we'll talk about right now, yeah, but so let's see how that works, but.

B

I'm kind of torn on that one, but so bring it. I mean.

A

I think the only way to enforce it would be on the honor system and uh well, it's not the only way.

B

To enforce it, but it's well it's the way we can. Of course we don't expect people to lie because.

A

People don't lie right, and uh so, if you're saying, if you're not vaccinated to wear a mask.

A

Right government buildings: um steve did you have uh thoughts comments? Well, it's the only thing with.

E

The masking thing is, I think, clearly, it's already been stated that um the cloth masks are not.

E

Effective, so if you've got enough mass to give out to our employees, then they should be getting the.

E

End for k-95s um or double masking, if you will, I think that needs to occur.

E

Too um bob you're chiming in you want yeah, I'm just gonna say um more is better. So if you.

L

If, for some reason, there's a shortage of can 95s or n95s layering surgical masks with cloth, masks.

L

Is better than either alone so it's about slowing, airflow, creating barriers, so um layering is an.

L

Option as well, if you have any sort of resource constraints; okay, that thank you that that was.

E

My point I mean you know we're all walking around, I mean masks, have become sort of a.

E

Fashion statement now you know what kind of what kind of uh logos can you get put on mess now we're.

E

Far past that, so I want to be clear: if we're going to do this mass thing, we've got to do it correctly.

E

Yeah and number two, I think it's really difficult to try to enforce. uh You mentioned working from.

E

Home, if you're not vaccinated how in the world you're gonna, do that, I I can't I can't even.

E

Imagine how that would work, um and you talk about alienating some of our workforce- that.

E

To me is unacceptable, no, I didn't I I I'm sorry. I don't want to cut you off, but I didn't mean to.

B

Mandate that I mean it's up to the individual if it can be worked out if they feel safer, they're.

B

Not vaccinated, they don't want to wear a mask in here. Then. If it's going to be worked out, it could.

B

Possibly work remotely, I wasn't suggesting that we keep them from entering the building.

B

If that might have come across wrong, that's not what I meant. I I we. We got roberta biten.

A

Her tongue, uh robert, did you want to add to this um so yeah. We we have many staff members who are.

O

Able to tell a work, many who are not pretty hard to clean the water from you know your living room.

O

Sure um or pave a road unfortunately, um but we can certainly, if that's the board's direction, that if.

O

um That, if they uh are unvaccinated and um are able to work remotely successfully for the county,.

O

You know if they're an employee who's, you know capable of doing that. Then we could probably work.

O

That out and and it sounds like we're, sending, I believe the right message- I mean the sheriff.

A

And uh fire and uh health care they're all doing very much the same. The state is doing the same.

A

By wearing masks, I lean by example, saying these are at least the protective measures that we're.

A

Moving forward, we do not want to mandate and we don't want to go above and beyond. You know what.

A

The governor has said you know in the states of emergency. We've already declared that um so, okay.

C

And we have always agreed to follow the governor's recommendations and things until that changes. I.

C

Think we have to have our own uh plan demonstrate very good ideas, which you had here. As far as.

C

Teleworking, if it works right, it's only for a few, but it might some people might.

B

Be able to take advantage of it, so uh I I think you know we go that way.

C

um If you're not vaccinated, we're our math very simple and our boards and commissions meetings.

B

I'm just asking because I we said originally that if you couldn't.

B

Be six foot apart in a meeting that would be a virtual meeting, we're still holding up with that.

B

And anyway, I think that's important yeah yeah, well, I'm just pointing them out yeah, but any meaning. If.

B

It can't be six free depart then make it a virtual meeting right right if the room capacity is.

O

If the number of people exceeds the room capacity or the six foot distancing, then yes yep and the.

A

Intent is to keep this pixie glass up and yeah continue to keep these measures in place, because.

B

Even if we get done with the coronavirus, what's what's next, so um okay, uh steve you're, lit up.

A

You want to say well the other thing about that. Our boards and commission meetings.

E

We need to make sure we're enforcing that the last planning and zoning meeting that we had.

E

uh That room had a lot of folks in it. I guarantee you exceeded capacity down there.

E

So we need to pay attention to that. We're going to we're going to do these things. We need to be.

E

Able to enforce them right yeah there were, there were attorneys. There were builders.

E

I mean there was a lot of folks in that room. Clearly the message was getting mixed there. So.

E

That that's my point: if we're gonna, if we're gonna, send the message, then let's send the message: let's.

E

Not be sending mixed messages either we're doing it that way, uh and we have to keep people from.

E

Being in the room or whatever we're gonna have to do that correct, yeah, absolutely virtual! So.

O

I'll I'll check with with linda on that, no it was, it was a specific. You know, activity that.

A

Was happening and it was a highlighted area and there was a lot of interest and you know that.

A

There was that it was actually about three or four specific yeah right, so I mean there was, but.

B

I agree with you, I was thinking about making a lawyer role, but I don't know why.

A

Well, I don't think I'm getting christmas cards from lawyers um director monitor of that and.

C

We tried the national city westminster, commissioner fraser, and it didn't work. Okay,.

A

um So- and I I do agree that that the honor system is critically important here,.

E

Yeah um you know, I truly believe that, out of respect uh for your your fellow.

E

Workforce and we've got a fantastic workforce here and we work together. Well, we always have.

E

uh I truly believe if you're not vaccinated, you should be masked and the honor system needs to.

E

Come into play here, but you know, there's got to be some level of respect for your co-workers here.

E

I've also seen quite a few county vehicles on the road. uh There was something that was put in place.

E

About, if there's more than two people in there or two or more, uh they were supposed to be missed.

E

I hate to tell you folks that ain't happening so we're gonna, do it. We need to enforce it. Yeah.

A

I think reinforcing that message and uh integrity doing what's right, whether.

A

People are watching or not um and uh okay, so your motion have you made one yet or no.

B

We need a motion for that I mean no, no, do we don't need a motion so just to make sure we're.

O

All on the same page right so um we'll go back to unvaccinated people wearing masks when it work.

O

um And we'll get them n95 or can 95 masks or the double mask um we'll check on the.

O

Boards and commissions, to make sure the way it was supposed to be, is um that the.

O

Board members could be in the rooms the public and others were supposed to be virtual, so we'll make.

O

Sure that's happening with the board members. They just they still have to be six feet apart. Yes, yes,.

O

Okay, yeah yeah um and then the um uh we currently also do have the room, restrictions um and.

O

People in more than one more than one person in a vehicle they are supposed to be wearing uh masks.

O

um We'll redouble our efforts to make sure that they do follow that uh appreciate. Knowing that one.

O

um A lot of staff out there trying hard to keep them all corralled, sometimes.

O

The other things that we had done. um Of course, we had more people, teleworking.

O

At one point, we did close the building to the public just thoughts in case we did.

O

Require everyone to wear masks at one point when not in their private offices or with.

O

In other, you know in hallways and things and we did have um daily health checks. I don't know.

O

If anybody's interested in any of those no, but I think people coming into the building, um you know.

A

Again, um I do believe in uh privacy and honor, and you know that they should say hey. Are you.

A

Matt I mean, are you vaccinated or not, and uh you know, let's start with that and if we feel that.

A

That's not in control, then we can be a little bit more right. You know we had more science. Oh sorry,.

B

Because I'd be more interested and if you're coming in the building, you should have a mask on.

B

What's good everyone what's good for you guys! Well, we can all have masks, and I'm fine with that, but.

B

I didn't want to go that far, but I think if you're coming in the building to do business with carroll.

B

County, you should be masked it's my feeling, if you guys don't want to do it, I'm! Okay with that, but.

B

I think it's a step. We should take this thing. It's getting out of control.

B

And how long you're going to have to have the mask on you got to walk in the door with it. You go take.

B

Your bills take care of whatever you need to do, you're, probably out of here in 30 minutes or less.

B

And they take the mask off when you get out. I just think it's a precaution to help.

B

The safety of everybody's works here and all the other county buildings that we have, I think the.

D

Heart of this emotion, or this concept, is that none of yous believe that the vaccines work.

D

Because if you truly believe the vaccines work, you wouldn't want the unvaccinated to wear a mass.

D

Or to go, get vaccinated too. That's the lunacy of this whole thing.

D

If I took a vaccine- and I believed in it, I could care less whether you wear a mask or not.

D

And there's a second component to this too- that could lead to this county being sued.

D

And that's discriminating those who have natural immunity which hasn't been discussed today, if you.

D

Are vaccinated and truly believe in the faith of your vaccination, you should have no worry.

D

Whatsoever about the unvaccinated- that's! What's so absurd about this motion as a concept, I'm not.

D

I absolutely disagree right. Yes, we already know through testament. We already know through dr.

D

Whack and testimony of individuals a day that get fully vaccinated that they are contracting disease.

D

So me, as someone who's unvaccinated, have just as much fear of the vaccinated as the unvaccinate.

D

And spreading the disease, they might have lesser breakthrough, but it still happens. People who are.

D

Vaccinated still have the potential to spread the disease. That is a fact. They also get it.

D

So for us instituting a policy that puts mass on individuals that have some form of natural.

D

Immunity which some tests are showing potentially have more than the vaccination we're creating the.

D

Discriminatory policy? Okay, I I absolutely disagree, I believe in the vaccines- and I believe we have.

A

A responsibility to our workforce to ensure that they stay healthy, whether they want to.

A

Or not, I believe, in the readiness of our county government to stay healthy, because if we have.

A

Large outbreaks within our county government, our county will have challenging and resourcing the.

A

Things we need to do so, let's move forward in making a motion that we will go with those that.

A

Are unvaccinated will be required to wear masks in uh county government buildings and those that.

A

Are visiting into county government buildings will be masked regardless effective january 1st.

D

I will no longer be showing up in this building and I solicit the public hold on.

H

I solicit the public and county employees that bring a class action lawsuit. That's my motion.

A

Do I have a second, I have a second now I have a motion. I have a second. Is there any discussion on.

A

The motion second, now you can say all right: I will solicit every employee out there to get together.

D

And level a class action lawsuit against this guy for a discriminatory policy. If this passes.

D

And I also solicit all the citizens out there in the community rise up as well, because this motion.

D

Is nothing but virtue signal by my colleagues because it accomplishes absolutely nothing and.

D

If anything, it proves very clearly that none of them have any faith in the vaccine, which keeps.

D

Failing because we're up to the third one, the fourth one coming what's all happening after that.

D

Everyone's in mass again and now, we've found that fact that all these mass policies, which.

D

You guys supported were baloney, they didn't work unless you have an n95 or a co gasket, which I said.

D

From the very beginning, the mass were useless, but you guys have stuck to it and if we look at every.

D

Other jurisdiction hold on if we look at every other jurisdiction out there, who's put in all.

D

These mandates with vaccination mass they have worse rates than places like florida, who've gone.

D

In the opposite direction, where they emphasize treatment and once again we get a little blurb out.

D

Of health department, a fraction of the treatment, the treatment is, what saves people's lives.

D

We're over focused on useless things like mass and vaccines, which are a substitute for addressing a.

D

Real issue, which is public health. We need to address individual health and the treatment of.

D

The people who are most vulnerable- we didn't hear what the death rate was. That was the most critical.

D

Thing nobody mentioned the death rate. Our ultimate goal was to save response. Save people's lives not.

D

To play politics, and this is playing politics. Okay, I am in my motion that you're right masks should.

A

Be appropriately uh one worn appropriately and two, the masks should be appropriate masks which are.

A

The k95s and the m95s, as opposed to just any masks so which, by the way, is all put strain emergency.

B

Services, so we can you're talking about the mass for our employees. Yes, you guys the mass for the.

H

Public right, we can't we don't have all this whatever they have right right. Okay, so we're not.

D

Causing strength on the resources of our people that truly need it, because we're going to take it.

B

Okay, now is there any further discussion on this just.

E

I've lost control because of all the because of all the sermons from the pulpit hey steve hold on.

A

I'm sorry steve you're saying I don't know what I don't know what the motion was, after that diet,.

E

Product, okay, so steve. The motion once again is that government employees uh that are unvaccinated.

A

On the honor system will wear the appropriate masks, which is the m95 k95 masks.

A

And appropriately warned those that are visiting into government facilities will wear a mask.

A

To do business in government facilities, effective date is one january.

A

And I motioned uh commissioner frazier seconded and as you heard, there was some dialogue from.

A

Commissioner boucher now, commissioner weaver I just mentioned these- are just control measures.

C

Eradication isn't going to happen and that's what you're looking at total control, total eradication.

C

uh This is going to be around forever. What we're trying to do is control this, so we'd all be in.

C

Mass forever- and we don't know what the future holds now I have enough background. Pathology know.

C

How diseases work uh and deal with uh you know mutations or whatever we don't know what's coming.

C

And it's going to be mutation, there's going to be other things coming we're trying to keep everybody.

C

As safe as we possibly can in the county without mandating a whole lot, we have a control over.

C

The county buildings and the offices here, let's start there and see what happens this could.

C

Change next week and be totally out the window and we'll have to have other measures in there.

C

If we get that curve, I think uh chains and start to level off, then we can lighten up one thing, but.

D

I see it's constantly doubling down. I mentioned I've seen earlier how my colleagues talked about.

D

We're not going to do mandates, we need to stay in our lane, that's the board of education. Let me let.

D

Me refresh your memory that this board really jumped out of its lane and voted 4-1 to mass.

D

To children, which was totally our jurisdictional responsibility, we had voted before about putting.

D

Mass on children- everyone in here but me- was for masking children. When did we do that? We never did.

B

That never did that. Never we never asked for children. Well, you guys supported and advocated.

D

Maybe we didn't vote, but we had the discussion. We never did that as the board of education is.

A

Responsible exactly, but we did it here. No, we talk about things, but we never would vote on.

A

What to do in the school system? Just like you know the the concern about you know why folks.

A

Are concerned about the schools and they're listening to this discussion because they.

A

Think that we're going to mandate schools, we don't have that responsibility, nor any of us say we do.

A

Period, there's I mean it's full stop. So no, we never voted to mass kids in schools. I mean.

A

That's you know, we may have our own opinions, but no, what we're doing again is not mandate.

A

Mandating anything in the county, especially with businesses, our community, our schools,.

A

We advocate, as discussed for vaccines, to do what's right and get the message out that was shared by.

A

Everybody that's in this room that vaccines are the best thing going to minimize the.

A

uh The the problems we're having with this and we can lead by example, like the state and others, are.

A

Doing by not mandating jesus by um working so yeah direction uh that those vaccinated in this.

A

Government facilities uh do not need to be mass those unvaccinated; they can come into.

A

The government facilities and do their work, they can get vaccinate, they can wear masks, they can do.

A

That what's necessary and they say from our health officials that the masks work. Yes, so.

A

That's the motion for n95s. No, that's not what they said. No, the cdc said that alexis and n95 are above.

D

Talk about what we had right now, our briefing this morning, mass work now the n95 works. So if.

B

I'm wearing it, I'm not going to get most likely the the virus but mask if I'm wearing a cloth, bass.

B

Even a cloth mask oh by the way you have to be shaving for me to work. If I wearing a cloth mask, I.

B

Potentially, will stop spreading what I have to other people, so even a cloth mask helps. So even if.

D

Your back stay and wind up with it if you're not wearing a mask, you'll spread the disease correct.

D

Yeah, why wouldn't you so? Why is it you're saying only unvaccinated people need to.

D

Wear a mask when the potential exists for the vaccinate to spread the disease.

D

That's what I find so ridiculous about this conversation. Okay, I'd like to call for a vote.

A

We got the motion we got. The second we've had discussion quickly, quick question, a quick question.

E

Where are we with the uh the federal? uh I don't I hate to call it a mandate, but the the osha.

O

Yes, so the supreme court will hear uh motions arguments on january, 7th right and um the last.

O

Time they had an emergency situation like this. It took them several weeks to um to come out.

O

With their with their ruling, so I wouldn't expect- I mean it'd- be nice to have something sooner, but.

O

I wouldn't expect now the osha had delayed or uh implementation, um because the original dates were.

O

December 5th, for policy and and um and to know your employees, vaccination stand status.

O

And then january, 4th for implementation. Those dates been changed now to january 10th, for.

O

Policy and know your employees, vaccination status and also then february 9th for actual.

O

Implementation of the testing, if you're going to go down that path, so um so we're coming upon.

O

Some deadlines with regard to that and hopefully the supreme court will.

A

Issue some log jam help there. Okay, that's it! I don't want to delay it anymore. I mean we've.

E

Heard you know enough right, but um the only other thing I would add is I I'd like to see strongly.

E

Recommend uh in the common areas, but not mandated, but just just strongly recommended everybody uses.

E

uh You know some common sense in our common areas in our building too we're in all the.

E

Buildings, some of the buildings are smaller than county office building, just just but again not.

E

Just just strongly recommend yep and I uh I agree and common sense should be used. It.

A

Should be used on social media, it should be used on lots of things. Sometimes, common sense is not.

A

So common but uh okay, I called for the vote. um I apologize to laying it all in favor all right, aye.

A

Okay against against okay motion carries 4-1. Is there any further business that we have? I just.

O

Want clarification on that last? Do you want us to add strongly recommend that everybody.

O

Masked or I mean vaccinated or unvaccinated, wear masks in common areas where there's groupings.

A

Yeah, that's true: okay, okay! um Is there any further discussion? I appreciate the short notice getting.

A

On board having this, um I think it was important. I think we covered a lot of ground, saying that there.

A

Are no mandates in carroll county? We are not following suit with other counties, rather not.

A

Be called a republican or democrat, although I'm proud to be a republican, and I think we.

A

Are doing what's right for our community, we will have a press release go out on this example. Okay,.

A

Okay, I got a motion second name further discussion, all in favor.

A