Approved Minutes of March 27, 2024

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MINUTES ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH March 27, 2024 B. Health Directors Report Ms. Stewart presented her report to the Board. Below are brief highlights of her report. • Ms. Stewart thanked the board for reviewing and scoring the outside agency applications and explained that those are currently under review for funding. • The Orange County Countywide Five-Year Strategic Plan has been completed and focuses on similar priority areas as those identified by the CHA: Environmental Protection and Climate Action, Healthy Community, Housing for All, Multi-Modal Transportation, Public Education/Learning Community, and Diverse and Vibrant Economy. The full plan can be found here: https:HorangecountVnc.gov/DocumentCenter/View/26972 • Ms. Stewart shared that, due to ongoing interest from board members, she will resume including COVID wastewater surveillance in her monthly reports. She added that the numbers are beginning to trend down, which she hopes signals the end of respiratory illness season. • Bars that serve food in NC are being pulled back under the authority of health departments after a period of ten years without being evaluated by health inspectors to the same standards as restaurants. Bars with kitchens will now need to be inspected and permitted by October 1, 2024. As of March 20, 2024, Orange County Environmental Health Services has already received applications and completed inspections for all 34 bars that serve food in the county. • UNC's Student Health Action Coalition (SHAC) requested help from the health department to get school-aged children up to date on school-required vaccinations and physical exams. Carla Julian, Public Health Nursing Director, held three special clinics in the last week with assistance from all the divisions of the health department to help serve approximately 50 students. • There have been 64 cases of Measles in 17 US states since the beginning of the year. So far, none of these cases have been in NC, but there have been cases in nearby states including Georgia and Virginia. Ms. Stewart emphasized the importance of vaccines to help curb the spread of vaccine-preventable illnesses such as Measles. • Starting July 1 st, 2024, tobacco-free policies will be taking effect at healthcare providers contracted with Medicaid. This includes both combustible (e.g., cigarettes, cigars) and non-combustible (e.g., vapes, smokeless tobacco) products. Ms. Stewart clarified that exceptions to this regulation include but are not limited to retail pharmacies and non- emergency medical transport. Dr. Stuebe asked who is responsible for enforcement of smoke-free policies, to which Ms. Stewart clarified that it falls under the jurisdiction of local law enforcement. • The Orange County Opioid Settlement Community Meeting will be held at 10am-3pm on Saturday, April 271h in the Donna Baker Meeting Room of the Whitted Building, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC 27278. Ms. Stewart provided a preview of the new funds Orange County will be receiving from the Walmart settlement, $459,509.50, with an overall payout of$51,430,837 from Walmart to all of NC. • Ms. Stewart shared that there is an appeal pending, though she has not yet received the formal request. Through a brief discussion, the board members agreed to hold the evenings of April 10th and April 11th as potential dates for an adjudication hearing. Ms. Stewart explained that it was possible for board members to videoconference in, as Dr. Jonnal said that she would be out of town on both those days. In response to Dr. Baldwin's question as to whether the appellant wins their appeal by default if the board fails to schedule the hearing in time, Ms. Hudson said that this would not influence the judgement of the case, but board members would be in violation of state law and subject S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2024 Agenda and Abstracts/ March Page 9