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MINUTES <br /> ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH <br /> February 26, 2025 <br /> ORANGE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT: To promote and protect <br /> health, enhance quality of life, and preserve the environment for everyone in Orange County. <br /> THE ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF HEALTH MET ON February 26, 2025, at the Orange <br /> County Health Department, 300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough, NC. <br /> BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS PRESENT: Alison Stuebe — Chair, Tony Whitaker—Vice <br /> Chair, Bruce Baldwin, Brian Crandell, Commissioner Amy Fowler, Davia Nickelson, Shielda <br /> Rodgers, and Rachel Royce. <br /> BOARD OF HEALTH MEMBERS ABSENT: Keith Bagby, Aparna Jonnal, and Lee Pickett. <br /> STAFF PRESENT: Quintana Stewart, Health Director; Erica Pettigrew, Medical Director; Dana <br /> Crews, Community Health Services Director; Victoria Hudson, Environmental Health Director; <br /> Carla Julian, Public Health Nursing Director; Ashley Rawlinson, Compliance Manager; Frederick <br /> Perschau, Financial and Administrative Services Director; Libbie Hough, Communications <br /> Manager; Thomas Privott, Environmental Health Supervisor; Caroline Shumaker, Dental Office <br /> Manager; and Jean Phillips-Weiner, BOH Strategic Plan Manager. <br /> GUESTSIVISITORS PRESENT: Abigail Beliveau. <br /> I. Welcome New Employees <br /> Quintana Stewart, Health Director, shared that there were no new employees in attendance this <br /> evening. <br /> II. Public Comment for Items NOT on Printed Agenda: None. <br /> III. Board Comments: <br /> Dr. Brian Crandell <br /> Dr. Crandell commented on the current measles outbreak in Texas and expressed that this <br /> shouldn't happen in a world where we have safe and effective vaccines. Commissioner Fowler <br /> added that there has been one death due to the measles outbreak. In response to Dr. Royce's <br /> question about vaccination rates in Orange County, Ms. Stewart said that she didn't know <br /> offhand, but she would look into the data. <br /> Dr. Stuebe echoed Dr. Crandell's concerns about vaccine hesitancy and noted that she has had <br /> three patients hospitalized with the flu this year, and only the one who was vaccinated stayed <br /> out of the Intensive Care Unit. She reiterated that vaccines work, and that if someone who is <br /> vaccinated still contracts an illness, it is usually milder than it would have been if unvaccinated. <br /> Commissioner Fowler shared that at her practice she is seeing vaccine hesitancy among some, <br /> while others rush to get vaccines (such as the HPV vaccine) while they are available. She <br /> added that her practice requires that patients get certain vaccines, or they will no longer be their <br /> provider to ensure patient safety. <br /> S:\Managers Working Files\BOH\Agendas &Abstracts\2025 Agenda and Abstracts/ <br /> February Page 1 <br />