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MINUTES OF THE HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE JUNE 23, 2020 MEETING HELD REMOTELY Present: Councilmembers Litten, Kepple, Rader Also Present: Councilmember Bullock, Mayor George, Fire Chief Dunphy, Health & Human Services Director Gelsomino, Deputy Clerk Lascu, Clerk Bach taking minutes, members of the public Call to Order: 6:02 p.m. COVID-19 Situation Briefing Mayor George described the City's Coronavirus Task Force, which began meeting daily in March and now meets weekly. The Task Force will meet more often if needed. She reviewed some main points from the recent Task Force Situation report, including various recent statewide openings. Playgrounds were re-opened by the State in June 10h. Lakewood opened its playgrounds by the end of the day on June 10h and installed signage basically stating that you must play at your own risk. The responsible restart protocols call for playgrounds to be disinfected after each use, which is not possible for the City. The City will however clean the playgrounds as much as possible. Mayor George reviewed recent updates on the City's Coronavirus resource page such as data from the state regarding number of cases, deaths, and hospitalizations. She stated that Ohio is seeing an overall decline but there is an uptick in southwest Ohio. The state is arranging for pop- up testing, with Elyria being the nearest location. She stated that the City will generally follow the Governor's directives though it may be more conservative. Chief Dunphy provided an update on the Fire Department's approach. Members continue to wear masks, gloves, and goggles on calls. Dispatch has been screening callers for COVID symptoms. The Department is stocking up on PPE to ensure it has enough for the fall. Director Gelsomino spoke about plans to bring COVID testing to senior congregate living in Lakewood such as the Westerly, Lakeshore Towers, and others. The City is working through the logistics with Metro and Cleveland Clinic this week and is planning to roll out the testing a week or so after that. In response to questions from Council, Director Gelsomino clarified that the testing will be voluntary for residents and staff of the building only. These are the City's populations that are most vulnerable to COVID and financially vulnerable. The Committee and the administration discussed continuing questions around antibody testing. Director Gelsomino stated that ideally, the public needs a test that is quick and reliable, but we are not there yet. Chief Dunphy remarked that the County Board of Health has held off on endorsing antibody tests for these reasons. Mayor George added that the significance of a positive antibody test is still unknown. Scientists do not know how long antibodies can protect someone from COVID.