Douglas County is close to moving out of the red level of COVID-19 cases as public health officials discussed Monday how to approach the next phase of the pandemic.
The recently extended mask mandate was among the items discussed during the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health board meeting.
Board members shared their thoughts on the mandate, which will last until March 2, and the community transmission indicator tool, which aids the county in producing public health orders.
Public Health Director Dan Partridge said the community transmission indicator is close to moving from red to yellow, as the current 14-day moving average of COVID-19 cases is about 54. The average needs to be 50 cases or lower for the indicator to be at the yellow level.
As of Monday, there are 1,347 active COVID-19 cases in Douglas County, for an average positivity rate of 4.8%. There are nine COVID inpatients at LMH Health.
Partridge also discussed the need to rework the transmission indicator and its associated recommendations. Partridge said he will meet with public health officials this week to discuss future possible indicators.
“Rather than having columns that say, ‘Oh, we’re in red so we got to do these five things,’ we say, ‘Here are, universally, things that would help us, that would reduce your risk.’ and in a sense, move it from what will the health officer or the county commission do for you, but how can you manage your risk?” Partridge said. “But I will say, I haven’t run across many folks at these meetings who feel like that tool is working well for us. So I’m sure it will change, but I’m not sure how much it will change.”
Health board member Erika Dvorske said she’s questioned whether the community is entering a phase of the pandemic where COVID-19 is treated like the flu because vaccines are available.
“And I’m not saying that what we do with the flu is what we should be doing, and I’m not equating the two, but what is the best process, what should we be monitoring and what should we be cognizant of, if we’ve mitigated in all the right ways through heavy vaccine usage for the flu and COVID, then what would be the indicator that we’re putting a larger group of the population at risk?” Dvorske said.
Hugh Carter, vice president of external affairs for the Chamber of Lawrence, said he’s talked with local business owners who say they have been negatively affected by the mask mandate.
“I was really surprised to learn of the impact of having the mask mandate,” Carter said. “For that reason, I think there’s some hesitancy about having their own mandate. Just talking with our local coffee shop that does $1,300 an average Saturday, as soon as the mask mandate’s put in place that goes to $300.”
Carter said two other local restaurants and breweries experienced a 40-50% drop in revenue on a day with a mask mandate compared to a day without. Carter said it’s important to be careful during the pandemic, but fatigue has set in for some businesses.
In other business, the board unanimously approved two contracts, one for Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher to take on the responsibilities of health officer, and another for Dr. Thomas Marcellino to retain his medical consultant duties.
The resignation of Marcellino as health officer was announced at last month’s meeting, and it was decided Schrimsher will take on that position, since she has experience as the current deputy health officer. Partridge said he is working to find a time for Schrimsher to administer her oath of office this week.
“COVID has put our health officer in a new position and in a place we never thought we would see,” Partridge said. “ [Marcellino] has been our health officer for 10 years, and I’m sure for the first eight years of that, he never would have dreamed the last two years would have been the last two he had.”
Reach reporter Abby Shepherd at [email protected]
