Special Board of Aldermen 12-21-2021 Page 17
They also shared with us the fact that on some other units, they have to close elective surgeries now because now all
the resources have to go to taking care of these more acute patients, which includes the number of increasing COVID
patients as well. So we're in a place where whatever we can do to stop the spread of community exposure we do that
so we can decrease the number of individuals going into our hospitals and this is statewide.
Tony Storace, Chairman, Board of Public Health
Just a comment. Dr. Stephanie just texted me and said she can’t unmute in case anybody wants to ask for questions.
President Wilshire
And | believe that was done intentionally because people were speaking out of turn.
Tony Storace, Chairman, Board of Public Health
Okay. As long as you tell her that she could hear.
President Wilshire
Okay.
Alderman Lopez
| just had a follow up question. With regards to the patients needing acute care, | spent most of last year working with
patients that were in the ER that were undergoing emergency evaluations that were clinically determined to be a
danger to themselves or others and in need of long, like, significant stabilizing care. At that time, there was nowhere
near the capacity of people or beds for the people that were in need and it was often the case that people would
spend days and occasionally weeks in the hallway in the emergency room. This increase in uses of ICU and this
activation of secondary wards made and you've had better?
Bobbie Bagley, Director of Public Health and Community Services
No. They're still talking about portabeds in the hospitals are still having individuals, you Know, in the hallways. They
can't get some patients that need to be out, out fast enough. It's just a situation that we need to see our way out of
and, again, with the passing of this temporary mask mandate, we're hoping to slow this curve. We have to slow the
curve. Right now they're in a really tough situation. It cannot get any worse. We've seen how the numbers go down
right after the holidays and so we're getting ready to get into the gatherings again. Those numbers are going to go
right back up.
Alderman O'Brien
Thank you, Madam President. I'll throw this out to our esteem Board of Health board. You come in here - you know |
believe to what you're telling us and everything is true. | believe the science and as some of you know, | come from
the Fire Department and | understand, you know, my doctor would tell me not to eat a bag of potato chips but | do like
potato chips. But the thing is, and | understand the Fire Marshal will tell me not to play with matches. But the thing is,
| gotta think about the business community at large too. If we do vote for this in this Board, | don't think we can rely on
the Police Department. They’ve got tons of stuff that they get to do and so it's got to be some hostess all probably
110 pounds of her and | think you've seen some of the aggressiveness or let’s tone that back, we've seen how people
feel about this. So we’re throwing it on them to enforce this.
| believe in the science. | got a two year old granddaughter. My grandchildren who are of school aged are vaccinated
but two years old not yet. So I'm very concerned and the wife and | take the precautions. But how can we as a Board
feel comfortable and telling that hostess that she's going to have to man that castle wall to enforce a mask mandate.
Then also too let's talk about some of our finer pub and type of environments where somebody a restaurant. Well
somebody will come in from the street wearing a mask but then remove the mask and sit in a crowded table
atmosphere. It seems, you know, counter intuitive to what we're trying to do here. So if you could just answer those
and make me feel a little bit more comfortable and to help this Board understand, you know, your ask | understand is
based on science. I’m not arguing that but we have to think the bigger global picture with this. So I'll leave it at that.
