Public Health, Welfare and Labor Senate & House and Education Senate & House

And public health committee and so thank you Representative Cozart senator English and this meeting today I'm in a briefly go through the agenda and kind of discuss why we've got these items on on our list today but the main reason for calling this meeting today is really easy to make sure that we are as informed as possible as legislators because we are getting those phone calls from superintendents coaches teachers and parents as well and so this is an opportunity for us to really hear the back to school policies guidelines and protocols ask questions on behalf of our constituents and help to better understand what's about to or what has already unfolded with school going back this week and then next week as we know private schools have come back this week and so with that I think one of the best pieces of advice that I heard on the radio from a woman who was the elected to be the PTA president of her school. And she said we all just need to take a deep breath. And that is absolutely great advice I think we all have to take a deep breath because we know that information data policies protocols are going to be changing daily and I think it's a super important for us all take a deep breath and and give um. Give some space for people and teachers particularly and administrators coaches we all need to give them the space and the graciousness to be able to move through this very very difficult situation as best as we can so the way I think that we do that is to have as much information of legislators as we possibly can to take back to our districts and to help help inform and answer those questions I'm I'm going to be moving to put item ET at the very top of the agenda so we will have the back to school protocols and plans for re opening public schools in Arkansas first along with the corona virus data and analysis and school districts by doctor Thompson and a con I then we will go to participation in school athletics and extra curricular activities and then after that we will go to the cares funded vaccination program hold on just a moment. And. That and then to the buffalo river conservation committee the the last item the buffalo river conservation committee of it really just there's no motion or action taken today but it would be nice to have a of of motion to to approve their recommendations because that's and and they have worked very hard on out on their recommendations and they're very good the the vaccination program is something that's very important that we need to get the word out about so that's why we have them on today's agenda as well and before we start I wanted to read this I did not add DHS to our agenda meeting but it's very important that we as legislators keep up with what's going on within DHS and the different grant programs so DHS is now accepting applications from eligible organizations for the emergency solutions grant this is a this is a direct cares at funding outside of the one point two five billion and it's for a program called emergency solutions grant this program supports our Kansans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless during covert nineteen public health emergency eligible organizations may apply for these ESG funds to reimburse the cost of providing services in up to four different program areas emergencies shelter rapid re housing street outreach and homeless prevention local governments and nonprofit organizations in Arkansas including churches are eligible to apply it is through electronic applications and they will be accepted until four thirty PM on August the twenty fourth twenty twenty so there's about I believe thirteen million dollars in that fund so please. Get the word out to your districts that this is available. And no but I will have this email printed off for you and I believe folks from DHS are here that can answer questions for you and direct you to that website and that electronic application so I will I will have a copy of this email. to hand out to everybody from from Mr out white all right. So please take advantage of that and spread the word in your districts alright with that I'm gonna go ahead do have comments from my cochairs present Cozart. It's it's so good to be here today and good to share the committee with public health it's kind of something new that we don't do very often and and I think it's here we're gonna learn some here's some information that we probably would normally here and I know with our agencies running at full speed sometimes we help get informed as quickly as we think we should soul I think today is your chance to find out that information you need if they're here you can ask them and hopefully we'll get caught up to speed and that it will change tomorrow and it'll be another day. Thank you Representative Ladyman. Okay. Thank you and not just quote real quick and yeah the the code nineteen viruses or pandemic is is the most important thing going on around us today and the the the the second most important thing is our children our kids our grandkids are going back to school and I'm just looking forward to data make that make sure that there is safe as possible we may have some input into that and as are the culture said this changing daily data is changing daily we have data in this handout that just came about a few days ago so is changing daily we need to keep up on that we need to make our kids as safe as possible thank you manager thank you senator English. Thank you very much it is kind of a very good idea for the ugh two committees to be meeting together because sometimes an education we don't hear some of the public health issues and I think it's critically important for all of us to understand what's going on and as we all know and as we said things will change tomorrow so we it's best for us all to be aware have all the information we can possibly have. Thank you thank you very much all right with that I'm gonna bring up secretary John icky doctor Romero with the health department. Thank you gentlemen for being here if you will just introduce yourself for the record and the may proceed a note of housekeeping if there are legislators that are sitting in the audience if you want to ask a question we're going to go through the presentations first but if you want to ask a question raise your hand there is a wireless microphone that is available to you and but there's a button in the middle of the presenters table that will need to be pushed in order to turn that on so we will have staff assist in that alright thank you gentlemen go ahead Johnny Kita part of education. Right if you can bring your Mike's right up to you make sure they're turned on thank you may proceed. So we started okay so since the spring department of education has been working very closely with districts all over the state of. Your back when we had to make the very difficult decision to close onsite instruction and move to a a my and virtual just to as a brief recap of understand that many districts were not as prepared as they are now for virtual learning but in the the absence of that preparation they did a room an amazing job in converting to what it many states wish they would have had other states had to shut down completely for a few weeks as they converted Arkansas schools were able to shift a rather quickly and that is a I think much that's credited to the decision of of this body and twenty seventeen to create alternative methods of instruction they had given us a few years of practice although those situations were much more short term and FOR other reasons we still had schools that had experience in shifting to either some type of virtual learning or packets for children to continue their work while they were at home we also had a great response from the Arkansas PBS formally known as a ET and is helping us move forward with their television programming in the morning for schools to be able to use that as well if that was needed to supplement their offerings but when we started thinking about moving forward to this fall one of the three critical elements that we heard from teachers parents and administrators was a what we do about the interrupted learning us from March through the rest of the school year although a a minor was helpful it certainly was not as effective as what we would expect in a classroom setting and we we knew that there would be students that would be behind as a move into this fall so the first thing we did was bring to get. Other over a hundred and twenty I think about a hundred thirty actually. Educators from across the state. to create what we call the playbook and it was in very focused on identifying the essential standards that may have been missed during the spring and giving teachers lessons or the house resources to be able to understand how to catch those students up and address that Los learning or interrupted learning as a return in the fall so that was the first thing that that we produced in the second we shifted to the a resource for returning to onsite learning in the fall is a governor it said since the spring it was his intent that school would begin in the fall with on site construction. While districts will be preparing to shift to virtual instruction or blended models if necessary and that was the next to the guidance that we issued which was the planning for re engagement document or are ready for learning program where we used a number of of partners our coops eight PS are C. virtual Arkansas and others to help districts prepare we also looked at the needs regarding the technology that would be required for moving to a blended or virtual learning platform so we provided funds out of the federal Esther funds or which were funds from the cares act a to be able to acquire and provide the resources that they needed if they were not able to provide those within the district themselves. And that was also those that was centered around our model of with our six systems we've identified six primary systems of is running an education running a school in the state of Arkansas centered around academics human capital student support stakeholder community family engagement a district and fiscal operations and facilities and transportation and creating resource guides for each of those elements of school operations so that they would be better prepared going into the next school year A to deal with the challenge of covert nineteen. Of then most recently and I think these are the documents that we have provided for you today one is a healthy school guide. And then the second is helping students cope. Of and these are. The information here is reflects the information and the guidance that the health department and the department of education has issued all along what these documents to and thankful to the partnership of the Arkansas children's hospital and you AM mass and you I miss college of public health specifically helping us take that guidance the best practices of for returning to school and putting them in a guide with very parent friendly language would say that As I interacted with my wife about to all the guidance we put out and I would like to read stuff and she would say house okay this is great but what are parents supposed to do because we don't understand what this means issues right it's so that's where the the with the help in the partnership of the health department children's hospital you a mass producing these parent friendly guides so that they would understand what to prepare for how to prepare and how their students and how their schools should be expected to operate once they return to site on site and then helping students cope one of the things that we know has been a challenge sense of the spring. Was when you close schools offer onsite our instruction is not just instruction that becomes a missing piece. It's the the social aspect the emotional aspect the health care that students get Walter on campus the food security that is such a critical part of of our school system today and number students were missing out on that and behavioral health specialist all of the state were reporting about the the the concerns they had in the issues that they were saying with students in the absence of the on site construction along with all the other important aspects of on site of classes at school being open for onsite attendance and that's what this document it it helps it it's not again these are not policy guides our policy documents but they are operational and support of documents to help give parents caregivers teachers professionals anyone that may I have a touch point with the school system to be able to support their the students in that system. I'll stop there madam chair and I and turn it over to Dr Meryl for any remarks. Thanks for state thank you. Madam chair. Co chairs thank you for and biting me and giving me the privilege to come in address you and members of the legislature I'm as you know the it Arkansas department of health has been involved since day one and prior to that even with preparations and implementation to deal with the current pandemic we have over time increased a number of areas that are important both to public health and also to safe initiation of classes which is coming up next week during this period of time we have diverted many of our staff to deal with issues of covert as they come forward and we have spent special F. emphasis on expanding our laboratory capability which will be important more so now that we're opening classes in addition we have robustly augmented the number of individuals available for contact tracing contact investigation which again will come into play in the in the coming weeks unfortunately we have partnered very closely with the the the department of education in order to advise them and to provide guidance with regard to policies and procedures moving forward we have offered ourselves at all levels in order to assist in a successful opening of school and hopefully maintaining that throughout the year in addition. Our department has addressed issues of sports and music and theater which will be part of the school year so we have that openly engage with the members of the community to answer their questions and to be cut and to be available so I will stop there and the. Okay thank you so the guidelines that the teachers are following and administrators are following are those guidelines available online for FOR teachers are for us to to view as legislators yes of those are we we've established a web page that is dedicated to providing information to parents and educators and the public about a covered nineteen and the the impact and the implications of that that would have in the schools and the all the guidelines are captured their what's that web page do you well if it you link right there on our Arkansas ed dot gov it's one of the top sliders in that on that web page it takes you directly to the cover nineteen section okay so Arkansas at dot gov is where folks need to go that are specific about like classroom guidelines and. Everything that we've that we have issued is is on that call with page and you can get there to it from the heart our homepage okay and then this that are those guidelines are protocols are those also involved the testing and the identification of potential close contacts and how that procedure as laid out can you describe that for us because I think there's some confusion about Parent survey I've gotten phone calls you know how how is this going to work basically can you just kind of describe how the testing is going to be done on school campuses with this and then how those folks are identified and then the procedures the time lines about all of that that's one of the questions I'm getting from parents we have we are asking every district to identify a point of contact in that district okay so that the communication flow from from the district with that type of information to the health department into the department of education and then necessary information going back is streamlined it is very streamlined that that we don't have multiple callers calling with the same information and and so you know that that point contact to some we provided training we've worked with health department to provide training for those points of contact and as far as the process for testing I'll let doctor Meryl dress at least thank you secretary so we have that establish a procedure that we will put into place this procedure as that I mentioned before as anything we have put forward is subject to flux and it that is subject to flex depending on essentials necessary for this but as it stands today. From. It it if someone and me begin from the school yeah it is that a child comes to school order is considered parents are concerned that a patient that a child has symptoms then we ask that that child be sent home okay for evaluation that evaluation should be sought through the primary care physician we don't want to interrupt the the the the relationship between the patient on the primary care physician if the primary for care physician has the ability the capacity to perform point of care testing we will ask them to perform point of care testing if not then our local health units are available for that point of care testing that test will be analyzed at that moment if the child is positive that child is considered to be infected with Covin that we'll we'll talk about that in a minute because I think that yes again I want to go I want to go forward with regard to what we do with the child that is negative so let me back up here and explain to everybody that the incubation period for covert is fourteen days. And so the virus can make itself manifest either by being able to identify it or by symptoms anytime within those fourteen days and that is the basis for the fourteen day quarantine that is recommended so if the child tests negative for Covin. Then we will back that up with a PC our test which is more sensitive and specific. The the the method we have now and I think I've discussed this police previously before you all is that we have a very robust career system that can take specimens from the local health units to our public health lab which I can it again explained where we have increased our capacity that test will be prioritized will be run as soon as possible and hopefully the results will be available within a matter of an act of ours that result will be transmitted back to the patient contact tracing will then begin in earnest that is a contact. invest investigator will cut will will call inform them of the results or they can be really want also electronically and from there the cascade goes forward that is quarantine and we want all children that are tested whether positive or negative to be quarantined until they are contacted by one of the contact investigators okay then. Eight do you want to continue with that how will fan out from there or is that good enough at this point but their eight at seven so there's the fourteen days but then it could be extended because it's so so yes there's some confusion about that so so if the PCR test is positive that child is infected okay if the PCR test is negative that child to still and has been exposed to write then we will make the determination of whether the child should remain in quarantine or not. There is the variable that has to come in so we can look at what the signs and symptoms are what the epidemiology is so it's not just the signs and symptoms alone it's the epidemiology of what's going around that child so if that child was exposed to somebody who had cove it that makes a child very high risk for having potential Covin so that that's on that end let me go back to the two two now back to school so again now if if we know about this as a positive that we know what we will notify the school immediately okay and inform them of the results we will ask the school not to perform contact tracing but simply to identify the individuals that were in the room or the activity that child was in okay okay they well this is the point of of of of contacted identified by secretary key they will transfer that that information to a specific bank of telephones at the health department okay and we will set in motion any additional testing or investigation necessary okay and the point of care testing is that available at your local health unit and every county for. Yes no no I I was at that and I don't think yeah I think I got my answer my answer would be verbal but I'm just I'm just I understand your question okay me yeah so so to answer your question we we at this time have two hundred point of care tests that have been purchased we have on hand twelve hundred tests available to use we had already purchased significantly more than that but unfortunately due to and this is the flux that I was talking about how we are modifying our responses that has changed because we do not have tests that are going to go all the way through because the federal government has has taken a lot of these point of care tests and the apparatus we we will modify as necessary but right now we have enough to begin this we are going to allocate forty of the starting tomorrow okay to go to higher education as if you will loners until they have there abit ID now and then we are going to deploy immediately forty of these to some of the larger school districts and then deploy the others as we got. The short answer to your question is yes we plan to have one in every local health units. Right you but what our time line is based on the availability of the test kits and when you receive them yes right so and is a lot to add a finer point to this now so. If we find the need to do mass testing. In a school or classroom we have a we will deploy up to ten. it for lack of a better term strike teams that will consist of a minimum of three individuals that can go to the site and establish a testing facility in a parking lot in an open in the in room or someplace where it is safe to do so those specimens then we'll be transported back again through this Currier system that we have to. The public health laboratory they will be identified as high priority and will be processed rapidly and then it will lead to the the pathway that I told you before okay that's good to know so does the strike teams are kind of going to stand in the gap in plot in areas in the state that you don't have the ability to put the rapid testing machine at the local health units with that understood so the rapid testing machine is only to be is only plan to be used for the initial screening of the student okay all right after that we will deploy the rapidly team if necessary and and I want to make that very clear because I think your your your constituents may ask this question. We will not be testing the entire family okay we will be testing only the child. That has the risk for infection or have or or that that we need to determine whether that child is is as Sentinel event for the school and eight again in in part you know we want to focus on the child we want to use our resources for the child the others okay that can that will be tested can be tested at the local health units but they will not the go to PC are something like that initially we will focus on the child that has been exposed or has symptoms okay alright thank you I'm and then to the policy side of things in the guidelines school board member called and this is just one of their questions because I I don't know how to answer it's but I'm gonna read her question because I think it's a very good one I have read the response levels for on site learning that the department of health sent the schools as a guide on page two under the determining level of response section it states that the information below provides recommendations that may be used to assist to district leaders then it also states quote in an effort to create and maintain a self safe environment many safety precautions are strongly recommended regardless of the level of community spread and she says my question is is this information requirements or recommendations and is that the right of the local school board directors to decide what they will do. And and then I have. One other question but I'll let you answer that one first. So if you go back into the earlier days of the pandemic and many of the restrictions that were made were directives from the health department as we moved in and preparing for the fall we wanting to be less directive and and more assistive if you will with giving that of some of those options to the local districts on a to what extent do you eight you're looking at your community your data what are those measures obviously face masks you know that that has been issued as a requirement I mean that that now is a requirement but some of the others the that are in place such as physical distinct distancing to the extent possible okay because we know some districts simply do not have the space for that that the hand washing I mean all of those elements are layers of protection not one as in doctor remember okay correct me but if in the end my listening to what they have told us from the health department there's not one that is a silver bullet they all work together to help establish a lawyer protection but looking at their facilities their practices and procedures and asking them what do they need to change what are the practices I'll give an example some districts some elementary schools start with a morning assembly every morning every Monday morning I come in or maybe they all all the kids go to the gym or they'll go to the cafeteria well that's not a not a smart thing to do right so we would recommend that they change those practices hallway transitions where maybe in the past you had for five minutes in high schools to get from one class to the other you need to look at that schedule maybe you need to stagger those those class changes so that their art to that we don't have a picture in Arkansas like the picture in Atlanta a few weeks ago with just mass students in the hallways those are all things. Is that each each district needs to look at their facilities and see what is possible how committee optimize those measures in their implementation plan okay and then I'll read the second part of her question because I think she's watching today Mrs one of my school board members and and one of my districts the also that eighty H. has stated that the school district must notify the eighty eights of anyone that has come in close contact to a positive covered person you may have already answered this I have she had they have two concerns with that first if we do not contact the health department with a completed list does that bring liability to the school because the person was not included on the list and that's not notified by the department of health second what if someone comes back on the school because of HIPAA laws. Is in that we gave out information on that person. Is that liability absent she's to me that has liability on both directions. So The issue of hip under public health it is that we we can ask for only contact information we're not cutting any deeper than that okay so so all we want to know is who has that. Patient number one the the pace the index case child exposed in the classroom that's all we need to know and that is what has been talked about by the art by secretary key and myself there's a point or the person at the school right transmit that information to us that would not be in violation of the HIPAA laws that would not be and we we do this all the time we're not asking for specific medical information okay and what about the liability question if it's not a complete list so I don't I liability on the school yes so and so I I I'm not and I don't feel expert enough to answer that question I would turn that over to one of our attorneys to to talk about one because we we would have a happy to help get a an attorney's answer to that but my lay opinion based on my conversations is that there is no liability. And I think we would also want to look back at some of the governor's executive orders that address those types of things I know at one point there was an executive order this educational facilities were included and some of those exceptions okay that would be great if you could get an attorney to look at that to answer that question for our school board and members right lots of questions and so I'll go to the left and I just ask people if they'll keep keep their remarks brief. Thank you a Representative makes. Thank you manager I was speaking to the superintendent and administration at green bar yesterday two concerns they raised as they had ordered some PPP cost masks back in July and they still have not received those so I'm assuming if they've had that problem that's been an issue with other school districts where are we at with that and then the follow up question I have is obviously the PPP and all these additional measures are created extra cost for our school systems Has the thank you all looked into how that financial burdens affecting the school systems and do you have funds to cover that or is that something you're going to come to us to address at some point the future thank you. Yes represent if that's a both great question so we have been working with districts when we. Several weeks ago now how we. Based on the information we receiving we knew there would be some supply chain concerns the the districts were reporting to us that they were having delayed delivery dates we worked with the department of transformation insured services specifically kudos to Stephen bright with the TSS has helped us secure a strategic reserve we've been using that strategic reserve we held back Esther fund so the hundred twenty eight million dollars that destroy the Arkansas received to the elementary and secondary school education relief funds of the state department was able to reserve ten percent of that we use that to help provide some of the resources for the virtual and blended learning but we also set aside reserve for just in case we ran into this just in case with PP so this week we have been shipping boxes of PP out to districts I don't specifically have Greenbrier on my list but but we are regularly contacting the districts to find out do you have enough to start school we have so far about thirty districts that I have information on that we have provided some supply of PP to districts work provided funds again that same the ester find that I mentioned we reserved ten percent of it at the state level the rest of of those seven hundred twenty eight million went out to districts directly and to charters was distributed They they use the title one formula from the federal government to distribute that so obviously that means if you have a higher percentage of of Jordan poverty then you're going to receive a higher percentage of the funds but the they receive that and that was one of the uses allowable for of those funds were PP we have data that show what how much some of those districts have spent and. Of. We won district I think it was a little rock spent more than five hundred thousand dollars of their funds six spent between two hundred fifty and five hundred thousand nineteen district spent between one hundred and two hundred fifty thousand fifty three spent between fifty thousand one hundred thousand the bulk of them hundred and fifty nine districts have spent only up to fifty thousand dollars what that tells me is that they are using local funds are using there unrestricted funds to purchase this equipment and we are watching very closely we are monitoring that we've actually asked through our coops to help them gather the information on okay if if you are spending at a rate that is in excess of the federal funds that you received let us know how much that is so we can be tracking that and bring that to you at the appropriate time if there is a need also looking at that from the standpoint of an additional cares active if if there is a need to request additional funds from the cares acts your committee that would be a possibility also thank you thank you madam chair. Thank you Representative Bentley. Thank you chairman of secretary key thank you for being here today yesterday I went to a funeral for a second grade school teacher in my district four years ago with the battle of cancer but unfortunately she lost her life to cope with because shoes in immuno compromised and the US I was leaving the funeral to get on the phone and talked with my only in the director and the committee want to make sure that for those teachers that are a greater risk we have some better mass than just cloth mess I think we need some and ninety five master something to really help these teachers that are have their means system compromise so I worked with them when inspector year to get some but have we thought about that to really get some extra protection for those teachers that needed. Yeah that's conversation we've been having with districts as well and they understand that some of of their teachers and staff that have underlying other underlying health conditions may need that extra protection from a quick standpoint but they also may need to have some type of accommodations for their work with their work setting of yeah with the number of of districts that are offering virtual as well as in person you know our of the placement of those teachers of to do virtual where maybe they are segregated from the rest of of the staff or in a more isolated situation those are all of the considerations that districts have in and can offer for those teachers that do have some type of game immuno compromising condition okay the one quick follow up I can't chairman thank you I'm glad that we're addressing that you're addressing it state wide other things that look at the encouraging healthy habits you've got here that I don't see anything at all for you to encourage the students to increase their immune system I think this is a really a prime time for us to encourage the students and I wanna keep harping on it because it's a big issue for me that we we we know the things that are for cause people to die from this code but one thing is you know cancer diabetes heart disease and those things are tobacco use so to me this is a prime time for us to encourage your students to to eat healthy to get exercise to get extra vitamin C. and vitamin D. for teachers our students to me this is a prime time and I don't I don't see it anywhere in here in it bothers me I know that we have a lot going on with the to me this is a prime time for us to say let's get everybody healthy and the more people we have healthy because these mask about a hundred percent so the more people get health of the less programs for this disease so I would encourage you to get that out there as well that we get a really encourage folks to get healthy and not and to be this virus but to beat the flu and everything else and to stop all those other at I don't have the health issues okay just thank my last thing by can't chairman real quickly with our doctor merece when we're talking about. We're doing the contact tracing and that we're gonna have some I wanna make sure that we have a specific guidelines determine what very bills would return when quarantine ins for expose student who tested negative because we need to make sure this consistent state what I don't have you know one thing going on here one contractors or tone one thing so can we make sure we have specific guidelines of those variables are are consistent statewide. Represent Bentley yes there are scripts that have been developed and the guidelines for quarantine are standardized we will be monitoring this we will be watching to make sure that that consistent uniform mesh is delivered and will take into account issues exposure and and epidemiology. Thank you madam chair if I may follow up represent Bentley I've neglected to talk about this and and you don't have a copy of this we will send you we have a an electronic version of this this booklet which is going out to every elementary school student in the state believe K. through five including private schools charter schools public schools of the kids guide to the corona virus and in this I mean it is it is a very kid friendly and parent friendly and it addresses exactly what you just said with the staying healthy page what you eat plays a big role in keeping your moon commune system strong so we are encouraging our districts to use this as a a parent communication tool as well as a student communication tool so stick students have a better understanding of what Carone what this is we've been talking about for the last seven months and how they can help protect themselves so that they don't get sick or pass it to others secretary key could you make a copy of that available to all of the members we we have this an electronic version will make sure we send it to you okay perfect thank you Representative gray. Thank you madam chair number your to your left It's my understanding that in the general population the antigen testing that we're doing if they test negative it's recommended that they get PCR testing to see if there truly negative and then if they're positive they still have the PCR testing if we want the numbers to count in the state reported data is that correct. So you are correct that currently we are not capturing antigen positive test as definitive tests however we're addressing that in the future this may change as a guidelines change so we still would want to know about those patients we would go ahead and recommend all the quarantine measures or isolation measures for because of no it's no more quarantine is now isolation for that individual okay when that I guess my thought process when I heard you talking about it was it's an audit we don't count the date is accurate enough to you to put in our daily numbers but then we're going to count accurate enough in a school setting. So the so that the definition of of what is a positive cove it case is determined by a group called the C. E. S. T. E. to the council of state and territorial epidemiologists they are currently in the process of revising that definition because at the gym testing is being used more and more so we need to wait to see what the CDC says about their recommendations we can certainly craps capture that information the governor wants that captured as a matter of fact and it's been talking about our antigen testing and we will be placing this for so it will not be lost we will not ignore it and it will go to inform our decision about cases in the state okay and it will the will any any positives in the school district counts then if their intention positives in our in our daily numbers we will we will follow these cases I'm at this time because we also keep these positives for for for a transmission HHS now as well the CDC we're going to have to wait until they inform us of how best to to keep these cases whether they're positive or not to definitive positives or not so I don't want to get it unless you want to get into the weeds here I I could talk about that but we are still looking at them ourselves as positive cases and we we are going to track positive cases in the schools in the okay that as a legislator and I know probably the general public would like to see that because a lot of people listen or watch the governor's daily up they would like to know at least how many are in the school districts even if their intention testing I think it would be good for the parents as well to know that and then my last question is on the contact tracing do we have I know a lot of us have seen the lack of contact racing throughout the state so do we have contact tracers us on specifically to the schools how many do we have. And is there a time frame upon positivity I don't you know we don't need a contact tracer doing it three days after the fact so is there a time limit on positivity to contact. So we have a to give you the exact numbers we have three hundred fifty total contact tracers from general dynamic and we have a two hundred eighty one contact wishes for me A FMC that added to what the college of public health has and is some contact tracers in northwest Arkansas so you can see we have a very robust number of individuals in addition not only do we have those persons but they're also bilingual so we have an individually against expansion Marshallese to deal with that population okay well that's what I'm afraid of is like a month ago we had two hundred ninety and now we've got them eight hundred just guessing what you said eight hundred but the contact tracing is still not being does so is there anyway we can assign some specifically to the schools as so at that and I I don't want it I may have to come back in amend this statement but ID I don't know that we have a specific Qadri of contact reasons for the so the the the you are correct we need to establish contact with these individuals as fast as possible as I mentioned during my introductory comments we are identifying specimens from the school as high priority because they're high priority they will be moved quickly into our contact tracing we have the metrics in place in our monitoring different steps between the acquisition of the specimen the result of the specimen the transmission of that information to the parent and to the contact tracer and trying to bring this down as short as possible. Part of the reason why our contact racing is delayed today part not all is because of the delayed response from some of the sources where these tests are being sent so if it takes the commercial laboratory seven days for us to get it we can't initiated now that doesn't hold true for those specimens run in my shop right those specimens we should be acting on very quickly we're looking at that and I can assure you the metrics are in place and we are looking at this on a weekly basis as quality assurance quality control thank you. Yes that means so much of that hinges on that test turn around and so that's beyond our control but yes I mean I had a superintendent that waited seventeen days well there's no point contact tracing at that point you know you're even pastor fourteen day quarantine so. I understand that that's real concerned because because of the lack of being able to do contact tracing or a test coming back as quickly as possible that's creating community spreads you know and and that's that's I think why in my opinion we're see and a lot of spread that's me you may respond. Thank you I think it is part of the reason why it's not the sole reason I I I think it we still see community spread and I think doctor bricks who is here A Burks's me was here pointed this out very very clearly I think to to us it with the governor of this spread now has changed has shifted I'm really to. Family units. Local units out where the families are not engaging in this simple measures of masking washing their hands and and so we're having groups of ten or more people in parties or community parties that's probably the major driver right now but you are correct you know this is this lack of getting ourselves out there finding those individuals that have been exposed and shutting them down and I don't mean that in a bad wages are shutting down from a transmitting it outward right thank you senator Chesterfield. The. Thank you madam chair and good afternoon Let me just start out by saying how do we get school started are we testing every child comes into the school are we waiting for them to show a temperatura how does that work. Yes senator meet so what we are not engage in testing every student I'm in every school in the state so we are looking primarily for children that have a set of symptoms that are consistent with prevent those children should be should not go to school number one but if they do happen to show up in class and the the teacher knows this or the school nurse knows this then they are asked to the parent is asked to pick up the child to the child back to the primary care physician who then makes a determination if the covert test is necessary if the child for example has a fever because of strep throat. The the the the the answer had is strep throat and you treat still waiting for the child to present symptoms before we do anything yes ma'am yes ma'am for identifying the case yes. And we continue to say that if the that many children a symptomatic. And so it's very difficult for me to understand how you do it safely if we're dealing with a population that is largely a symptomatic but then can spread it to someone else who has as my or type one diabetes or that sort of thing how we how we comfortable with that. We you are correct that there is a significant number of children that have no symptoms it's probably twenty five percent or somewhere around there maybe maybe more and I think that at this time we still rely heavily on symptomatology in order to make that decision for testing right in my I think it might be my last question. What percentage of the student population needs to test positive before we shut it down. There is no metric as a as a as a definitive bar so once we have positives within the school the department of health we'll talk with the department of education and we will make program specific recommendations for that particular school. But commissioner Kate are secretary came down these name changes a secretary key. Does the department of the eight have eight eight a trigger. Senator we don't in we don't because we've been working very closely with the health department on on the data side of things so as a as a matter of policy there is not a specific trigger that would require a Hey eight they closure of a school campus or any anything like that that's where when as Dr Meryl stated. When we do see cases that happen on a campus then having those district leaders contact us work with us so that we can understand what the comp the full context is it could be a wing of a school or that that has the you have the right to a higher rate of of students or teachers or staff it could be more isolated it could be more general that's why we've been very careful not to assign any specific numbers because we really need to understand more than just the one data point. Having done that I think I'll teaching for over thirty years it's very difficult to talk about a warning of school. Because children in Iraq to at a school whether they're in the A. B. or C. wing and they are going to interact with each other if school is to be school so it would seem to me that at some point we would say if there is a ten percent positivity rate maybe we ought to consider it but I would hope that you I would keep that in mind do the local entities have the authority to decide when they will go full virtual is that given to them or is it solely in your hands in the hands of Dr Mary. I think it's a a team approach that's in the hands of of all the the school the department and the department of health that before a decision to completely close for on site instruction and move completely virtual and that's where many of those other contextual issues need to be on understood and that's two two speaks to the response that I gave I think Senator Irvin earlier about changing some of those practices Senator we don't expect this to be a normal school year it can't be which means some of those normal interactions that you you oversaw in the thirty years plus that you were in a classroom we expect them we expect schools to change some of those so that the they don't have as much interaction so there are limitations to that spread whether it's cohorts whether it's a changing the cafeteria or lunch schedules changing resort recess schedules all of those elements that would tend to reduce those interactions because we do know that those create additional risk one of the things that I'm hearing is that you're considering having teachers have lunch with their kids so as to preclude them from large gatherings in cafeterias and remind me what you tell me about teachers having steal the ability to have the duty free lunch yes ma'am and that could be an expectation but the the teacher would still there still the expectation requirement that the teacher would have the opportunity for a duty free lunch of that that that peer that she or he or she is in the classroom with her students or his students while they're eating lunch just would not count as that teachers watch right thank you thank you thank you thank you Representative Boyd. Thank you madam chair I'm over here this is why I think this quick question it's going to be for secretary K. though secretary Romero might help me. Say I don't understand what I'm asking or something like that so. In a mask mandate my interpretation is you have to wear a mask when you can't be six feet farther away from other people if you can't be assured of that descent so that I look at this nicely written. Thank here and it looks like we're holding our students to or higher standard than were holding the rest of us and I just I'm sure there's a practical reason but I you know if father three kids and a nephew I'd like to understand that thank you. Okay I may not understand the question represent avoid so you're asking about the mask mandate in the school being a more restrictive than out in the community as a compensable correct the way this reads is basically all students in K. through twelve should wear a face covering throughout the school day except when it is not medically safe blah blah blah then it goes on to say in pre K. E. there should be an emphasis only with the should be an emphasis when a physical distance of six feet between students cannot be kept that implies that basically even if worker all six feet apart twelve feet whatever we got to wear a mask throughout the day no matter what and I'm just that seems like a higher standard will then what we're right asking the rest of Arkansas to do and I just how curious why I'll speak to the the document itself and I liked Dr mereka jump in on the policy because as I said this is not a policy document this was created by the the partnership between children's you a mass health department and the department it really to express the best practices that are out there the mandates OR the requirements is issued by the health department could be different and that's where I'll let doctor Meryl pick up. So the recommendation for the six foot is correct but what we want to do is make sure that these children do not get exposed or that if you have the virus that you don't have it the risk of transmitting it as well and so it is a layer of security that is built in there we have these these children spend many hours a day in the classroom not out like we would be in the community and in the fresh air so the circulation of air all of these factors go into making that recommendation we think that this is the safest for the children going to school and because of that we're recommending that children throughout the day wear this mask even if they are six feet apart. Thank you senator hammer. Thank you madam chair. First of all US secretary key. Have you assess the cost of what is being asked to the schools with regards to the contact tracing because I know several schools I've talked to are having to add on personnel and I'm wondering if you're making the efforts to determine what the additional cost to the school districts are for what they're being asked to do and if you consider make a recommendation to the steering committee to reimburse them for that. we are working together that information some districts are are not seeing and additional cost from it some may be and many respects at the to if they have someone that they can designate too used to these duties rather than hire someone knew then it's a cost shift some of them are having to hire someone additional because they don't have the staff but that's a as we have surveys out there with the superintendents that we are constantly asking them to update the information and Through surveys and through getting information through the co ops we're trying to ascertain what symbols that it costs are and the other thing is I don't think they've been reimbursed I'm just advocating out loud. I don't think they've been reimbursed for what they were asked to do with regards to continuing to feed the kids and if we going to shut down mode what is the plan as far as asking the schools to continue to feed the kids as we asked him to do. Last spring yet they haven't been reimbursed yet for that or would you speak to that please yeah there are some districts that it'll first let me say the district went to extraordinary efforts there was a point time last spring where ninety percent of districts in the state of Arkansas continued to provide food service to their students either through delivery of meals or grabbing go where the average around the rest of the nation was about forty percent so districts went above and beyond and if you are correct their districts to did run a deficit because of they continue to provide meals that were not reimbursable from the normal meal program we do have that data and are continuing to work with districts on that as far as what is expected of them when they move forward if there is that's why I was well the reasons why we want to avoid. The same type of closure this school year as we had in the spring the challenge becomes again back to what meals are reimbursable if they know and they can record that they are serving one of their students then that is a roughly as very generic a general statement but that would. Be a reimbursable meal so those should not be out for that what happened before is that they were preparing and annexed expending funds on maybe a greater number of meals and what actually got delivered or picked up at and so maybe a student got two meals that day or you know if if if but that was not going to be reimbursed that's where the deficit's come in so we're going to continue to monitor that we have not really set out any expectations we do know that I believe the waivers from the US department agriculture have been extended for those types of off site meal delivery of our meal grabbing go type situations rather than the on site restrictions that are typically in place but senator we we definitely know that that's an issue with many districts and were born monitoring that okay had a meeting with some day care providers and the clubs and just the people that are going to be impacted if the schools shut down in anticipation for developing a plan. What are the there there some hip a bears and nothing's called for but barriers but you know if you if you've got kids is the school shut down you got parents are still need work also in all these kids are put back into the community home and what not. How how can we break that barrier as far as the daycare center providers being able to know if a child has been dismissed from school or asked to stay home from school because they've been your weight for the test results to come back so that they don't end up going into the childcare provider environment and the parent just not tell the child care provider they've been dismissed from school Senator I will have to consult with DHS on that and get back to you I don't have an answer for that today okay because that is a concern to the child care providers that if the same charge on Ravel so could we get will work on that and then the last question might be to both of you with regard or maybe so much to doctoral Meryl you talked about that there should be quick turnaround time for the test to come to the department of health I think was your testimony while goes that correct. That is correct okay I'm just curious as to how much additional staff if you added to do that because we've got ongoing battle was people are community the work release center for example that they waited for five days to get their test results back we've got employers that are you know really disadvantage because our workers can't get back to work and they're waiting for the results are at the health department I'm just curious how you can make a commitment that you made today given the fact that there's up to a five day turn around time now so have you staffed up with or if you got an additional equipment with the demands on the test and the shortage of the test kitchen how are you gonna be able to deliver on what your committee to today yes Sir so up with regard to test kits there is no there we have no shortage within with in the health department itself that is the public health lap we have added as a we had now I have to hi throughput machines to process the specimens we are in the validation certification phase of a third machine that will give us capacity for somewhere around two thousand seven hundred tests in addition we have yet another machine that we are looking to place at a distance site from ours which will add another nine hundred tests so we have the capacity to process the specimens quickly. We have. Added to the staff of the lab itself so microbiologists technologists to processes specimen and we have added at the back end which is we have the result the result has to be keyed into computers we have those persons in place we have but for that I can get you the exact numbers if you wish and that will get the result out at quicker quickest possible you take within a twenty four hour turnaround time or what would you say I think that within a twenty four to thirty six hours is a reasonable time because we still have it depends on the test itself so remember it's when you take the test the test has to get to our laboratory through the career system that career system if you missed the career that day or or that run is that adds to it. Once it gets to our laboratory there should be less variability of the turn around time to process the specimen get into the machine get the result out and then get it to the computer and the contact racer so we were shooting for twenty twenty four to thirty six hours as a goal and if if if word processing that that this has ourself hopefully that will go through. I guess my the most challenging question might be do you ever disagree with what you get handed down from CDC that you as a physician. Disagree with what they say as to how they're trying to apply to our state setting and are there things that you would do dissed differently or you whatever comes down from CDC that's what you're going to do regardless. We follow the CDC guidelines and we do use some discretion on bearing but that things at such as contact tracing things such as quarantine we are not bearing with those are national standards the work they've been shown to be of benefit and so we will it here to them thank you they went chair thank you and just on the the forty at sites and a that you said that they would be based at your larger school districts I would just encourage you to place them throughout the state so that we're not abandoning cruel Arkansas I think this would not be a good. eight so I just wanted to add that if I may respond this is the first allocation of these one hundred twenty we hope to have them in each of our local health units available to all of the this is to all the counties in red out yes ma'am this is only the first the first allocation right that's not based necessarily on population. No ma'am okay thank you just wanted that clarification on that represent add Representative Allen you're recognized. Thank you madam chair my question this to secretary key I have a couple questions one are we one hundred percent ready to start school on Monday that's my first question the second question the ills what is your current assessment of the level of districts and screw safety read at this four day want to screw. Bills of two questions. Absent Allen I would say that if you asked that question to superintendents in a normal year there's always going to be a question of whether there hundred percent ready the first week of school is always one that surprises come up students you don't expect show up students you do expect don't show up same thing has happened with with teachers staff last minute changes can occur but I'm going to say that our districts are going to be is is ready under the circumstances a difficult circumstances as they can be now the this this your second question is it really similar I I feel confident that you know three about four weeks ago when we started providing these surveys you know it we started getting some feedback from districts I was concerned the reason I was concerned is because it appeared that in some districts other had not been a lot of work or planning that it taken place from the spring of the end of the previous school year through the month of June and then it's not uncommon that plan if you're planning really starts in the spring for the next school year and then many districts kind of that that there's a summer law I'll say because they know they put some plans in place in the spring we missed that part we many of our districts missed that spring planting opportunity so but after July one we saw in earnest a number of districts getting back on board putting together they're ready for learning committees engaging their communities and in the planning and the preparation and so I I would say that Mostar districts are going to be going in and to next week I successfully and the ones that I keep reminding them look you have a plan an axe. Act that at some point in the first week you're gonna have to change your plan. because something is going to happen. And they said well that happens every year I said I understand that so so represent of I I know that we are going to be very we we have a communication process where we have a signed state key members of our staff to be points of contact for districts kind of separate by co op so that if they have issues that need to come to our attention they have a direct line we can get that information and be able to get them some assistance whether it be PP whether he or whatever it might be we're we're ready to support them as they get started next week thank you Representative Vaught thank you madam chair I have one for each of you also when actually doctrinaire up I have a couple for you just so you know and I'm right here. And so six three key I text you this the other day I just I've got supers watching I've got teachers watching they all ask every day are we going to weeks and shutting down and I want to give my worry about that is there's a lot of kids that are being abused at home and their pride praying to god that we go to school to get out of that for eight hours a day and then have to go home and face it again or they're not getting fed so is are we going to school for the first two weeks to learn how to DO linking learning and then we're going to shut the state back now I'll school that's not the plan the the plan is that we start next week and we move forward and how successful we are is going to depend greatly on one the preparation but to how do we do as with as staff and students when they come back on campus are they going to take mask wearing seriously are they going to take it seriously of avoiding these congregate settings that are normal for school but we can ten have to continually remind them look don't gather up before the the first bill you know that let is complete it's coming very it's gonna take diligence to make sure we don't want this to be two weeks and then shut down that's not the plan not all that and then if you'll give me a little bit of leeway I've got several that lead into each other but they're all from supers so. I have super center confused on what is considered close contact and then up. Will be deciding who is close contact and then who decides who will be quarantined. So close contact is less than six feet right. Who will decide who will be quarantine will be our contact investigators who will reach out to those individuals in the classroom setting have been exposed and will analyze the the the the circumstances okay so let me ask you this why will a teacher be quarantine to every single time she has a positive or he has a positive in their class it will depend on the circumstances there is no set answer yes or no it depends on the exposure that individual has had to the student and that have a lot of supers and a lot of teachers really kind of worried because there's no what. Firemen this is what we're gonna do in this instance or this is what does that make sense as that's a lot of uncertainty out there floating around with no real true hardcore answer. Correct and I understand why there is that sense of anxiety with that but there is there is no there is no so as I see cookie cutter answer to the exposure because that's why our contact investigators and tracers go out and get this data to find out what the significance of the exposure is so it gives the easy answer would be yes every time but that may not be the case so we need to we need to work with with the department of education work with the school understand what the exposures were and make the decisions based on each individual and each case and this is my last question madam chair and it kind of goes hand in hand with what we just we're talking about so I'm on this understanding the terminology I think it was on the Arkansas department of education website but it's a link from you all from the department of health on there I believe and it says and nurse of the Arkansas department of health will be assigned to the case to of the confirmed positive the nurse will remain in communication with the positive case about the isolation period then they will issue a letter of release so one do we have enough people. At the department of ed I'm a department of health that's gonna be able to issue those letters and do it in a timely manner that. Doesn't go past the fourteen days and do they have to have that later if it goes past fourteen days to return to school. So we do believe we have enough people to get these letters out in time and it the the issue is not just getting the letter out right because we have to get through the postal service and that will is some way add some time to that so I think that the answer is the best answer is that the. Nurse or person at the health department will inform the individual that they are no longer infectious and they can return to work so I will turn it over to secretary key to see that is a requirement to returning to work thank you I've. One one thing before before that. In order to return to work but many employers are requiring that letter so there is a delay and that is a big concern that we are hearing from our constituents who have to go back to work and or they're looking to lose their jobs so can we collect emails as well so that we could email them a letter or is there have to be a through the postal service is no no I I did I think it's a you and I were thinking of the same thing at the same time yeah I I will have to look into that but I do think that that may be a possibility I will I I don't wanna answer definitively yes Sir but it's on first blush it seems like a reasonable thing to do we'll need to get it will need to look into that yeah I I would absolutely recommend trying to expects that ites that process because it's a very slow process that's happening right now and we're hearing a lot from a lot of calls and that regard secretary key so senator Irvin addressed part of that the there are some employers in some districts is that we're standing or requiring that letter for release before they could come back to work but we have established a call center where we have AT T. members embedded at the operation center at the department of health and those are those are the type of calls that we can take and then work with doctor Morrow's team to run down this so if a district that has that policy but we can ascertain through the department of health that that person has been cleared I just hasn't had that letter yet then that's assistance we can provide the school district to say look. It's in the mail it's it's somewhere in between but we have confirm that they have been cleared and can go back thank you madam chair thank you Representative Vaught senator Hester. A thank you doctor Meryl in a secretary key just to on behalf of the students and parents and teachers of Senate district one I want to thank you for being so diligent thank you for opening school the feedback I'm getting is overwhelming that we wanna go back to school parents teachers students just wanna encourage you to stay diligent we know we're gonna have cases that keep schools open it's too important to their turn next generation thank you. Thank you represent like a man. Thank you madam chair. US kia wanna thank you for being here and for all of that with the work and and I appreciate your working commitment to get our schools back opens very important so appreciate you being here my question concerns busing we haven't talked about that yet but in this guide here on page nine it talks about you know the requirements of the guidelines for busing and talks about distancing and some other things I guess my question is in and I've got comments from bus drivers that that basically they say well they told us what to do but they haven't told us how to do that so you know if and and busing the kids the buses are full or have been in the past that's an economic thing so now they're required to have six foot distancing. how do they do that I mean do they run more buses do they run this the same bus run two routes telling them they have to do it but when the boots on the ground how do you do it I mean you have any input on that yes Mister chairman thank you for the question and we have not issued that is the those requirements those are best practices we understand that in some cases it's just not feasible but that's why we have the added layers that's why we have the the issues of of. We your parents need to check if their kids are sick don't send to school we know that's going to happen all right so all those instances where there may be a gap that that that exposes or creates a higher risk but we are we have been working with districts to help explore what they can do where they may have to consolidate bus stops as they do four snow routes or something like that where the the the again because transportation is such an essential practice that has been created an expectation sometimes those things have to change and be to be adjusted I saw a video today where I think it was a plastic county school district they've taped off you know this you don't sit at the on the seat with the X. the Tate tax maybes grouping siblings together since they live together already you know we're not as concerned about a six foot separation of those kids so you know of it's the big brothers not gonna like having to sit next to little brother but those are things that have to be done had a question the a couple days ago what happens if a if a kid start to get on the bus and doesn't have a mask well districts should have a supply of disposable masks paper masks ready and the bus driver says you had put this on for you get on the bus there are number of things in our facilities and transportation teams working with the the the districts to help isolate understand those challenges and given solutions we also have a provided one other thing senator we we provided farmers sanitizing followers to every district at at least one is going to every district those are the types of tools that districts can use four before use between routes and that sort of thing to help with sanitization of and cleaning up their buses okay you answered my second question about the mask is. So they'll have a supplying case the kids forget our parents run out of mass the driver would have a supplier but that's what we're recommending I mean we we sit with it that's something the district says some districts have not thought of some of them have but we're recommending that that something that could be available of us so you don't wanna leave a kid a bus driver does not only get on side road I mean that's just that's just that doesn't need to happen we can help prevent that if we have a. Limited spot mask there for the kids when I get on a well my second question is and I you may be in here maybe I'm ready yet but are there any additional recommendations for the drivers because I've had some the driver say well I you know all the kids get on the bus they won't buy me within two or three feet I mean is there anything that can be done to help the give the driver a little more protection screens I I don't know is there is there been any progress or suggestions on that yeah that's a that's a difficult situation because of the safety regulations not our safety regulations but the federal transportation safety regulations for school buses are very rigid so adding any type of enclosure or what could be considered an enclosure or plastic screen hill would have to be in compliance with I think it's national highways transportation safety administration and so far we're not seeing a lot flexibility there but I know that the transportation facilities team was looking into that and I can get an update from them and make sure you get that. It then thank you document book did you have a response that I I wanted to add something that it was okay with service represent so is so there are some some things that can be done in addition to the mask and that is ventilation within the within the bus so you know it could you and he'll to leave the the windows down right at that which you know within safety measures right we don't want the little guys hanging out the window A but but certainly the his window or her window can be open and that the that increases the possibility of of become infected let me just share with you An anecdote but but it's the document an addict of so the more video mortality weekly report has listed in its in its content up about a month and a half ago the case where to beauticians who spent more than fifteen minutes with their clients one hundred thirty nine one thirty five clients more than fifteen minutes each with each of those clients. And the clients war mask right so both the beautician and the client no infections with cold. Okay so the mast work okay the mass work and so that I understand the the the anxiety angst by these by these bus drivers but is the mass do prevent the transmission if we man if we have that mandate for the children to put that on if the U. sanitizers and if we use the simple things masking of the individual the bus driver self although that doesn't prevent him from becoming infected increasing ventilation in the in the buses those are measures that can be placed and add more to the protection of the driver. Right sector Romero I want to thank you to we've had a lot of extra meetings thank you for coming and being here with us and answer questions I really appreciate that question for you and and maybe you can answer this or don't have any data in my district there's a private school that now has been open a week and I have I know there's probably other private schools around the state that could open center and and did of the school in my district is not a huge district issue school but it has K. through twelve have there been cases are you aware of any cases in these private schools is there any data where they've had situations the positive cases so I don't know of any specific private schools that have cases but you are correct we're we're looking at all the data available to us everything is and I do please don't misunderstand this this is the use of this word every piece of that as an experiment so if if schools are going are opening earlier than than public schools we're getting data from those schools we're seeing how they do we're looking at what's happening in other states and trying to use it in in advising the the the the the the department of education so we aren't. Fixed on just what we've done we're looking at everything that's available. Thank you Mr chairman if if if I may add to that because I think this is telling its it's not just the private schools it's also been the opening of certain activities in our public schools since June one and and I I can say that where the news there has been news of cases that occur say with football teams cheerleading squads things of that nature it Hey inevitably it's trace back to some Cool failure to adhere to one of the the this the the precautions another example of that there was I believe it was a and FFA or some he was a student organization that had a summer meeting they they follow everything to the letter everyone is six feet apart they they wore masks the whole time they didn't leave they didn't let students leave of the the campus that the the facility except for one. And this student has a an event that she was released to go to came back. Tested positive. So when we looked at it it wasn't the exposure at the camp it was actually exposure after the camp a group of students went to lunch together no masks and they were all sitting at the same table and so that created so so all the way up until that point in you look this like okay. That one student that left and came back created that situation so that's why I just keep talking about one the governor talks about everyday is is that of being diligent and following these precautions because if we do that we can have successful school year if we don't then we're gonna run the risk of having the increased cases I think it's important that we look at these activities as you mention secretary because I know and get a issue they've been practicing football for quite a few weeks now they had some pasta cases initially when people came back to school but they've they've done things like distancing and haven't had any situations and then the private schools I think that's good data because people are concerned I have people tell me well I'll give in fourteen days are going to be shut down you know they just they just think negatively because we don't have any experience but we have these situations that you are referred to and it's happened in his work for a week or two I think that should give some comfort to people that were you are going to start and be able to work thank you very much. Thank you represent of Murdock and folks I've got a fee on the queue and then we're cabinet off the nobody can add right now I just want to keep this short and concise like represent of Allen questions were great and precise Representative Murdock you're recognized thank you madam chair and I have a cold thank in both you guys of Dr Meryl sent and secretary key for all the work that you've done to this very very a tough time A my question is looking back on Representative of all its. A could you drill down Dr Meryl own exposure a lot of the concerns and fears come from what exposure really mean I've had people call me and say I want in the store came out stored somebody was in the store was Papa so I'm exposed so I need to be quarantine I think really defining quantitatively as relates to time and distance time and distance of the head of the Shelby County Tennessee a covert nineteen effort articulated to me that. There is a period of time that a person. Would be in the presence of the persons with the without mask and explained it very well I don't want to do that you know I want you to do that but there seems to be. A drill down that can happen as it relates to exposure that I think people need to hear from you because it's not just being near somebody being around somebody for one second pass somebody there's of investor fears so can you give them that definitive look deeper to try to alleviate some of the fears yes Sir so so I I I will eliminate the word definitive and say that in general. Exposure okay with out a mask to an individual four or even with a mass but ms fifty minutes or more is is probably it but it's not a definitive answer so it it really depends on what that exposure wasn't and and close the sweet so your point is well taken if you walk into a store and somebody was in that store and you went in went out that may not be an exposure because you did not have contact with the individual right if if the person was in the store and and and you were milling around the store and and you came in contact with that individual at a certain distance then that may place you at risk so it's not just the duration or the distance there's a lot of factors that go into that but we try to use you know the the masking in the distancing as a very important issue in determining the risk factor for for infection so real quick so back if I'm in that store or in the school setting or any setting and I speak to that person and we say hi how you doing and we speak for maybe thirty second forty five seconds and I later find out of that person is positive we both had on mass but we spoke for a minute or two am I exposed you're probably not exposed Sir but we need to know more about what that talk what that was like so so were you up you know up it as I say up in his face no or her face yeah if you're if you're sitting here and and and as we we keep our social are distance you know between each other three feet four feet sixty did not Riddick's feet but not not six people just normally talk yeah and the the risk the risk is that we had that would be determined again on an individual basis so that is much less of a risk factor than having been in that person's contact for thirty minutes or closer so again. I I'm not dodging your question it really depends on each individual and the exposure that individual had so if I come of the is a. Hello Representative how are you and walk away that's probably not exposure. Thank you thank you one thing out that we're not testing children are we taking temperatures every day. Is that a recommendation it is a recommendation some school districts are just a screening students as a enter and that's today at the press conference we providing kits to every school of if they want to do that they don't have to A but that could be some of the practices that they implement at those elevated response levels okay alright thank you Representative Sullivan. Thank you madam chair got him over here to your right. I've taken about four pages of notes and all the plans that we have and I agree with what we're doing or making of a good judgment I think moving in the right direction doing a lot of good things so are and you can't predict the future so as of today are we in a disaster situation in our schools. Well that's a very subjective term but I'm gonna say no thank you thank you madam chair. Right thank you Representative Evans. Madam chair I remember you made a comment earlier that the dynamic of the spread had changed. In recent weeks and and now it's more to the family unit I think it's very inevitable that we're going to see another change that dynamic because of the last five months we haven't put hundreds of kids in a building together. And if the family unit is what is causing the spread now then this seems to me it's logical that that spread is going to. Our late through those kids into the environment that they're going to be. I want to ask Representative Baltz question a different way because I've asked this question three different meetings and I just can't seem to get a definitive answer from you from from anyone and so with you being the new secretary of health hopefully you can help me understand this because this is a a large concerning my district. Let's not talk about the integrity of what may not be the case let's talk about the definitive of what is the case and that is that in classrooms especially when we're talking about special ed students we're talking about medically fragile students we're talking about students you just need a little extra care and the. The reality of being able for eight hours a day to not be within that dangers on of that six the for fifteen minutes is really not a reality. So I believe it's inevitable that we are going to see an outbreak in a classroom and if we do based upon the point of contact based upon the protocol that your department has where we do that Khan tech tracing to see who all else has been exposed that student I believe that it is likely that that teacher is going to be and that red zone. Based upon that are you going to quarantine that teacher. Again it depends on the contact investigation to determine what that actual content contact was so it I I cannot give you a black and white binary answer yes or no. It requires that we take the epidemiology of the exposure in place so if the two teacher is a Walker right and walks around the entire class there may be Rece if the teacher on the other hand prefers to sit at her desk behind the plexiglas shield that read this maybe much much less so it has to be couch that decision of whether the individual is to be quarantined or not in the circumstances around that exposure if I may have a little bit more to this. So I'm. The the European schools many countries opened up a report from the European CDC show that transmission within the school and out into the community. Did not occur. Now I will carry out that was saying that they did have lower rates of community disease than we do but it shows that in the proper setting school can be carried out safely for the patient and the teacher and the community. So with that gray area again if the student is quarantine will letter of quarantine be mandated with their parents. Will their parents be quarantine as well you get yes this so so this would go into family right and and and you're in your and your family member so. If. The child can be quarantine within the home right then that will be taken into account about whether the whole family the parents need to be quarantined also. So again this goes back to the contact tracer investigation I'd the circumstances it would be the same for me if I if I became infected could I quarantine myself in my own home to protect my wife and if I can do that she is not at risk. I think it's as a point of reference the the the districts across the state I'm sure they can indicated this with the department of education is not the fear so much of the number of students and I'm not and I don't say that could hardly because we we we don't want one child to be infected we know that there's gonna be children they're gonna be quarantine it's it's the fear of what happens when we have teachers that start. Getting on that quarantine list and and we no longer is a school district can provide that safe and secure environment because we don't have enough teachers and there's not enough subs in place so I would think that that needs to be consideration when your protocol that. Doesn't seem to have a lot of the Senate is to it is is executed manager thank you thank you if I may offer one final comment start forgetting that I know go ahead go ahead the so you mentioned fragile children in the classroom their children that have special needs so it it and I don't want to do it if I'm wrong excuse me for for for saying so but my understanding is and and secretary will he will will clarify me that parents have the option to if they believe the child is medically fragile not attend classrooms a classroom a teaching that a virtual option is is is available to them so they I I want to make that. Clear that a fragile child of a parent believes that there but the child is federally should not be exposed they have that option and and doctor Mr keep up with the police Senator yes correct we confirm yesterday every district in the state is offering some type of virtual option for students. In which if I were sitting in your chair anyone else's chair then the next question would be okay what is that mean for special ed students that that opera virtual are they do they still have the same The same was this industry have some responsibility to them as they would if they were in school the answer is absolutely yes. Well to follow up on that though there are some students because we are fully integrated where. There's no way that they could learn virtually either. So what do you do then so senator that's a great question and that's where and our response levels even in the critical response and I've said several times we we want to avoid a situation like we had in the spring we're a building I have school is completely closed on site instruction so even in A critical response we would go back to what we saw in the summer where districts were allowed to bring small groups of students in four I instruction interventions therapies and those types of services so even at that level of of. You know that that an outbreak may in the community might be so severe that you want to move to virtual. District still can have those on site opportunity learning opportunities available for those students who need to be there for speech therapy and all the yes ma'am okay. Thank you I'm so glad you and ask those questions Representative Johnson you're recognized just before you start I have these are all that I'm allowed to ask represent of Springer I have represent of garner then I have Representative love I have represented brown I've Senator Johnson and the final one is Representative Dotson and that's it okay so I need to ask a lot of questions net. Thank you god because I really want to hear from the triple a and doctor Thompson is so thank you for your time at the so just a point of clarification again I hate I know we're getting back to this quarantine issue but and I understand and appreciate the need for case investigation to happen within that there to be some flexibility within the definition of exposure but the CDC does clearly define a close contact correct that's correct and that's clearly defined is inside sixty greater than fifteen minutes correct and the close contact absolutely is to quarantine for fourteen days regardless of testing correct so there are some concrete just Dick I want to make sure that we have an opportunity to clarify what you're trying to say so there is a concrete definition close contact we're hearing to that if in the case investigation we determine that someone's a close contact that person we quarantine for fourteen days that's correct household contacts of a close contact aren't necessarily to be quarantine but household contacts of an on positive bar that is correct okay I just trying to clarify some of these points because I think those things it at least as I'm listening we're a little confusing and I think it's important that those things are clear clarify so the the determination of who is a close contact will be made by the department of health case investigators contact tracers that's correct that's why the content will be made and so the role of the poor the role of the point of care I'm sorry madam chair I know that I'm on a roll of queer okay go ahead go ahead that the the point of contact for the school to clarify their role they are not to they're not determining quarantine correct that is correct there simply notifying the health department these are possible close contact you go invested during that time frame in which the school has been notified of a positive. And now the point of contact knows Johnny set by these eight kids to the course of the day one trend your bus whatever those kids are to go home the they are if there is concern for exposure yes still there determined to meet the need to point is term is that correct okay and that will be relayed back to the schools and yes there there will be a feedback mechanism to the school okay that that's that's helpful if I may just two more questions that are easy for a person who has tested positive for Kobe. What's the period of time in which they are free from being considered a close contact because I've heard two different time frames and I wonder what the department also stances so in other words I tested positive for cove it in June and I've gone through my appearing on I'm not consider recover from cope it now I've been exposed to someone who has co bid and I can considered a close contact and do I need to quarantine or do I have a theory that considered immunity yeah that's an excellent question and so I I there is some confusion from that and that's confusion that was actually generated by the CDC you said that you have a three month grace period you don't have that so they want that back so if you have been exposed. Good good point I'll turn on myself I wish I had called it in June I now god for bid secretary key has come of it and I've been hanging around him all day long we've been talking I'm exposed I think I got a one forty so the is there any period of considered immunity no at this point there's not been a definition of the of the find. A wired immunity from infection in my deep sigh yeah I I I under and my to when when they walked back this this three month thing it it certainly did shatter some hoax okay and then the only other question I had would be the forty tests that you save distributed just a point of clarification of those going to the schools are those going to local health units within the school district by just clarify because I think you that might have misspoke so it's not forty test AS forty machine but nonsense arm seems that machines are those to the schools in order to local health units okay so the schools themselves are not in possession of these machine no we do not expect the schools to test the to children and we can going the whole reason as to why that's very helpful thank you that's all I have thank you thank you represents Springer. Thank you thank you madam chair and I would just like to thank the all the members here today from the questions that you bass. The majority of bills AS have helped me have responses to questions that it I just have a question for clarification now so this is to the secretary key so am I understanding that on the first day of school on Monday districts will not be required to test the wrist to students and staff on that that first day when they entered the building they're not going to be required to do that no ma'am. So the so I'm I'm trying to understand it so what's the difference between each time I come into this building to come to a meeting either get my temperatures taken and and and maybe a question asked of me so we're not going to require that in schools okay and maybe I misunderstood the I thought you were referring to testing the question had been earlier asked about testing. My screening yes so so that is something that that districts can do we have not required that they be screened what we have told them is that they need to inform and most the districts that I've seen I haven't looked at all of them but they are telling their parents in these first of the year open houses are or virtual open houses whatever they are that those screening questions need to be evaluate their students need to I waited each morning before they leave and if they're running a fever if they're showing any symptoms they're not to be coming to school if they get to school and they are exhibiting those than it would be as any other time with the student of that exhibits symptoms of being sick they would be sent to the nurse's office and isolated the parent will be called to come and pick them up however I know parents who don't have the moment there's to take the temperatures of their students before they leave so how do you address that. Well that's that's an issue and we we don't have a solution for that but we are as a mention providing those screening kits that if a district wanted to impose implement that process than they would have the but what they're not going to be required to do this common name. Thank you thank you and represent Representative Springer I have not met you yet that welcome nice to have you with us today thank you thank you Representative garner. Thank you for at. Thank you very much madam chair. Over here at a couple of questions to kind of based on some of the things that others have said one is that we've talked a lot about the community positivity rate being the most significant factor in the success of schools and doctor Fauci and the CDC do have specific matrix to to deal with that he says No of under five percent should be able to go to school yellow zone is five to ten percent should be virtual or combination of the two and read Salinger ten percent or higher and safety open so we do have CDC guidelines on schools opening and Mike my question is I guess with which Senator hammer how do you decide what information from the CDC two years and what information not two years that's my first question my second question is as we look at and I'm just looking at two days of of information on on that in the media. George Mississippi Indiana Nebraska to Louisiana Oklahoma Michigan have all close schools down within two weeks of starting obviously that's the news that we here we don't hear about the schools that are doing well but my question is do you are you guys following to see what they're doing well what the schools that are state open are doing well and what the schools that are having outbreaks what are they doing that is not mitigating the that the spread and how can we emulate those are doing well and not those who are not what how are we going to do something different than what the schools have done that it had severe outbreaks. I will take the lead in the as a secretary keen fall so As you said the CDC has guidelines they are not rigid each community each state is able to modify them and use them as appropriate within their setting. one of the things that we I think are it is a positive thing is that if we look at our state wide positivity rates they appear to be going now that is the mask mandate is is is working and and I I get to see the raw data daily and it is trending downward and the governor shows the graphs there it's all part towing or going down there so I think those are factors that we are taking at least I'm taking into account when I'm advising the secretary of the governor that it looks like we're going in the right direction. Further thanks to the it's C. H. R. I. CH I I'm and doctor Thompson they've taken the data that we the health department have and have dissected it further to give us more granularity so we're getting a better idea of what's going on and a district level and again that is not absolute because there are other things that drive those positivity level so one of the things that could be is a concrete setting within that district we again are working with a doctor Thompson and his group to try to extract that data so that he can get better data and make this about a more refined system so we're providing data on which to make decisions. So I think that we we have at our at our fingertips of right now enough data to move forward with the plan that the governor and secretary key has set forth it as I've said many times before and and to this body also this is a fluid situation we will modify as necessary. What we learned from schools that have had to shut down well we've learned you seen that in the press that these children are walking from classroom to classroom without their mass they're not a hearing to the basic tenants of prevention and mitigation mask hand hygiene and distancing and we are we are promulgating that we are pushing that forward and we think that with that type of a of of of of of tripartite approach we can bring this under control we can open schools and proceed to a school year that is relatively normal the editorial point we are not going back to normal. Normal is a thing of the past co that is with us for a long time. If we have a vaccine that vaccine will not be in sufficient quantity for every citizen of the United States. So this is going to go into next year and whether it goes through the whole school year and and to the year after that we don't know but in my mind we're dealing with this for at least another year. And. To add to. Of what Dr Meryl just said that is. what he's what he's stated right there at the end is exactly why we think it's so important to get started back with the school year because there is no guarantee that even though there are some that say well let's wait the first nine weeks and then go back or let's wait until December and then go back. We have no guarantee that even at those benchmarks that we could go back so we need to get that process started so we can learn more and and be successful I have seen some of those stories Representative and you know while I wish at a time to do a deep dive into what was in was not happening obviously a lot of of those stories are within a a two three four minute a new story or an article in and it's difficult to ascertain all of the details I will say this in a number of those states they did not move forward with having districts will offer a virtual options so really they had probably close to a hundred percent capacity that were coming in all at one time what we have asked districts to do is prepare and make that virtual offering available and then even if they wanted to have some alternative scheduling they could do that they just need to make the the facilities available they need to have on site available for the students the families that need that so we don't expect any district to start back with one hundred percent capacity as some of those other states have done that's why I think there's a big difference and and doctor my answered exactly how all I would have only mine would if Been a little bit more we know what works because they told us what works health partners told us what works and if we do that I think will be successful he outlined what those things were and I think the mask mandate in the downward trend that we've seen certainly gives evidence that the. In your in your city faith bill is probably one of the best success stories and a high rate and then coming down greatly over the last several weeks and that's why we believe that the communities if they want to have successful school year they will continue to reinforce those measures that they've been outlined as precaution preventive. Thank you Representative love I have Representative love I have. you're recognized for quick question. Thank you mention three more after that okay. it I have a couple wouldn't let me start with this became this until we got to choice Prenger. I was I was fine what you're saying in. Eight then it's just started though the wagon no the wheels came off the wagon so how many tell me this so we're in the first week of school Friday hits how many positives in a school does it take for a school to close down. Yeah well there's not there's whole established for that represented. Okay so. There's not a threshold establish. For us if a school. And I would say they have three hundred kids. And twenty of them come up positive in different grades we just going to keep going this is business issues I mean like. Have we even thought about this certainly and I would say it's not business as usual that's why we issued the a response levels because they will use that data to determine how they need to adjust their operations it is a I have a submission before it's not a matter of closing as we did in the spring it's a matter of okay how does how does this data had of these positive cases how does the impact on staffing then It will affect our ability to effectively have onsite school there might need to be a temporary move toward some blended learning model but two is to say that a certain number of cases means we have to do certain things that's not what we've outlined. Okay Well all right. You know madam chair I don't even have any more questions after that all right Representative brown. And the number of senator Johnson and Representative Dotson and I'd cut it off after that so I represent brown. Thank you madam chair Secretary Katie idea of the Brady into a school nurse the other evening and she will be working in one of the older schools in little rock and she was quite concerned of about because it was an older school the spacing and ventilation and she didn't think she had been at some other schools and she felt like some of the other schools in little rock had more PP then the school that she was a out of do you know how of. How is that being addresses every school depending on the population of the students are they getting proportion amount of PP or how's that determined in if she thinks she doesn't have enough there is she the one who can call in order more or has that. Each district needs to establish those procedures but I would suggest that the that that something that would go from the principal are from her to the principal to this central office I know little rock took initiate received the shipment he was last week now of about one and a half million masks out of their three to three and a half million mass total order so they are getting their PP at one point the there was a they have not received everything one teacher started coming back on site we've seen social media posts about that but that those that equipment and and those supplies are coming in so the other component that I would point to with little rock is according this poor behalf of of their students and families have opted for the virtual learning. Hi they will be able to use that data to then modify the operations of the the placement of students seating all of those things at the building level and and as a data becomes more accurate make those operational decisions for for those classrooms if there is a concern of overcrowding or something of that nature. And we do know that there's a wide of disparity and some of the buildings with respect to ventilation you know some are great some are bigger rooms summer much smaller rooms but those are all things that district is aware of entered are working to a comedy. And I believe and I believe isn't there bringing half the kids them based on off of that the last name and yes the first week at many districts are doing this many districts are the first week and and again with I've been asked by reporters will doesn't that violate what the governor said about on site school no. It's traditional it's not uncommon for the first week of school to be a transitional week wears when they bring students in they may bring a man for and have early release or they may bring a man and a few at a time or grade levels at a time or whatever so whether it's alphabetical or whether it's by grade levels the first week of school is typically a transitional week they'll do that next week other districts will do that and they'll be able to learn more based on who they see coming in the door how to make adjustments for for week two and beyond that level flexibility exist at the district level absolutely and then okay that's that's really important and then at and I'm I've asked this one question but I would really like to see we had even talked about the virtual learning and who has responded and and how what the percentages are across the state her district as to what families have requested that if you have that I would be really interested to see that because I want to see if lack of broadband access might be influencing that decision for their students so that if you have that it will be we can get that I would suggest that we wait until later in the fall because we know that through the partnership we have with Verizon T. mobile and eighteen T. hi they're getting the why fi devices out and up roughly twenty thousand have gone out that's from the gear funding that the governor allocated. But the other component of that is that these providers are allowing this state pricing to then be offered to the local districts right so they can actually increase the number of devices wifi devices they get so it's it's going to take some time before we have accurate numbers senator but I'm happy to get that for you yes that be great and and some areas like where you and I or where I now still reside but you say you don't have cell service at the home either so I mean that's you know it's just it's just another senator Riegle calling the west in little rock thank you thank you verse drops off from time to time and I get kicked off is a meeting that so it's it's it's a statewide problem for sure it really is thank you senator Johnson and represent a Dotson and we're done with these gentlemen thank you senator Johnson thank you madam chair of. Doctor mail this is primarily of you but sector Keegan jump and aren't as well of. We're in the sense March. And and I'm not going to comment on anything except there are masks and then there are mass I've watched to center bond came in and he wore what I'd call a balaclava you don't like yeah I thought that looks a lot more comfortable than this thing I've got this pulling on my ears and now people are putting fashion statements and some of are really beautiful Representative Lundstrum bomb brought us a whole bunch of them and they were great but I I can't help but think one in one case you know kids will turn anything into a fashion statement. And and I'm not against that person say but you know when we have school uniforms it simplifies a lot of things and you know my kids went procure schools and it certainly did simplify getting ready for school in the morning is there any eggs inherent advantage between either this or maybe I'm not saying go in ninety five or whatever but it gets worse someone just takes a bandanna and ties it around their neck is is that the same kind of protection since you put so much weight into this you know how important masks are and I heard everything you said I'm not disagree I'm just saying if if they're so important to should we have a standard mask that the children are given and that's what you're supposed to wear as opposed to you know grab a hanky and tied around your nose. Senator thank you very much for that question because not all mass of meeting. So the CDC it actually is yes it is the CDC and is based on some recent data suggest that the The kerchief across the the sort of the the. Old west bank robber type thing right that that's that's what I was I'm sorry I grew up in the sixties and you know we have the face and play and play cowboy and Indian right so it is as as as wrong as it was we did that okay so no those don't work that that they're not good okay fashion statement so the Gator which I thought was the coolest thing in the world because I could think you could get these Gators a really interesting in need and they don't work. Okay so a Gator does not provide you with the type of protection you need. The very fast again I thought that was cool was seeing the world I'm gonna get myself one of those mass that has a little valve on the end so that I can look cool with that they don't work. So if you want one of these okay I happen to have by Husker. House Kerr mastic these work well that is double triple ply. Razorback Razorbacks type my wife is a is a is a Husker fan forgive me. Forgive me very much. I I I she if you would. I'm sorry I I work from the blast she's. And she would kill me. Although I must say this so we are dyed in the wool okay razorback baseball. We are died in the will be reasonable fans okay so these things were great. Thank you thank you Sir so these were great and and of course the call the the the the message that I I think you had a a paper mask those were great the the fashion that concerning the fashion statement still work unless you're going to double or triple a mop and so I did bottom line. Val bass doesn't work the coach of doesn't work and the the the Gator doesn't work a balaclava may be different because the sticker in tighter but for those things are hot at okay very good excellent novice before this meeting Dr Merrill said be sure to make an make sure don't step in anything I said I do my best I couldn't save him. That was bad I'm so sorry you're sitting next to a pretty avid razorback fan themselves heard and read for a reason secretary key all right last question Representative Dotson. Thank you madam chair let me I have a couple questions here that I think. Sitting through many meetings over the last several months and over the last several weeks particularly the department of health has testified before this before the various committees that contact tracing would be done to I believe the third level is that is that accurate for has that been rescinded at the end so I I'm not sure exactly what you're talking about the the the third level we will we will contact race to that individual that is positive okay and if necessary contact trees past that but the third level I don't think we'd be going out as far as three now I may need to amend that but that is that's that is my understanding that that's the clarification I wanted to hear from you because as I understood it and as I think has been previously testified by the department of health in in this room First level you know. Positive to to to someone else second level so the kid is positive they go home to their parents that's one level and then if they go with their parents go to work that would be two levels than we could be shutting down the entire town and I'm. Kind of concerned about that with school opened by and it may not need let me to me qualify that may not be necessary to go out past that period past even the child right if if if this is. Not a significant exposure within the family images shut down there and just pointing the family so with again with it I'm not all the way up to three so limited that. Thank you. At the end I'm sorry. Are you done. I'm sorry okay one last question. Thank you so thank you for that clarification if if we could get that clarified in writing so that it's clear for everybody I will have that to you tomorrow morning incredibly helpful then also schools of shut down for flu before if I'm understanding that correctly is that a local school decision or is that a state department of health FOR education decision when that that happens. Those closures due to flu whether that that those traditional what we consider traditional circumstances that that's local decisions at the local decision yes okay and finally doctor amero following up on Representative Sullivan's question earlier do you agree with Senate secretary key when he said our schools are not in the state of disaster. I I agree I don't think they're in a state of disaster thank you thank you madam chair thank you so much and just want to thank you both for being here for so long but this was highly informative and I think we've all learned a great deal vacate based on your testimony and your time that you spent with us here today so we are greatly greatly appreciative of that so thank you very much for being here I'm at this time I'm gonna bring at as doctor Joe Thompson and to also want to bring up and a strong members hello Anna speaks very briefly about the please before you leave don't leave please take this with you this right here is what Anna's strong is going to be discussing briefly this is a program for immunizations and getting kids back to school and making sure that they're healthy if you don't have one raise your hands it will bring you one. but I want you to take this and publicize this I'm a let her speak about it very quickly and I know doctor tonsil back up on it but this was a program that DHS put together that came to the care steering for task force to be funded so please identify and then all right thank you so much center event I'm in a strong I'm the executive director for the Arkansas chapter of the American academy of pediatrics and thank you all so much for having me here today I will be as senator Irvin said I'll be really brief today we are grateful to the cares acts during committee for supporting this proposal earlier in the month and are sharing with you so that you can share with the providers in your district who are primary care physicians so as soon as cove in nineteen hit Arkansas our pediatricians and other providers that care for children really began to see shocking drops in well child visits due to karenna virus and we know that many parents were afraid to bring their kids to the doctor and well so we'll tell care all but stopped and children were not getting their needed checkups or other vaccines are chapter collaborated with the Arkansas department of health to get data on this and we we're told that childhood immunization administrations had dropped thirty percent in April and may can to care to the year the past same period in the year before and the MMR vaccines for measles mumps and rubella had dropped by forty two percent during that same period and which is highly concerning measles is more is six times as contagious as Kevin nineteen and so I mean finally another set of data that that the department of health share with us in July showed a gap of about sixty thousand immunization administration's during twenty twenty with about two thirds of those being in low income kids in the last thing we want during at pandemic is an outbreak of another P. or other pediatric vaccine preventable disease in this discussions especially important as we head back into school and kids are beginning to be around each other and other diseases that are they are affected with very directly are up have the potential to come out again so we reached out to DHS and. Worked with them Senate between may and now to explore ways we can help support practices to that deliver immunizations two kids to help them make needed but non reimbursable investments in their practices to get kids back into the door of a clinic for it their Maxine's I'm so you can see on the hand outs the eligible expenses for that for those the cares acts during committee did approve a point seven seven million dollars for this investment and those are for expenses incurred from March three two at the beginning of October which is also the deadline for school I mean immunizations to have taken place and so these are goals that will be mutually supportive of DHS goals health department goals and ark at a primary care provider schools in the state and we just wanted to thank you all again for all your support of this employees to make sure providers in your communities are aware of it and they are able to apply for these fines and get those dollars flowing into the practices to get kids their immunizations right and and to the point of clarification that's not necessarily a ram it's a it's a reimbursement for the opportunity to bring people in not necessarily a reimbursement for the administration of the vaccine at the correct correct those three at those in that it does actual immunizations in the administration's themselves will be Hey port pay for as normal through Medicaid or another another pair this is for activities like care coordination out reach activities if you wanted to do an immunization fair in partnership with the school things like that to where you can scale up technology in your office if it helps to make your office a safer place for patients to be etcetera right thank you all right no problem there says forget two quick questions senator Chesterfield thank you thank you for being here and thank you for that my concern was raised by my pharmacist okay because we know the seventy five percent unvaccinated to forty percent do not. live within twenty five miles of pediatrician. Those vaccines those vaccinations could be provided by pharmacies but they are not covered under this is that what you're saying. This is for entities that have a vaccines for children designation and to my knowledge there are not any pharmacies in Arkansas that have enrolled in the vaccines for children program but I could be wrong about that so this would not apply to them whatsoever and allow them to provide that service that we need in my community where we don't have pediatricians it is for it is for primary care providers to do that within the medical home okay what do we have anything for them especially in communities underserved like mine what we don't have pediatric care south of six thirty I know that I mean they can they are eligible and they can continue to bill for vaccines for the vaccine the pharmacies are allowed to provide to children as normal second I thank you thank you senator thank you all right than the okay number quite okay Senator hammer thank you after two quick question. I thought Remer like one so what prevents the pharmacies from being able to be reimbursed and what happens when if we go back into a covered situation where clinics are saying we don't want you to bring the kids in and all the sudden they're not we repeat history again and they're closed but pharmacies are available what's the resolution to all that. I will tell you that I don't know of a primary care practice in Arkansas that has closed during the pandemic I believe most of them if not all of them that I'm aware of has stayed open for the entirety and are actively recruiting kids to come back into their office all of them have implemented safety procedures to ensure that staff in the families visiting our well taken care of in taking care of safely so we are actively trying to make sure the kids get back and get caught up on this so I don't I don't think that that worry that you have about about practices closing doors has has has happened so far during a pandemic in Arkansas. If that's. Representative Johnson thank you madam chair in the you probably don't have the answer to this question but I want to ask it in the end this is from the topic so from the standpoint of vaccinations in Arkansas idea of a censored maybe the help or does it and I can get this information later of what percentage of kids are vaccinated at the health department at the local health units verses getting the vaccines are the primary care provider I can tell you that about sixty eight percent of the VFC sites in Arkansas are at non local health units so there are counties actually have a map of my folder if you like to see it of the counties where the only place is a local health unit and I think they're thirteen or fourteen look and see not health department colleagues that we can talk about that I can find that out and I'm curious and I understand that question the other question would be October first deadline and maybe someone with maybe this is tied to the cares ACT money is there a reason why we should we stop that October first. Yes go ahead I mean you can you can talk about it I know you're on this case extend committee I think the idea was that and Elizabeth if you want to address that you might Elizabeth we work closely with those of the Pitman from DHS if she could be recognized to address their reasoning for that yes please come for. And several of these questions may be better answered by DHS and I'll invite members to do that after the meeting. Go ahead. Yes thank you I'm Elizabeth that men deputy director for division of medical services and if you can repeat your question just over time some transparent. Question. Stop. Yeah just press the green button. There sorry why is the start date October first yes of course so there's a couple of reasons the the main one is the October first St is the deadline for school immunizations in public schools so we wanted to give that opportunity to have children compliant with that deadline and so that was the main reason and then we also wanted to make sure that this the Kerrs act funding and senator Irvin may be able to speak to this little better will be swept at the end of the year basically anything that's not spent will be taken back and so we wanted to give physicians the opportunity to access that money as much as possible. Thank you Representative gray. Thank you madam chair over to your left and I can't find it right now but I thought I saw a map earlier of each county and if they had to the of CE sites that was public or private or whether it's at the local health units and so two of my FOR counties only have the local health units I know we've already had our local health units shut down once for covert related reasons and exposure and I guess my question would be is there any priority being given to you any applicants into the VFC program and is that are those with those applicants be expedited especially in those counties that only have a local health units. So I can't speak to how quickly they would they would be process that the health department function to enroll them with the VFC program and we we are at DHS making some efforts with providers through some of our contracts were looking at how to make some efforts to get them enrolled in the VFC program and and we have reimbursed Inc increased our administration rates through our immunization physician rates program so to give a vaccine get higher right now is amended for Medicaid patient and so hoping to some of those efforts we can increase that enrollment now speaking to how quickly it takes would be the health department because they actually administer that program okay thank you. Thank you last question senator Chesterfield. Thank you madam chair in my will be brief where the rules that preclude pharmacies from benefiting from this will provide vaccination is it federal or is that state. So there are I at a few pharmacies enrolled with BSE I believe and according to my pharmacist director there's about nine across the state and historically pharmacies have not provided a lot of that seems to children and and so there's not a lot of them enrolled so we designed this program to be not just pediatricians but all PCP providers that have enrollment of Medicaid children I'm so that would include family physicians to address areas where there may not be pediatricians okay but. Thank you the PCP those the primary care physicians that automatically precludes I want to be sure want to give this answer that automatically precludes pharmacist from being included in it and this program yes ma'am thank you. Right thank you alright thank you so much thank you for the presentation doctor Johnson. Thank you thank you madam chairs Mr chairs members of the General Assembly let me just start by saying you know I want to agree with much if not all that of what's secretary Romero and secretary key related I would also like to just share with you yes this is a novel virus and means we as human beings have never seen it before which is why are why when it came on line we had no test for it we had no drugs for it we have no vaccines for it and I would agree with the secretary Meryl that we are probably in this well into twenty twenty one if not beyond before we actually can get to our new normal I hate this mask worse than anything I'll just tell you right off the bat but this is the thing that's going to break this farce along with their physical distancing and your leadership and I want to thank you for that I'm gonna be briefed today I I want to give you a thirty thousand foot overview put your Arkansas center for health improvement is doing we can come back and go the on any of those at any time I do want to spend much of the time and I'll be brief on what we release today which was school level school district level community risk for cove in nineteen so we release that this afternoon with secretary a key secretary amero and the governor we have been providing some analytics surge capacity for the departments of health department of education and the employment benefits division which is the management unit within the department shared services which manages your state and public school health insurance plans we've got a pretty good set of data managers pretty good set of analyst clinical team that understands what's going on and so we've been able to provide some surge capacity under the legislative authority that that you and your predecessors have offered us the Arkansas health data initiative which lets any state agency share data with us to support your decisions and the Arkansas healthcare transparency initiative. Which is where the all payer claims database resides under the department of insurance and the insurance commissioner also some additional authority under the declared public health emergency to date we've been doing heat maps we've looked at the risk of adverse events hospitalizations in the patient's death both for the state population as a whole but also for the insured public school population and the state employee's population last week we put out community level both cumulative an active cope with nineteen cases and a rate per ten thousand we updated those today we last week put out the school level per ten thousand case rates we updated those today in so let me just share with you at a higher level again thirty thousand foot level we we took the health department's Covin nineteen positive cases and we looked in the APC D. for bad outcomes and we said what the people have that got you a bad outcome because of Kobe nineteen and so the red numbers here are statistically with precision and confidence if you have kidney failure and you get cove in nineteen your sixty percent more likely to be hospitalized your eighty percent more likely end up and I see you your hundred forty percent more likely to be intimidated and your hundred percent more likely to die than if you do not have kidney failure immuno compromised this would be cancer therapy this would be high dose steroids this would be somebody with HIV again eighty percent more likely be hospitalized ninety percent I see you under sixty percent at the dated seven percent more likely to die we did this and our publishing this not so much to scare people but to get people information that they otherwise would not have about whom to protect within their family who to protect within the place of employment whom to protect within their community as they define it we've also done that for the public school employees would actually look at those high those high risk conditions and said okay how many state employees or public school employees have those conditions you get over one percent in both have kidney failure about a percent that are you know. Compromised for one reason or another much higher percent that have diabetes it's about a percent with COPD and then about four three or four percent with a corny or heart disease and this is not to scare folks but this is to help us manage through this process and safeguard individuals that have these conditions in that have much higher likelihood bat out clones if they do come down with cove in nineteen so we continue to work closely the other thing that we're watching or some of the changes in how healthcare is delivered this is the explosion of telemedicine as we shut down and we allowed payment for telemedicine this is the state employees plan four October through April you see I mean before March they were doing a hundred eighty telemedicine events today are of month in April they went to eighteen thousand this has some financial implications to enable that paid over million half dollars for telemedicine and this is only going to have grown since April this is going to come at least before the public health committee in probably the broader legislature as we look at payment structure for telemedicine going forward I don't think a lot of patients are gonna go sit in the doctor's office for two hours anymore waiting for a visit when they got a telemedicine in their home for fifteen minutes in that that worked so I I think you're gonna have pressure on the telemedicine to redefine how that works going forward. We worked with the health department the department cation this is getting us to the school district level data we just share with you we get a weekly feet on Monday of all the covert positive patients from the health department we G. O. plot them where they are based upon the address that they report where they're living in the state we then put the school district boundaries around those people and we know then the number of positive people in the school district that reside there not the people in the school not the students but the people that are in the geographic boundaries of the school district and we did nominate that by the number of people who live in that school jury districts so we end up with a rate a positive individuals per ten thousand people who live within that school district and I will tell you while the and this is no the governor has asked us to do this yeah when they report out county level raise I've been doing phone calls with. Committee leaders to the municipal league now for six months we were been on with school districts they want their community rates the county level rate really doesn't work for them to be able to make local based decision so we've been working hard to be able to put these for you do have to have a minimum of ten cases for confidentiality so when you don't see a number it's because they're look fewer than ten cases but today we publish the following map by school district the the darkest green or that school districts that have the lease burden they have between zero and nine positive cases in the last fourteen days per ten thousand residents the lighter green is between ten and nineteen the yellows between twenty and twenty nine the oranges between thirty and forty nine and the red is with more than fifty individuals that are positive in the last fourteen days within those populated school districts now we have taken out the incarcerated individuals we have taken out the nursing home individuals six zero Romero mention with we have a couple of districts that are in the red zone here they are. Booneville and. We'll come to limit that have a a human development center the that that spike those numbers were gonna work to like the nursing homes take those out but we have some other red zone districts here I talked to the superintendent Hector this morning he knows exactly why they went to eighty cases per ten thousand individuals within the last week they had a traveling revival come through and they have a significant number of new cases that threaten their school state plan that they had in place for next week on our website sorry the other important point is that we maintain the high testing levels across the state in particular high testing levels in the community I'm not my concerns on school districts you can have that a lot of tests in the nursing homes are in the jails I want high test in the community so that if you have a positive in your community we're gonna know about it so we are actually making sure that we put out the fourteen day test rates per ten thousand individuals in the community I think we're doing okay here right now and then this is the best screen shot of our website I can take you there if you would like to this is updated as of today but you can go on our website actually may try to do this let me see if I can do this because it'll show up a little better and I will be free from this is the last thing that I will share with you on our website if you go down to ark code nineteen page. Not working by any click here for latest updates you will end up with that being taken to our our update page. After a couple seconds you end up having the the maps that we just share I had a lot of traffic this afternoon so it may be a little bit slower than I wanted to the you can click on by school district and you can click on. The active cases the new cases. And it will take you to a display that you can look at. Try to make the Speaker I want to go back and I go back to my selection because I thought somebody will get bigger here What you have is you have the the the school district this is alma they had twenty six new cases in the last fourteen days their test rate is three hundred and thirteen per ten thousand but then we are giving you the last four weeks this is the two week period ending the twenty seventh of July the third of August the tenth of August the seventeenth of August you can see alma out yeah alma went from a yellow zone earlier in the month to a green zone here as they go into the start of school next week you've got some other cities this is Ashdown that was read they turn yellow I can scroll down well I can't do that on the slide that you can scroll down to look at any of our two hundred plus school districts each week we planned to add another week's information this is not a piece of information that a school district or or someone to make a decision on in isolation but this does represent the amount of community risk a school is re opening into the north central part of the state has not had to cope with burden that other parts of the state have at the southeastern part of the state Batesville has a significant burden right now and so as those school districts open those are going to be school districts that have a concern about making sure that the mitigation efforts are held to a high fidelity standard going in so I share this with you be glad to take questions be glad to come back with more detail I know it's late I think each and everyone of your questions was on target this is a tricky virus all the issues around quarantine and and how long you stay in the testing a positive test is positive you have a negative test is not negative and it does not mean that you're free and clear that's my simple message on the test I'm I'm gonna let Senator hammer I ask a question and then I'm gonna go to doctor Joe we Walters if you'll come up doctor Walters if you'll come up with the triple a. and and then I'm gonna go to your presentation after senator hammer's question. Thank you two quick ones are the prison populations calculated in the map Showing where the school districts are and number two do you get the antigen results and are those factored into your numbers so the prison populations and the nursing home populations are excluded now from our school district results because those are more congregated settings that would not affect either a parent or a superintendent or teachers decision about their school districts so and we will work with health department as Dr Meryl mention to try to isolate the human development centers also to pull them out so that really does reflect the community and the families from which the kids are coming to the school in coming weeks with respect to the antigen results that they are not in here because the health department a current does not. Count them as a positive test and this is the one place that I would have some divergence from the national association of epidemiologist a positive test on an engine test is a positive for covert nineteen there's not the sensitivity here is near a hundred percent if it's positive you have it it's the opposite side if it says it's negative you don't have confidence that you do not have it that the chance for false negatives is still high and that's because we had no test for this virus. You know six months ago we're developing it will get better a positive is positive and negative does not mean that your negative. Like it ash form thank you Senator hammer thank you for asking that question because it goes back to what represent of Greg with asking about the anti aging test previous presenters I think they will this act I cannot imagine that they're not seeing counted in the total cost is I would agree with that and I I agree with that and I I appreciate that. And Representative Ladyman. Yes just because the. I just want to thank you for being here I mean we just get you on the agenda and the last date so please state your getting on there being here in the U. provides very good and very timely and will be have you back on jurors thank you Mr chair there were some of and so they that I thought were important to get in front of you so that you understood what we had done thank you very much well and the follow up that I mean these are great tools for school districts and so I I mean lots of superintendents are watching this meeting today and and teachers and school board members and so I think as much information as we can get into their hands is important you know why we're having this meeting so I get I thank you for the presentation represent a makes had a question I believe for doctor Thompson and then we're going to go to doctor Walters. Thank you Sir other question I had on the slide that you had showing the risk of server outcomes early on your presentation Get up there is I just noticed look at that slide that dementia and mental and hypertension look has some protective value with the those negative percentages this so the my reading that right I think you're reading the percentages correctly what I think my interpretation vertical dimension is the art of demented individuals are not seeking health care when they become sick and therefore they're not hospitalized they don't get in I see you they are into baited but there fifty percent more likely to die probably because they don't have the capabilities to care for themselves okay and I think the mental and behavioral disorders probably fall on that same track hypertension at least in Arkansas does not appear and again we've done some previous studies that say we under recognize hypertension and we under treat hypertension but so far that's not caring the same risk of some of these other conditions okay so the numbers are necessarily telling the truth here when it says that dimensions creating some sort of protection from the virus or their Senate getting Sir I think that's true in a high just I want to if I can lead off I don't think we know truth right I don't think any of the answers that the to the questions that you've got today our truths I think we're learning more about this tricky virus each week that goes by and we know more about it but it will be a long time before we know the truth about this virus in the same way that we know truth about the measles or truth about influence the this is a new virus that is attacking our communities we're learning logic is probably our best to and those things that we know work because it's a respiratory virus I thank you thank you doctor. I'm members one thing that Representative Ferguson just texted me is we need to also be aware of scammers pretending to be covered nineteen contact tracers so that is happening and that was directly from CMS and so if somebody is asking for personal information like your Medicare number you should not give that information out so I would also add we've had some pop up test. I don't know what the name is I want to provide it but some less reputable pop up testing sites that have build insurance we turn them over to the Medicaid inspector general I would encourage you that if you gonna see get testy seek it from a reputable provider. And I'm not sure if the department of health is still here I think Mr Gilmour still here but if you could just get us from the health department what information do the contact trust tracers ask for just so that we can make sure citizens are informed of what is going to be asked of them in order for them to help identify whether there's a scam phone caller not at that just was released from CMS. But another complication in the fall thank thank you thank you doctor Thompson if you want to stick around that's fine at doctor Walters I wanted to go to you thank you madam chair and co chairs Julie Walters deputy director of the Arkansas activities association here in lieu of our director lance Taylor who is at a funeral today one of our members school so but it is a pleasure to be here would you like for me to come get some background information before we get into some questions yes I had a great conversation with lance Taylor with the Arkansas athletic association because as you know there has been a committee and I believe doctor Johnson represent Johnson's also served on that committee about athletics because I know we're getting phone calls from parents and coaches and the information you know band and football cheerleading volleyball these things or are false boards and there's mitigating factors and there's associations that you're working with in each of those different levels of support so that's really what I wanted you to talk about in a and Mister Taylor couldn't be here because he's attending the hunters funeral so yes we all will keep hunter and his family and I first well thank you well I just kind of cut to the chase in terms of the sports medicine P. so within our organization of course Tripoli's been around since nineteen oh four started with four high schools and and three colleges now over three hundred school districts sand approximately a hundred seventy five thousand I school students participate in athletics and activities in our state every year our records are are voting representatives are principals and superintendents maker eligibility rules and guidelines for a for a membership of the one thing that is very important within the organization is were part of the national federation of state high school associations with all fifty states as members in all fifty states that have junior high and high school athletics or involved in the national federation they make rules for seventeen sports and. Make standards for fine arts forensics debate for competitions across the United States as an example in Arkansas we have about two hundred schools play football and can thousand football players in high school the national federation has over fifteen thousand high schools that participate in football and over million football players so the information that we're able to glean from the numbers across the state are very across the nation are very important in particular with the national federation has a sports medicine advisory committee that is made up of members throughout the United States doctors surgeons athletic trainers except for a researchers that are available and meet throughout the year to provide the resources for us board and FOR a member state associations across the United States and as you would imagine story in in March that group became very very active and what it would take to potentially open up high school sports and activities for students across the United States so we glean a lot of information from them. as we begin to open up for practices we worked with the re opening guidelines and guidance that they had published in in early may late April to move forward with the individual practice that we did but in our state we also have a sports medicine that your committee for Arkansas activities association made up of doctors from children's and you a mess that advise us on situations particularly to Arkansas so our doctors on that committee Natalie trainers helped us formulate the the the guidelines returning back to practice for the climate is ation and so forth but we use the guidelines for changing the modification rules for sports as we move forward in all of our activities in athletics but as the chair it had noted one of the most important things that that we have done in the governor appointed the the working group that the anything that we do that we get from the national federation and their research from higher sports medicine advisory committee in Arkansas and FOR the department of health we'll run through this group to make recommendations to provide a safe environment for athletes in a safe environment for spectators. Thank you and some of the I know there some differences so if the hotline that has been cut up with the department of education can parents I have that our parents of student athletes or band members can I call that phone number to get information or get connected to you or do you have a separate thing happening what we are doing and and the doctor five for invited me over earlier this week to the hotline at the department of health and the department of education is working with so but so basically madam chair it works in unison to school district so would be the same process that the schools would use for reporting incidences with that classrooms and students that they would do with the with the athletics and so that hotline would be used from primarily the contact person at the school would would do the same process and there's a couple of individuals at the on the hotline that work for the department of bad that communicate with our office and we communicate with them to make sure that we on the same page of what schools might have some outbreaks in situations that they may be in but to answer the question it would be the same process that schools would use of the hotline okay okay great all right are there any questions. Representative Johnson do you want to add anything. Just just pressure yellow button. Just as the yellow button. Just very are don't touch anything not touch it there are gas anything. Thank you yes Sir it does I would just say that it's been a pleasure to serve on the task force is very healthy group of a doctor's from the department of health coaches from around the state superintendent's educators athletic trainers we have mental health professionals on the committee and I think the conversation has been you know centered around the safety and and wellness of our of our kids in Arkansas well I think we recognize as a group and as a state is a community the value of these activities are kids you know from from the standpoint of of the experiences they get the mentoring they get in and to be honest the mental health part of this for these kids for a lot of our kids in Arkansas your to differentiate specifically from what the colleges are first is what the high schools are you know a lot of these kids in colleges they're participating in sports so that they can have the opportunity to go to college and get an education for a lot of our kids in Arkansas they're going to school as of being used to go participate in activities if you start pulling these activities away one of the concerns is that now these children will disconnect in disengaging so for us in this group weighing the risk of these activities with the potential benefit these kids get from participating that's been the challenge and these are not difficult easy decisions but again it's it's been healthy discussions and I think the only thing I would say that that all of us have a hard stop when it comes to the safety of our kids if we felt like we were doing something unsafe we wouldn't proceed but regulations that is set up by the public health I think our coaches are being directors required directors they're all doing everything they can to follow these right regulations and under those guidelines the kids are very motivated to participate so they're going to wear their mass when the coach tells into when the band director tells into they're gonna stay six feet apart or further so I'm excited that we're getting that opportunity to excited that the groups working together thank you thank you so much for. Some of Ladyman and then I have Senator hammer I'm gonna keep you on by Representative Johnson go ahead Senator hammer. I thought you recognize me I'm so sorry represent of Ladyman thank you madam chair after Johnson we got a remedial course on how to operate this beneath. Did you see that. number one was not you can answer this question but I had a thought here. Some schools I guess are choosing not to participate in some sports maybe in high school and I know and colleges they are but in Arkansas talking specifically about high schools Do do can schools opt out or can conferences opt out or can players opt out and wonder what kind of guidelines or rules the online for that most definitely of course players and parents can opt out of participating and in schools could on that at this time we've not had a single school that is said that they're not going to have a team because of the pandemic and so there's a lot of positives to as stock as a represented Johnson said to the participation in activities in athletics that. Our students look for to come to school and as he said A you probably seen some of the social media campaigns that they're the videos that the that the different high schools are doing talking about making good decisions wearing your mask I think there's a lot of positives that come from this for them to be motivated to do the right things because we all know at fifteen sixteen seventeen years of age you're not just go sit at home and mind your own business you're gonna be involved in something and this gives them something very positive to be involved in well yeah I agree I think sports is a good thing to motivate kids to go to school do better so I think it's definitely a foster program. Thank you now Senator hammer. Thank you madam chair you Dr thank you but. I'm sorry the thing is acting up can you. Okay go ahead I'm so sorry now if that's what thank you Mr chair of I think you mentioned in the room the whole day in doctor mayor kind of threw some water what types of mass can be used to not use in one of the ones that you know he identified as not being. Principal was want to see a lot of the athletes where and if you had time to think about that or talk about the Gator the gadget session yes Sir and that is one thing that it's such a fluid situation in in many many ways but in our world with with athletics in the rules of sport the national federation is been really out front and vocal and able to change rules in regards to safety and that is one and all August the fourth the football rules committee and put together that for football you cannot wear a Gator and not only because of the respiratory droplets that might get through because of the safety aspect of it getting behind a shoulder pad in being Graham to someone is running down the field so is that is been addressed in a safety issue in terms of the active be playing in the sport okay and fallout one more measure yes please one of the biggest high school football games coming up softball a few weeks and they've got a plan approved by the health department Do you have you the involvement that you've had with that because that could be a very successful event for the rest of the schools if we can get through this thing without big the all out yes so are you looking at contact tracers that would be assigned specifically to that one or you just going to let the standing system work and have you thought through how that's going to be played out of after after the game's over yes well that the standing system will be in place for for that particular event and yes I'm very very aware of the of the the in itself have to be married superintendent Bryant so we do talk about that a bit quite often to make sure that we are covering everything correctly and in making sure that we move forward in a most positive light yeah that was a softball good hit but. But I really hope that thing come thank you will come off well and a holder that'll that'll set the trend for the rest goals it may be apprehensive you know come on let's go so I totally agree and I know the plans that they put into place Senate work by both schools to to make sure that they put the best possible mitigation in place because as you said that will be a standard set beginning of the year for the rest of our schools but all to colleges that have said no will see that if any except accolade might rethink their decision so thank you right now it's side you'll be sitting on Senator hammer we'd I'm not sure what side you're gonna be sitting. Somewhere in the. Alright thank you doctor Thompson manager I would just like to offer a little bit of of rationale for the mass discussion in the Gator issue the study that was done in again we're we're learning about it so that we have science so that we can add to your truth and ultimately conquer this but the Gator what they. Believe happens is the closeness of the Gator actually fraction ace the large droplets that otherwise would be caught in the vestibule of your mask it makes smaller droplets that spread farther and stay in the air longer and that's why the Gator in this study actually cause more infections than nothing at all is that it actually and if you think about it that's logical when I've got a mask with the vestibule its kitchen most of those droplets here in the mask if I've got a Gator up close right of my lips and breathing out I'm fraction aiding those large droplets in their smaller droplets they stay in their longer they go farther and because more infections so a lot of this is logic at command look for to our sports seasons I think the bigger concern is going to be on the the attendees of the sports season as opposed to the players in the sports season and that's where the the the focus needs to be I think to prevent those super spreading of it by senator A. Clark. A nothing serious by senator just as the salt ball came up will be clear that not all legislators will be on both sides I will clearly be on the side thank you for the clarification all right thank you no question all right thank you see in nine we are so grateful and there was a long meeting but this is very very helpful for us very good information and very much appreciated member stay seated we have one last item west wards bless your heart thank you for staying he's going to come forward and discuss and what I'm look hoping for is a motion to recommend what he is going to be reporting to us it's this is the buffalo river conservation committee I've been very involved with the excellent work that's been happening so feel. Percy eight. Yes ma'am thank you and thank you for let me join the the agenda today I know you all have a link the agenda with a lot of important topics appreciate you giving us time to give a quick update on the buffalo river conservation committee part of what was included as a as an exhibit for for this agenda has the the time line and history of of some of our efforts here I'll just be to the point I know you have been here for awhile but in particular we last came before the public health committee meeting on June ninth and we had it we had agreed went with the funding was appropriated by the legislature that that we would say you and in close communication with the public health committee and that we would come back for for frequent updates and and I'm particular on funding decisions us on June ninth we had had a few items that we had presented and ask for funding on but at the same time some of those needs some additional clarity and some additional refinement to it so from June not for two two today we have we've been meeting free only with the subcommittee a refining there's proposals just to make sure that for spending this money that were making the most of that funding leveraging state dollars us as far as we can so that's why we're we're here today is to give an update on that in particular one of the proposals remains the same two hundred fifty thousand dollars for the city of Jasper for the wastewater treatment facility I've been to unpaid road sides for a total of five hundred seventy thousand nine or seventy nine dollars so in some that comes out to a total of eight twenty thousand under seven nine dollars allocated of of the one million dollars that was to be used for the buffalo river conservation committee efforts so that will if approved today by the public health committee will leave a remaining balance of a hundred seventy nine thousand twenty one dollars for for future distribution aside from that they want to update on a couple of items that that have been a part of the discussions with B. R. C. C. that will we'll come back within. Future but we had previously looked at seven hundred fifty thousand dollars of this funding for septic tank replacement program how we found a way to to do that internally so we're going to were that'll save that hundred fifty thousand dollars open it up for other purposes marble falls is another topic of discussion we were looking at asking for a hundred thousand dollars for that but as as many people knew with the recent acquisition of that property up there we're we're tabling that discussion to see how that further develops and it will partner with them as as they move forward and and their efforts four four I think it's about a four hundred acre site after a marble falls in dog patch so a lot of very positive progress we're working very closely with the National Park Service US Forest Service the seventy member subcommittee and other partners to two again to leverage the state dollars as far as we possibly can but of that madam chairman I'm happy to answer any questions anyone may have thank you Representative Ladyman. Thank you madam chair well I was very impressed secretary with the cooperation of the groups in that area not from that area but I'm this meetings and I was very impressed and with that I'd I have a motion and proper time. Thank you go ahead. Make a motion I would make a motion that we approve these expenditures. Is there a second. Second all those in favor say aye. And opposed ayes have it recommendation is approved and again thank you this is been tremendous work members I want you to take this home and read it the work that was done on the unpaved road sites every single fight was visited it just goes to show that we need more money in this program and there's a lot of work at to be left to be done but there's some exciting opportunities that lie ahead of us and I'm so grateful to you westward for your leadership on this committee and all the people that are working on it it's been a it's been a phenomenal fun thing to do so with that thank you very much and we are adjourned.