RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SAFELY HOLDING PUBLIC MEETINGS
Each local government agency is authorized to determine whether to hold public meetings in person, on-line (teleconferencing only), or via a combination of methods. The following are recommendations from the Contra Costa County Health Officer to minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission during a public meeting.
1. Online meetings (i.e. teleconferencing meetings) are strongly recommended as these meetings present the lowest risk of transmission of SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This is particularly important in light of the current community prevalence rate as of February 2, 2022 which places Contra Costa County in the high community transmission tier as designated by the Centers For Disease Control, and our current trends as of February 3, 2022 in Covid-19 test positivity and COVID-19 hospitalizations which are decreasing but still near historical highs, and in light of the local detection of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, the impact of which on the spread of COVID-19 has shown to dramatically increase COVID-19 transmission.
2. If a local agency determines to hold in-person meetings, offering the public the opportunity to attend via a call-in option or an internet-based service option is recommended, when possible, to give those at higher risk of and/or higher concern about COVID-19 an alternative to participating in person.
3. A written safety protocol should be developed and followed. It is recommended that the protocol require social distancing – i.e., six feet of separation between attendees – and face masking of all attendees.
4. Seating arrangements should allow for staff and members of the public to easily maintain at least six-foot distance from one another at all practicable times.
5. Consider holding public meetings outdoors. Increasing scientific consensus is that outdoor airflow reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission compared to indoor spaces. Hosting events outdoors also may make it easier to space staff and members of the public at least six feet apart.
6. Current evidence is unclear as to the added benefit of temperature checks in addition to symptom checks. We encourage focus on symptom checks as they may screen out individuals with other COVID-19 symptoms besides fever and help reinforce the message to not go out in public if you are not feeling well.
7. Consider a voluntary attendance sheet with names and contact information to assist in contact tracing of any cases linked to a public meeting.
Revised 2-2-2022
Ori Tzvieli, MD
Deputy Health Officer, Contra Costa County