Minutes - March 20, 2025 - Board of Health Meeting

Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 7 p.m.
MLHU Board Room – CitiPlaza
110-355 Wellington Street
London, ON N6A 3N7

Members Present: 

Michael Steele (Chair)
Michelle Smibert (Vice-Chair)
Matthew Newton-Reid
Selomon Menghsha
Peter Cuddy
Howard Shears
Skylar Franke (attended virtually)
Michael McGuire (attended virtually)
Emily Williams, Chief Executive Officer (ex-officio) (Secretary and Treasurer)
Dr. Alexander Summers, Medical Officer of Health (ex-officio)

Regrets:

Aina DeViet

Others Present:

Stephanie Egelton, Executive Assistant to the Board of Health (recorder)
Sarah Maaten, Director, Public Health Foundations
Omar Ozaldin, Director, Environmental Health, Infectious Diseases and Clinical Services
Dr. Joanne Kearon, Associate Medical Officer of Health
Jennifer Proulx, Director, Family and Community Health/Chief Nursing Officer
Ryan Fawcett, Associate Director, Operations/Privacy Officer
Cynthia Bos, Associate Director, Human Resources and Labour Relations
Parthiv Panchal, End User Support Analyst, Information Technology
Dr. Janice Mok, Medical Resident, Public Health and Preventative Medicine

Chair Michael Steele called the meeting to order at 7 p.m.

Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest

Chair Steele inquired if there were any disclosures of pecuniary interest. None were declared.

Approval of Agenda

Chair Steele noted that the report regarding the Annual Service Plan needed to be deferred until the April 24 Board meeting.

It was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by M. Newton-Reid, that the Board of Health defer Report No. 18-25 re: “2025 Annual Service Plan” until the April 24, 2025 Board of Health meeting.
Carried

It was moved by M. Smibert, seconded by H. Shears, that the AGENDA for the March 20, 2025 Board of Health meeting be approved as amended.
Carried

Approval of Minutes

It was moved by M. Newton-Reid, seconded by S. Menghsha, that the MINUTES from the February 20, 2025 Board of Health meeting be approved.
Carried

It was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by S. Menghsha, that the MINUTES from the February 20, 2025 Quality and Governance Committee meeting be received.
Carried

New Business

Finance and Facilities Committee Meeting Update (Verbal Report)

Committee Chair Selomon Menghsha noted that he was appointed as Finance and Facilities Committee Chair for 2025. S. Menghsha noted that the Committee reviewed inaugural reports (including recommending to amend the reporting calendar and terms of reference), Board of Health Remuneration, vendors that the Health Unit paid over $100,000 to in 2024 and 2025 insurance policies.

There were no questions or discussion.

It was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by M. Smibert, that the Board of Health:
1) Receive Report No. 01-25FFC re: “Amending the 2025 Board and Committee Reporting Calendar (Finance and Facilities)” for information;
2) Amend the 2025 Board and Committee Reporting Calendar to remove “Visa Payments Update”
3) Receive Report No. 02-25FFC re: “2025 Finance and Facilities Committee Terms of Reference” for information;
4) Approve the 2025 Finance and Facilities Committee Terms of Reference;
5) Receive Report No. 03-25FFC re: “2024 Board of Health Remuneration” for information;
6) Receive Report No. 04-25FFC re: “2024 Vendor Payments” for information; and
7) Receive Report No. 05-25FFC re: “2025 Insurance Policies” for information.
Carried

Current Public Health Issues (Verbal Report)

Dr. Alexander Summers, Medical Officer of Health and Dr. Joanne Kearon, Associate Medical Officer of Health provided the Board of Health with an update on current public health issues.

Respiratory Season Update
Dr. Kearon noted that in the region, there are several respiratory outbreaks and current hospitalizations remain moderate. This situation is mostly driven by influenza currently, but it is decreasing with influenza activity decreasing and trending downwards. For COVID-19, the trend has been moving downwards for the last few months, with the peak passing and activity plateauing. More respiratory testing is being conducted for coronavirus (which is not COVID-19).

The Infectious Disease Control team continues to be active in managing outbreaks in institutions in long term care homes, as this sector is seeing many outbreaks.

Measles Update
Dr. Kearon noted that there is a lot of measles activity happening in neighbouring public health units, with the focus in Southwestern Public Health and Grand Erie Public Health. Middlesex-London had their first case of measles on March 10, with two (2) cases following. At this time, there are three (3) confirmed cases of measles in Middlesex-London. All individuals in Middlesex-London exposed to the cases have been either notified directly by the Health Unit or have been made aware through public service announcements.

Dr. Kearon noted that Middlesex-London will continue to see exposures due to having a major hospital system and being a larger region. It is noted that there is a 95% vaccination rate for measles in the region.

The first symptoms of measles that tend to appear are somewhat nonspecific. Symptoms can appear like other respiratory viruses, such as fever, cough, and runny nose. However, what then develops is the rash that is typical of measles that people commonly associate with the disease, that typically happens several days after those initial symptoms. The symptoms can begin from 7 to 21 days after someone has been exposed, which is why the Health Unit is advising people if they have been exposed to watch for signs and symptoms for 21 days. Dr. Kearon emphasized the importance of staying home until you feel better for 48 hours.

Board Member Matthew Newton-Reid inquired on if there was a change in policy for the measles vaccination schedule. Dr. Kearon explained that the current recommended vaccination schedule is 2 doses of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) at 12 months and 4-6 years of age. If individuals are living or travelling in outbreaks areas, accelerated doses can also be administered. Some public health units are providing accelerated MMR doses to impacted communities, which are covered under OHIP for individuals living, working or under immunized in these areas.

Board Member Howard Shears inquired what the threshold is for a measles outbreak to be declared. Dr. Kearon explained that some areas in neighbouring jurisdictions have declared outbreaks. In Middlesex-London, there is no indication that the measles cases were acquired in the region, and it is not clear that there is spread locally. If there was an indication that this was a new outbreak, the Health Unit would declare an outbreak or if case and contact management resulted in needing extra resources. Dr. Summers noted that there is no specific number to declaring an outbreak and emphasized that the region has not seen sustained transmission of measles. Dr. Summers noted that even in Southwestern Public Health, the virus is localized in under-immunized communities. The Middlesex-London Health Unit continues to conduct broad communication and messaging about measles and vaccination.

Journal Article
Dr. Summers noted that several members of the Health Unit’s staff worked together to have a journal article on intervention classifications in public health published in the Canadian Journal of Public Health.

COVID-19 Anniversary
Dr. Summers noted that in the previous week, it was the fifth anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic being declared by the World Health Organization. The pandemic was first declared on March 11, 2020 with the first COVID-19 case in the region on January 31, 2020.

MLHU in the News
Dr. Summers noted that during the month, there was news coverage on measles, the pandemic anniversary and cold weather alerts.

It was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by H. Shears, that the Board of Health receive the verbal report re: Current Public Health Issues for information.
Carried
Medical Officer of Health Activity Report for February (Report No. 19-25)

Dr. Summers presented his activity report for February.

There were no questions or discussion.

It was moved by S. Menghsha, seconded by M. Newton-Reid, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 19-25 re: “Medical Officer of Health Activity Report for February” for information.
Carried

Chief Executive Officer Activity Report for February (Report No. 20-25)

E. Williams presented her activity report for February.

There were no questions or discussion.

It was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by M. Smibert, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 20-25 re: “Chief Executive Officer Activity Report for February” for information.
Carried

Board Chair and Vice-Chair Activity Report for January and February (Report No. 21-25)

Chair Steele and Vice-Chair Michelle Smibert presented their activity report for January and February.

There were no questions or discussion.

It was moved by M. Newton-Reid, seconded by H. Shears, that the Board of Health receive Report No. 21-25 re: “Board Chair and Vice-Chair Activity Report for January and February” for information.
Carried

Correspondence

It was moved by M. Smibert, seconded by M. Newton-Reid, that the Board of Health receive item a) for information:
a) Middlesex-London Board of Health External Landscape for March
Carried

Other Business

The next meeting of the Middlesex-London Board of Health is Thursday, April 24, 2025 at 7 p.m.

Closed Session

At 7:26 p.m., it was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by M. Newton-Reid, that the Board of Health will move into a closed session to consider matters regarding:
• personal matters about an identifiable individual, including municipal or local board employees;
• labour relations or employee negotiations;
• litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals, affecting the municipality or local board;
• advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege, including communications necessary for that purpose;
• to approve previous closed session Board of Health minutes.
Carried

At 8:11 p.m., it was moved by M. Newton-Reid, seconded by P. Cuddy, that the Board of Health return to public session from closed session.
Carried

Adjournment

At 8:11 p.m., it was moved by P. Cuddy, seconded by H. Shears, that the meeting be adjourned.
Carried

Michael Steele
Chair

Emily Williams
Secretary