Committee on Health and Human Relations

Health

Monday, Aug. 8, 2022
1:00 p.m. — 3:00 p.m. CDT

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Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Chicago - IL Documenters Team

Note-taking by Alex Bennett

Monkeypox virus and vaccines, Public health messaging

View notes

Live reporting by Rex Tai

Monkeypox virus and vaccines, Public health messaging

Rex Tai, MD

Hello all! I am excited to be once again live-tweeting the @ChiCouncil Committee on Health & Human Relations meeting held on Monday, Aug 8 at 1 PM CST on behalf of @CHIdocumenters!

10:23 PM Aug 9, 2022 CDT

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 2/10

The meeting agenda is as follows:
1) Approval of July Monthly Rule 45 Report (i.e. meeting minutes) for the Committee on Health & Human Relations
2) Subject Matter Hearing to provide an update on the City’s actions in response to Monkeypox vaccination. https://t.co/5rYJ3NGuBu

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 3/10

Chair @RoderickTSawyer calls the meeting to order. He announces there are no votes to be held; this meeting is purely a Subject Matter hearing.

Also of note: this is the last committee meeting to be attended by @AldermanSmith43 before she steps down from her current role.

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 4/10

Quorum is not met for roll call at the beginning of the meeting, and there are no public comments so chair Sawyer moves directly onto item #2, inviting guest speaker, commissioner of @ChiPublicHealth, @DrArwady to speak on the current #monkeypoxvaccination situation in Chicago.

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 5/10

Dr. Arwady starts off by recapping the recent Public Health Emergency Declarations called at the international, state, & national levels thus far. She clarifies that a city-level emergency declaration is not necessary for securing needed vaccine supply & relevant agencies. https://t.co/msVs2TWU8o

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 6/10

Nonetheless, Chicago has not yet received any funding toward MPV, and Dr. Arwady is hopeful that the national declaration will allow for redirection of COVID funds to MPV. All efforts presented here by Chicago were done with $0 of funds allocated to MPV thus far.

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 7/10

Some background on MPV:
- A DNA virus of the Orthopox genus (not new, no relation to COVID)
- Historically animal-to-human zoonotic transmission by African rodents attributed solely to international travel or animal trade; virtually no cases in the US in years prior https://t.co/XmN3zk719N

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 8/10

Transmission is via skin-to-skin contact
Symptoms involve papular rashes or sores anywhere on the body ± flu-like symptoms
Anyone is at risk, but early transmission has been primarily in the MSM & LGBTQ communities
Prevent spread via avoiding contact w/ those infected https://t.co/rgenBJl8kA

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 9/10

Here is a @ChiPublicHealth informational poster clarifying risk of transmission for different activities and levels of contact. Highest risk is sexual/intimate contact & direct contact w/ skin lesions; some risk from kissing, dancing near others, sharing drinks. https://t.co/0qIQwNSxWA

Rex Tai, MD @RexA_Tai 10/10

A map of spread across the US. Chicago has had 556 cases as of 8/8, in 60/77 of Chicago’s community areas. 30 cases (~5% of cases) have resulted in hospitalizations; no deaths. Ages range 22-66 (most in 25-44); 47% in white non-Latinx, 29% in Latinx, 15% in black Chicagoans. https://t.co/YIirpOAfPZ

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Agency Information

Chicago City Council

chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov

(312) 744-3166

@ChiCouncil

See Documenters reporting

The Chicago City Council is the legislative branch of the government of the City of Chicago and consists of the Mayor and Aldermen elected from each of the City’s fifty wards. Source

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Recordings of past City Council meetings may be found here: https://vimeo.com/user100351763/videos/sort:date.

See also: “What to Expect at a Meeting of Chicago’s City Council” via the Better Government Association.