The Jefferson County Health Board voted Tuesday to put a cap of 50 people at non-school events in the county.
The number was based on Gov. Steve Bullock’s directive earlier this year, which called for a 50-person limit on events, while the cap itself was in response to a rising number of new COVID-19 cases in the county, which has grown by 51 — at the time of the meeting — over the last two weeks.
The idea is to limit the opportunity for transmission as much as possible while still allowing school events to occur, according to Jefferson County Public Health Department Supervisor Pam Hanna, who was also standing in at the meeting for interim Health Officer Sandy Sacry who was ill.
“We need to make a choice,” said Hanna.
When pushed for a definition of 50 people, the Health Board decided that number would represent a point-in-time count and not the overall number of individuals in attendance over the course of the event.
However, the county’s new directive was passed prior to the public comment period, which raised the ire of some attending the meeting — both in person and via Zoom.
Jefferson Local Development Corporation Project Coordinator Tom Harrington was concerned about the impact the attendance cap would have on businesses, as many events would now be canceled or not planned at all.
Businesses need foot traffic and events are a key part of this, he said, adding that there are many folks in the county who act as vendors at these gatherings and those represent a good chunk of their livelihood.
Take away events and that will have a major impact, he said.
“The anxiety, stress is rampant out there,” said Harrington.
The Board also voted to reject Jefferson High School’s plan to host a post-season volleyball tournament as it involved multiple schools. The Board was also going to reject a plan from Whitehall for a volleyball tournament until it was informed that it was a one-game event and not multiple teams. Since that was no different from what Whitehall had been doing already this season, the Board said it didn’t have to act on that issue.
The Board also set a spectator limit of four guests per suited player for both the home and away teams for post-season play.
A few parents were dismayed at the decisions by the Board, as well as the impact the ongoing pandemic — now having dragged on for more than six months — has had on their lives and those of their children.
“We’re not having deaths, we’re having sickness. When are we going to get to the point when this will have to run its course … and accept that there will be death,” said Charissa Wagner of Whitehall, suggesting that it’s time to embrace the idea of herd immunity.
“People are getting angry, people are getting upset,” she said.
Scott Prevost of Whitehall said the county needs to strike a balance, as mental health is as important as the virus.
