Oxford Board of Health votes to limit use of outdoor land due to EEE risk

The Oxford Board of Public Health voted at a meeting Wednesday to temporarily limit the use of outdoor public land. The decision comes amid the town’s “Critical Risk” designation for the serious, mosquito-borne Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) disease.

The recommendation from the Oxford Department of Public Health includes finishing all outdoor activities before 6 p.m. through September, and before 5 p.m. starting in October and lasting through the first hard frost.

Oxford Public Schools are back in session on Aug. 27, and with the beginning of school comes the start of outdoor sports. Many of the attendees at the meeting were parents, concerned about their children’s ability to go to outdoor games and practices after the school day.

“We are ultimately here to make sure you are all safe,” Kerrie Singer, Chair of the Board of Public Health, said in the business meeting. “We are not banning, we are putting safety measures into place.”

Attendees shouted over Singer and other board members at times as they discussed whether or not to accept the recommendations. This was not a public hearing with space for public comment, but rather a business meeting open to the public. However, that did not stop people from attending the meeting and expressing concerns.

Oxford Public Health Director Rike Sterrett noted that the Oxford Public Schools Superintendent is working with local community centers to reschedule or move school sports practices inside when possible. Sterrett confirmed the superintendent is working within the recommendations laid out by the BOH.

What are the recommendations?

Sterret listed several recommendations from the Department of Public Health at the meeting, which include:

• Using mosquito repellent
• Wearing clothing that reduces access to the skin, like long sleeves and socks
• Removing standing water from homes
• Rescheduling outdoor activities occurring after 6 p.m. in September and after 5 p.m. in October