No member of the State Board of Health shall be liable in damages to any person for slander, libel, defamation of character, breach of any privileged communication, or otherwise for any action taken or recommendation made within the scope of the functions of such board while acting as an agent of the state if such board member acts without malice and in the reasonable belief that such action or recommendation is warranted by the facts known to him or her after a reasonable effort is made to obtain the facts on which such action is taken or recommendation is made.