Tracy Burris

Steve Niblick, executive director of the Area Plan Commission, and Tracy Burris, administrator of the Boone County Health Department, made the requests last week as they outlined their 2004 budget requests.

"We have two (building) inspectors," Niblick said."We have one vehicle."Meanwhile the workload for those inspectors is shifting, with more construction in the northern and western areas of the county.

Burris wants a truck for the health department's environmental division.She hopes to receive federal funds, disbursed through the Indiana State Department of Health for bioterrorism spending, to pay for the truck.

But there is a need now, she said.Employees are now using their personal vehicles, sustaining damage "that they just don't get back," she said.

Employees are also having to transport chemicals in their own cars, she said.When there were anthrax threats -- which proved to be hoaxes -- were reported in the county, environmentalists had to drive the samples to a state lab in Indianapolis in their own vehicles.

"It's just not a good situation," Burris said.

The health department's work load has also increased, she said, because of activity along the Interstate 65 business corridor between State Roads 267 and 334; enforcement of an anti-littering ordinance; new food and septic codes; and public safety and bioterrorism issues.

"It's amazing how much more is being asked of our department," Burris said.

Tracy Burris, health department administrator, said vaccine suppliers have missed every delivery date they've given her.

"I hate to be real optimistic," Burris said."They are saying that I will have 40 percent of my vaccine by the first week of December.But I'm supposed to have 40 percent by the first of November, and here I sit."

Burris had increased her order to 2,500 doses, up from 1,600 last year, "because we do have more of an increase in people wanting to be immunized."

Burris told the Boone County Council Wednesday, Nov. 14, "There are going to be some angry people" when they learn that flu shots are virtually impossible to find now.

In October, BCHD officials announced vaccinations would be given Nov. 15, Nov. 16, Nov. 19 and Nov. 20 to people 60 and older who suffer from chronic illnesses.Shot clinics for the general public were planned Nov. 26 and Nov. 28.All the clinics were canceled.

When flu shots are available, Burris said they will be limited to "people most at risk" -- people 65 and older, or those with chronic illnesses.

"That is difficult for those people who are young who would like to benefit from the vaccine," Burris said."We hope to vaccinate them later in December, when the other 60 percent of our vaccine comes in."

But even local doctors have run out of influenza vaccine, said one area physician.

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Burris said "an increased demand," and some suppliers having "difficulty with the manufacturing process," have contributed to the shortages and delays.

Burris said she is concerned about the older-than-60 population because it historically is more vulnerable to the side effects of influenza, which can include pneumonia and death.

Boone County Senior Services Inc.

"We did about 600 more (shots) than we normally do," said Tracy Burris, R.N., the Boone County Health Department's administrator.In all, 1,850 flu shots were given; in an average year, 1,600 people are inoculated.

"When I talk to the physicians locally, there has not been a lot of true influenza so far, but it is still early," Burris said.

While Boone County's shot numbers were up, the Visiting Nurse Service in Indianapolis reported a substantial drop in the number of flu shots it gave during the immunization season in November and December.

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"The Hong Kong strain is one of the ones we vaccinated against," Burris said."This year we did begin to vaccinate high-risk children; that is new for us."

Children who have asthma, a heart condition or live in a home with someone who is "immune compromised" are considered at high risk, Burris said."I think we did 136 kids," she said.

As of Nov. 28, the CDC reported only sporadic outbreaks of influenza in Indiana and 17 other states, while there were regional outbreaks in Colorado, Tennessee and Texas.

Dr. Hershel Servies and County Nurse Tracy Burris made an appearance on the behalf of the Boone County Health Department.

Linda Freeman, R.R.T., Witham Health Services Respiratory Therapist and Tracy Burris, R.N., Boone County Health Nurse, will facilitate the four-part class series.

Linda Freeman, R.R.T., Witham Health Services Respiratory Therapist and Tracy Burris, R.N., Boone County Health Nurse, will facilitate the four-part class series.