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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1981-04-07_5O FLU VAC-:: CINE 1981- 1982 SEASON PNEUMO- COCCAL VACCINE PATRIOT'S DAY ACTIVITIES SPECIAL BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING APRIL 7, 1981 A special Board of Health Meeting was held, Tuesday, April 7, 1981 at 7:15 p.m. in Room 5-25 (Board of Health Office) of the Town Office Building. Members present were: Dr. William L. Cosgrove, Chairman; Mr. James W. Lambie, Dr. Michael S. Erdos and Mr. George A. Smith, Director of Public Health. Mr. Smith notified the Board that the flu vaccine for the 1981-1982 season has been approved. It will be the same types as last year although the dosage will be doubled. There will be no federal aid, therefore, we will have to pay for the vaccine ourselves. Mr. Smith said we may have to charge a $1.00 or two in the future to help fray the expense of the flu vaccine. There are only 3 million doses of vaccine being made in the whole country. Last year our allotment from the State had been reduced and we ended up having to run to the Theatre Pharmacy to purchase 40 doses to complete our clinic. Mr. Smith said we seem to be getting more people at our Flu Clinic each year. He said for awhile after the Swine Flu Vaccine disaster, people seemed to keep away from the flu clinis but for the past few years they are returning. There is no change in the pneumococcal vaccine in that the State does not pur- chase any, Mr. Smith said. Mr. Smith said that he had purchased some extra last year so we have plenty for our clinic in the Fall of 1981. He told the Board that as of July 1, 1981, that Medicaid is going to re- imburse people for the fee they paid to get the vaccine. It will mean that our Department will have to get involved in making out slips to give back to people so they can submit it to Medicaid. Mr. Smith said if we are short of manpower, it will be a problem. He said he likes to see a good clinic and it is just as easy to give 200 shots as it is to give 40 shots. Dr. Cosgrove said that Jack Gardner has been quoting some cities and towns as not charging a fee for the pneumococcal vaccine. Mr. Smith said those cities and towns take it off the "cherry sheet". Dr. Cosgrove said that one person told him that where the vaccine is a five year vaccine and is only $4.00 a shot - that certainly isn't a bad deal. Mr. Smith said Dr. Fiumara said that the flu vaccine is beneficial is they receive it before they take chemotherapy. He said it also helps alcoholics. Mr. Smith told the Board how some organizations have already applied for their temporary food permits for the Patriot's Day Holiday. We usually have a large number of organizations applying. This year every organization will be charged a fee as the Board had voted in at an earlier meeting. 1 1 1 1 1 1 451 Any organization applying has to get permission from the Town Manager's Office first, and the Assistant to the Town Manager has to assign a location for their stand. The applications for swimming pools have been mailed out for the 1981 season. SWIMMING Mr. Smith said he would like all pools to be inspected before Sandy leaves. POOL 1981 SEASON Mr. Smith told the Board that Sandy is doing a very good job and she certainly is a help for him and the Department. Mr. Smith told the Board that the legal notice has gone into the Lexington DEEP TEST Minute Man newspaper for the date of the cut-off for deep test holes for the HOLE CUT OFF rest of the year. He said he has made the cut-off at April 1st. this year as the water table is way down. He said he had checked with other towns and their cut-off date is April 1st. The Board had no objection to the date of cut-off. Mr. Smith said that all of the subdivisions being built are being connected to the public sewer. The Board discussed the below ground tanks for gasoline storage briefly. Mr. Smith said that is more of a Fire Department and Selectmen's Office problem. Dr. Cosgrove asked if Honeywell ever put their tanks in below ground. Mr. Smith said, "No, they never did, they put an addition to the building on instead". Dr. Cosgrove then asked if Honeywell ever connected to the Town sewer system. Mr. Smith said, yes, they were connected to the Town sewer system. Mr. Smith told the Board that he had been to a meeting of the school nurses MANTODX recently where the topic had been on Mantoux testing in the schools. The State TESTING IN Health Department has a bill filed in the legislature relative to doing away SCHOOLS with mandatory mantoux testing for teachers and all school personnel including the bus drivers. The State feels that the results are fruitless and not worth the cost. If the law is changed, the school nurses would like to continue a program (test- ing in house) as they feel it does bring good results but they also fear the school budget would not pay for it if it is not State law. The nurses are going to put a chart together showing the results they have had. Dr. Erdos asked if that would mean now that people would have to get their own ppd. No, Mr. Smith said, but the schools feel they had a very good program going. The State feels for the cost of the program, they find very little T.B. Dr. Erdos said the yield is very low. The Board briefly discussed Article 12 of the Town Warrant. 52 Mr. Smith said that Mr. Cohen, Town Counsel, prefers to sit down with the Board and Mr. Smith after Town meeting is over to discuss Article 12 of the Town warrant. He said "Not Transferable" should continue on all permits. ARTICLE 12 Mr. Lambie feels it definitely should be discussed. TOWN WARRANT Dr. Erdos suggested that the Board take a relatively passive or firm stand. He asked what regulations are we going by? Mr. Smith said the Board of Health Regulations. They were promulgated by publishing in the newspaper. Dr. Erdos stated again that the Board of Health should take a relatively passive stand until they have to take a stand. The Board discussed if Mr. Brucchi sells his property and the new owner wants animals - the Board then has to make a decision as to whether the new owner shall get the number of animals Mr. Brucchi has now. Mr. Brucchi is under the grandfather clause allowing him, as long as he owns the property, more animals than the current regulations would require. The reason Mr. Brucchi wants the permit "Transferable" is to sell his property at a higher price and make a larger profit. The Board after further discussion decided to take a passive view for the present time and after Town meeting is completed, they will meet with Norman Cohen to discuss it further. Mr. Lambie mentioned that he had received a telephone call from a Town meeting member - asking about a "vet" being available for weekends. Mr. Smith told him that the "vets" are not usually available for emergencies and will, at times, if dog owner is a client, go to the animal hospital and take care of injured animals. Most answering services refer the caller to the Angel Memorial on weekends and evenings. Mr. Smith brought up the selection of a veterinarian for the annual rabies clinic. Mr. Smith told the Board that last year we used the vet at Dr. Chabot's Animal Hospital and Dr. Chabot showed an interest in letting his assistant come back this year. Dr. Howard Smith had called to see if his assistants could do the Rabies Clinic but Mr. Smith said he had be contacted very early in the year by a Dr. Mark Smith of Acton. He was willing to do the Rabies Clinic for us. Also, Dr. Chabot had contacted the office stating his assistant could do the clinic again this year, Dr. Chabot has let his assistant do this clinic for the past three years. Dr. Sandler from Middlesex Turnpike in Burlington was also willing to do this clinic. 1 1 1 1 1 1 Mr. Smith told the Board that four or five years ago Dr. Howard Smith did not want to do the clinic anymore and the Health Department had to call around to find someone to do the clinic. That year we used the Base Veter- inarian from Hanscom Air Field. Mr. Smith said we are fortunate enough this year to have two or three vets willing to do our clinic. Dr. Erdos asked Mr. Smith if he asked Dr. Smith why he wants to do the clinic again. Mr. Smith said, "No, but Dr. Smith had walked out on us four years ago". He said that it has worked out well the last three years because Dr. Chabot has let us use his veterinarian assistant each year. Mr. Smith recommended to the Board that we use Dr. Chabot's assistant this year as we have not had any problems for the past three years. Dr. Cosgrove said "We should really use Dr. Chabot's services this year again where he is willing to let the assistant do the clinic. Dr. Chabot has his hospital right here in Town. Mr. Smith said if there are no objections, I just as soon have Dr. Read, Dr. Chabot's assistant do the clinic. The Board agreed to go along with Mr. Smith's choice and voted unanimously to have Dr. Read do the Rabies Clinic. Mr. Smith told the Board that a ease of pseudomonas folliculitis had been reported by a doctor. A Lexington girl had been using the whirlpool at the Lexington Tennis and Swim Club. Mr. Smith said that Harold Millican oversees the operation at the club and keeps it maintained well. The problem sometimes comes from the heavy use of the whirlpool and also prob- lems can be caused because people do not take showers before entering whirl- pools. There had been 26 cases of this reported at the Sheraton Motel in Hyannis the same week because of heavy usuage. The chlorinators cannot take the heavy usuage. Mr. Smith told the Board that samples were taken and if they come back positive we will have to have a high concentration of chlorine used. The Board asked if showering before entering the whirlpool would help. Mr. Smith said, "Yes, a good cleansing shower would help". Dr. Erdos said if the bacteria is there, a shower afterwards would be helpful also. The question arose - did she get it there, or did she bring it to the whirlpool? Mr. Smith said that the girl said she had not been in any other whirlpool or jacuzzi. She felt that she had picked it -up at the tennis club. Lisa Fitzgerald came into the meeting with her mother and some friends to discuss her animal permit and the manure pit problems. LISA She had not made an appointment before -hand and the Board had a full agenda FITZGERALD so they told her she would have to make an appointment and come in at a meeting that they had set for April 13, 1981. Lisa and her friends and mother thanked the Board and left. Mr. Smith told the Board that Mrs. Gabriel would be leaving us in June. He said she has been a great help to our Department and that she will be missed. Mr. Smith told the Board how busy the Department is and Mrs. -Gabriel has helped us tremendously in doing inspections. Dr. Erdos said when Mrs. Gabriel leaves you will have to cut back on some of the functions that are not urgent. He said you cannot do it all at onece. He said the things that are not positively necessary , you will have to put on a list and do them when you can. Mr. Lambie said he goes along with Dr. Erdos. Mr. Smith will have to take priorities first and put other things on a list. Dr. Cosgrove said that two of us here are the ones that hired you. What extra things are you doing now that you were not told about? Dr. Cosgrove said, "Take the dog program - you were not told about that before you came". Mr. Smith said he had been appointed to the Grievance Board and also appointed to the Mosquito Control Commission. INGLESIDE The Board reviewed the definitive plans for 3 houses to be built in the Ingle- side area of Town. "TRODDEN PATH" BATTLEVIEW PLANS Town sewer is not there at the time, but it is going to be put in, Drainage has met Conservation requirements so Mike Hanlon, Town Engineer, sees no problems. The Board reviewed definitive plans for a subdivision called "Trodden Path". There are 12 lots in this subdivision. There will be Town sewer, Town water and the drainage system is all right. Battleview definitive plans of three lots were reviewed by the Board, This is a low area that fills up with water in the Spring. Kevin Moran of East Middlesex Mosquito Control has done some work over there. Water, sewer and drainage are all right for this lot. The Board briefly discussed the Fitzgerald permit. They felt that Mr. Littleton, Animal Inspector, should write to Liza Fitzgerald and state just what she should have for a manure pit as she now wants to use a trailer to store the manure in. Dr. Erdos said his recommendation is that the Board should stay with the original permit to keep four horses. Lisa Fitzgerald has applied to keep six horses on the property. Meeting was adjourned at 9:15 p.m. 1 1 1