A possible hepatitis A exposure at the Michigan Renaissance Festival was reported to the Oakland County Health Division. An attendee has a confirmed case and was ill while attending the festival on September 1, 2018.
Anyone who visited that attraction on September 1 or September 2, 2018 has two days to get a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination. That vaccine is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. If you visited the Michigan Renaissance Festival on those days, officials encourage you to get vaccinated.
Leigh-Anne Stafford, health officer for the Health Division said in a statement, “Vaccination can prevent the disease if given within 14 days after potential exposure. f you have attended the Michigan Renaissance Festival during these dates and have not been vaccinated for hepatitis A or have a sudden onset of any symptoms, contact your doctor.”
Oakland County’s Nurse on Call hotline will be open on Friday, September per 14 from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm to answer calls. The phone number is 1-800-848-5533. Two special hepatitis A vaccination clinics will be held at the North Oakland Health Center at 1200 North Telegraph Road, Building 34 East Pontiac, Michigan. The hours are Friday, September 14, 2018 from 8:30 am to 7:00 pm, and Saturday, September 15, 2018 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. You can also get vaccinated at many pharmacies and through some healthcare providers.
Stafford added, “We are still experiencing a serious, ongoing hepatitis A outbreak both locally and statewide. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver disease that can range from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious illness lasting several months. Vaccination, good hygiene, and proper sanitation of surfaces can prevent the spread of hepatitis A.”
The vaccine consists of two doses, given six months apart. Each dose costs $52 for adults and $38 for a child dose. No one will be denied access if they are unable to pay. And a discounted/sliding fee is available.
The symptoms of hepatitis A include dark urine, clay colored stools, yellowing of the eyes and skin (jaundice), abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and a low grade fever. These symptoms can appear 14 to 50 days after exposure.
