A food worker at the Taco Bell at 200 North Missouri Avenue in Corning, Arkansas has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to a notice from the Arkansas Department of Health. Anyone who has eaten food at this location between January 24 and February 7, 2018 may have been exposed to the pathogenic virus.
The time limit for a hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination is just 2 weeks from the date of exposure. That means that anyone who ate there on February 1, 2018 and earlier is no longer eligible for a shot. All you can do is watch yourself for the symptoms of this illness and see your doctor if they develop.
Anyone who is under one year of age should get an immune globulin shot from a doctor. Anyone who is between one year and 40 years and has never been vaccinated should seek a vaccination from a health care provider. People who are over the age of 40 also should talk to their doctors about an immune globulin shot. Vaccination is not effective in this group post-exposure, according to the news release.
The symptoms of hepatitis A include fatigue, lethargy, fever, loss of appetite, jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), nausea, vomiting, joint pain, abdominal pain, dark urine, and clay-colored stool. Symptoms usually begin two to seven weeks after exposure. This illness can be mild and last a few weeks, or can become severe and last for months. Anyone infected with this virus is contagious two weeks before symptoms appear and one week after they feel ill.
Restaurant employees wore disposable gloves while preparing food. This likely reduced the risk of illness transmission.
The Clay County Health Unit, at 1009 South Garfield Avenue in Piggott Arkansas, will have vaccinations available which can be administered on or after February 15, 2018. Call 870-598-3390 for an appointment.
Hepatitis A is preventable through vaccination. If you have had this illness before, you are likely immune.
