The New Jersey Department of Health is working with the Paterson Department of Health to notify people about a confirmed case of hepatitis A in a food handler employed at Brother’s Produce in Paterson. That business is located at 327 East Railway Avenue in Paterson, New Jersey 07503. That person worked there between September 30 and October 5, 2019.
Public health officials are recommending that any produce purchased from that venue during that time period should be discarded. Clean out your produce drawer or wherever you stored this produce with a mild bleach solution.
If you ate produce purchased from Brother’s Produce during that time period, you should consider getting a hepatitis A vaccination if you ate the produce within the last two weeks. The hepatitis A and immune globulin vaccinations are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure to the virus. These vaccinations are available from your doctor and from some pharmacies.
That means this is the last day to get the shot for anyone who ate produce from that venue on September 30, 2019. If you do not get a shot today, you should monitor yourself for the symptoms of hepatitis A for the next 50 days; that’s how long it can take before they manifest.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include jaundice (yellowing of the eyes and skin), dark urine, clay-colored stools, feeling tired, poor appetite, stomach and abdominal pain, diarrhea, and fever. People usually start to feel sick a few weeks after infection.
The best way to prevent the spread of this illness is to get vaccinated. All people who work with the public should consider vaccinating. Other ways to stop this illness are to stay home from work and school if you are sick, and to wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom or taking care of someone who is sick.
