A food worker at the Wendy’s at 165 Scenic Highway in Lawrenceville, Georgia, near Atlanta, has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Gwinnett County Health Department. That person worked there between June 13 and June 29, 2019.
The departmental statement reads, “It is relatively rare for restaurant patrons to become infected with hepatitis A virus due to an infected food handler. But anyone who consumed food or drink at the Wendy’s during the above dates should contact their healthcare provider or their local Health Department to determine if a hepatitis A immunization is needed to prevent the disease.”
The Gwinnett County Health Department is offering hepatitis A vaccinations for no out-of-pocket cost for anyone who thinks they may have been exposed. Call the Gwinnett County Health Department at 770-339-4260 for more information and for any questions about this issue. The employees at that Wendy’s who may have been exposed have also been vaccinated. The restaurant has been cleaned and sanitized.
The hepatitis A and immune globulin vaccinations are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. That means that the vaccines will probably not be effective for anyone who ate there before June 25, 2019. That group can still receive the vaccine, but it may not be effective. Those people need to monitor their health for the symptoms of a hepatitis A infection.
Symptoms of hepatitis A include fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain, dark urine, clay-colored stools, diarrhea, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin. These symptoms appear 15 to 50 days after exposure to the virus.
To prevent the spread of this illness, consider getting vaccinated even if you haven’t been exposed. Anyone who works with the public should consider this. In addition, stay home from work or school if you are sick, especially with. diarrheal illness, and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom and before preparing and serving food.
The employees at that Wendy’s who may have been exposed have also been vaccinated. The restaurant has been cleaned and sanitized.
