A Somerville, New Jersey ShopRite employee has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Somerset County Health Department. That department, along with the New Jersey Department of Health and Wakefern Corporation, is working to notify shoppers of that market. The ShopRite store is located at 1 South Davenport Street in Somerville, New Jersey.
The employee’s infectious period was from October 13, 2019 to October 30, 2019. That means that anyone who who purchased items from the in-store deli or who used the restroom during that time frame may have been infected and should get the hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccine.
Unfortunately, the vaccines are only effective if given within two weeks of exposure, which means that it’s too late to get the shot for anyone who visited the store before October 22, 2019. All those people can do is monitor their health for the symptoms of hepatitis A for the next 50 days.
Symptoms of this illness include fatigue, loss of appetite, stomach and abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, dark urine, clay-colored stools, and jaundice. Anyone who has been vaccinated against the virus is immune and should not need another shot; talk to your doctor to be sure.
The Health Department is recommending that anyone who bought any items from the in-store deli (Appy) at that store from October 13, 2019 to October 30, 2019, should throw those items away. In addition, anyone who used the restrooms during that time period should consider getting vaccinated.
The hepatitis A vaccine can be obtained from the ShopRite pharmacy or your healthcare provider. The ShopRite of Somerville does have an in-store pharmacy that offers the vaccine, and does accept most insurance plans. If you think you are at risk and don’t have access to a health care provider or insurance, you can call Zufall Health at 71 Fourth Street in Somerville at 908-526-2335. Mention the ShopRite hepatitis A event when you call. There may be a cost associated with this visit.
Why would ShopRite hire somebody to work there that has that medical condition??? It’s like they don’t care about the customers!!!
Unfortunately, people can have the virus and be contagious even before they show any symptoms. It’s one of the quirks of the virus; an infected person doesn’t feel at all ill until 15 to 50 days after they have been infected. That’s why officials urge anyone who works with the public to get vaccinated against the hepatitis A virus.
Upon calling the Somerville ShopRite on 11/5 we are told they DO NOT HAVE THE VACCINE AND ARE NOT OFFERING IT. Please get information correct. I have a family that now needs to spend $$ and miss time from work. How to I get reimbursed? Where do we go to get vaccines without out-of-pocket costs??
The statement from the Somerset County Health Department is that the pharmacy at that grocery store has the vaccine: “Hepatitis A vaccine may be obtained from the ShopRite pharmacy or your health care provider. The ShopRite of Somerville has an in-store pharmacy that offers the hepatitis A vaccine. ShopRite pharmacies accept most insurance plans.” Please contact them about this issue.