A Walmart employee at a store in Skowhegan, Maine has been diagnosed with hepatitis A, according to the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention. That person did handle food while infectious. The Walmart is located at 60 Fairgrounds Market Place in Skowhegan.
Anyone who purchased or ate food from the deli in that specific Walmart on these dates is at risk for contracting hepatitis A. No other food or items were potentially contaminated.
May 7, 2022, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
May 8, 10, 11, 12, and 14, 2022, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
May 15, 17, 18, 19, and 21, 2022, between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
If you did eat food prepared at the deli at that store on those dates and during those times, and are not vaccinated against hepatitis A, you should get vaccinated. Unfortunately, the vaccines is only effective if given within two weeks of exposure. So if you ate food there before May 10, 2022, all you can do is monitor yourself for the symptoms of hepatitis A. Check with your doctor to make sure a vaccine will not be effective for you.
Those symptoms of a hepatitis A infection include tiredness, loss of appetite, stomach and abdominal pain, especially in the upper right quadrant, dark urine, clay-colored stools, diarrhea, weight loss, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the eyes and skin. People usually get sick within 15 to 50 days after infection. And a patient is infectious for two weeks before they show any symptoms.
You can get vaccinated at healthcare clinics or your doctor’s offices. Some pharmacies also offer the vaccine.
The best way to prevent this infection is to get vaccinated. You should also stay home if you are sick, especially with diarrhea or vomiting. And always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after using the bathroom, caring for someone who is ill, and before preparing food for others and eating.
