The Dockside Grill Hepatitis A exposure in Falmouth, Maine potentially exposed customers to the virus, according to the Maine CDC. A food service worker worked at that restaurant while he or she was contagious. That restaurant is located at 215 Foreside Road in Falmouth.
If you ate at that restaurant, or ordered takeout from the restaurant during the following dates, you could be at risk for a hepatitis A infection. The dates are October 23 through October 25, 2023, and November 6 through November 8, 2023. There is no concern about exposure outside of these dates. If you ate there during those dates had takeout food and still have those items in your fridge, discard them immediately.
Unfortunately, anyone who ate there in October is most likely no longer eligible for a hepatitis A vaccine. That vaccination is most effective if given within two weeks of exposure. All those people can do is talk to their doctor about the efficacy of the vaccine, monitor their heath for the symptoms of hepatitis A, and contact their doctor if they do get sick.
If you ate there or had takeout food during the dates in November, you are eligible for the hepatitis A or immune globulin vaccination. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting these shots. If you are already vaccinated for hepatitis A, or if you have had the disease in the past, you are protected.
Symptoms of hepatitis A can appear anytime from 15 to 50 days after exposure. For the first 14 days, most people are infectious but experience no symptoms.
Symptoms include feeling tired, having little or no appetite, stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea, fever, joint pain, pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, light clay colored stools, dark urine, and jaundice, which is yellowing of the skin and eyes. Most people recover without any complications, but some, especially people with liver disease, can become sick enough to require hospitalization.
The best way to prevent against this type of infection is to get vaccinated. In addition, stay home from work or school if you are ill, especially with a diarrheal illness.
