The Alabama Department of Public Health is “strongly encouraging” food service owners and managers across the state to consider requiring hepatitis A vaccine for all food workers.
The department is issuing the recommendation at a time when Alabama has seen a hepatitis A outbreak over the last year. As of this month, there have been 132 confirmed outbreak-related cases in at least 25 Alabama counties since September 2018.
Several have involved food service workers, such as a case involving an employee at a Panera Bread location on Montgomery’s Carter Hill Road in late January and early February.
“While food workers are not at a higher risk than other workers, some fall into high-risk groups and would place customers at risk if they became infected,” the department stated in a directive. “Hepatitis A virus is commonly spread because of poor hand hygiene which allows the transfer of small amounts of stool containing the virus. Thorough handwashing after going to the bathroom and vaccination are the best ways to prevent spread of hepatitis A.”
The directive is not a requirement, ADPH said, but it is “strongly encouraging” restaurant owners and managers to consider vaccinations, training in proper handwashing and “training consisting of observation in doing it.” Food workers should also never touch ready-to-eat foods with their bare hands and never work when they are sick with stomach illnesses.
The consequences for restaurants are numerous, the department stated.
“If it is determined that there has been a potential exposure to customers, this will require intensive public health efforts,” it said. “In most cases of food-associated exposures through infected food handlers, the restaurant’s name will be released to the public to assist in the identification and notification of persons with potential exposure for the purposes of vaccinating those who have not been vaccinated.”
Hepatitis A is a viral infection that can be transmitted person-to-person and by eating food or drinks prepared by an infected person. Hepatitis A vaccine can prevent infection, but only if given within 14 days of exposure. Symptoms of the disease include fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice.
Almost all people who get hepatitis A recover completely. It is rare for hepatitis A to cause severe illness, but people 50 years or older and those with other liver diseases are more at risk.
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