The Rockland County Department of Health has confirmed a case of acute Hepatitis A in a food handler at the La Fontana restaurant in Nyack, NY. Patrons and other employees may have been exposed to the Hepatitis A virus between March 19 and April 1, 2014. The health department will offer free Hepatitis A vaccine to restaurant patrons and employees starting Saturday, April 12, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday, April 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and Monday, April 14, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Rockland County Fire Training Center, 35 Firemen’s Memorial Dr., in Pomona. The Rockland County Department of Health is recommending that all people who ate at the restaurant on March 29, March 30, and April 1, 2014, receive Hepatitis A vaccine. Patrons who ate at the restaurant between March 19 and March 28 will not benefit from vaccination. In order for the vaccine to be most effective, people who have been exposed to Hepatitis A should be vaccinated within 14 days. The earlier the vaccine is given, the more effective it is in preventing the disease. In general, the vaccine is 80-90 percent effective. Restaurant patrons may also receive vaccine at their medical provider’s office. People who were exposed but have already received two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine sometime in their life do not need another shot; all others should be vaccinated. Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by a virus. It is spread from person to person by putting something in the mouth (even though it might look clean) that has been contaminated with traces of fecal matter from an infected person. Most people recover within a few weeks with bed rest and by avoiding alcoholic beverages. There are no special medicines or antibiotics that can be used to treat a person once the symptoms appear. Symptoms include jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin), fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea and diarrhea. While some people who have chronic liver disease or a weakened immune system could experience more severe illness and require hospitalization, Hepatitis A is very rarely fatal (fewer than 1 percent of cases).
