Last week, the Camden County Health Department was notified that a food handler working at a Starbucks at 1490 Blackwood Clementon Road in Gloucester Township had contracted the virus and had remained on the job through the infectious period. Based on the investigation and out of an abundance of caution, the Camden County Health Department has been urging any unvaccinated customers who visited the Starbucks store on November 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, and 13 to get the hepatitis A vaccine. Individuals should receive the vaccine as soon as possible but no later than 14 days after contact. An inoculation within this timeframe can help prevent a person from getting severe inflammation of the liver. “If you patronized this Starbucks in the dates listed, get the hepatitis A vaccine,” wrote county spokesman Dan Keashen on Twitter. In an interview with CNN, Keashen estimated that this Starbucks location averaged about 600 patrons a day, so the potential exposure was “probably in the thousands.” At this point, no one else has tested positive beyond the single case detected. Over the weekend, the Camden County Health Department administered vaccines at the Camden County Sustainable Facility at 508 Lakeland Road to anyone who thought they may have been exposed. Keashen posted that the County is set to provide another round of hepatitis A shots this Wednesday. At least 800 vaccines have been given so far, making this the largest hepatitis A vaccine effort in the state’s history, according to Keashen. “Our highest priority is ensuring everyone involved remains safe and healthy,” said Camden County Health Officer Paschal Nwako. “The patient is not currently working, and close contacts have been identified.” If you have been vaccinated for hepatitis A in the past, you do not need to receive another dose. If you have a child that was born after the year 2000, that child has likely already been vaccinated for hepatitis A and does not require another dose. However, parents should check with their pediatrician to confirm their child’s vaccine status. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) assures that the hepatitis A vaccine is safe and effective. The vaccine series usually consists of two shots, given six months apart, and getting both shots provides the best protection against hepatitis A. As the CDC details, hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection, and it just takes a microscopic bit of the virus for an individual to get sick. The virus can enter a person’s system through close personal contact with an infected person or through eating contaminated food or drink. Symptoms of the virus — which may last up to two months — may include fatigue, nausea, stomach pain, loss of appetite, diarrhea, joint pain, jaundice (yellow skin or eyes), dark urine, and light-colored or clay-colored stool. On the positive side, most people who get the virus typically feel sick for a few weeks to several months, but they usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. In rare cases, hepatitis A can cause liver failure and even death. This is more common in older people and in people with other serious health issues, such as chronic liver disease. As far as treatment is concerned, doctors usually recommend rest, adequate nutrition, and fluids. Some individuals will require medical attention in a hospital. For more information on hepatitis A and vaccine availability, Starbucks customers can contact the Camden County Health Department at 856-549-0530 or their primary care physician.
