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Vaccinations recommended after hepatitis A exposure at Bloomington restaurant

Posted at 3:45 PM, Jan 10, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-10 17:04:36-05

BLOOMINGTON — The Monroe County Health Department is urging people who ate at a Bloomington restaurant to get vaccinated after an employee at a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant in the city was diagnosed with hepatitis A.

The worker handled food in the Buffalo Wild Wings at 1350 W. Bloomfield Road in Bloomington and worked while ill from Jan. 2 to Jan. 6, according to a report from the Monroe County Health Department.

The health department said it is relatively rare for restaurant patrons to become infected with hepatitis A from an infected food handler, however, the health department recommends anyone who consumed food or drink during those dates to get a hepatitis A vaccination within 14 days of exposure as further protection from becoming ill.

A thorough disinfection of the restaurant was completed and the establishment is open for business, the health department said.

MORE INFORMATION | Indiana State Department of Health outbreak update | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hepatitis A information

The health department is holding vaccination clincis at the Monroe County Public Health Clinic, 333 E. Miller Dr., Bloomington, for those who were potentially exposed.

The clinics will be held:

  • Friday, Jan. 11 for Buffalo Wild Wings employees. Call 812-353-3244 for an appointment
  • 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Jan. 14
  • 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15
  • 8:15 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. Wedneday, Jan. 16

Those who can't attend the vaccination clinics are urged to contact their personal medical provider.

The health department has also opened a hotline to answer questions about the possible exposure. The number is 812-349-2997. The call line has a detailed message to answer most questions, however, if someone still has questions they can leave a message and a staff member will return the call during business hours.

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver that can cause loss of appetite, nausea, tiredness, fever, stomach pain, brown-colored urine and light-colored stool. People can become ill up to seven weeks after being exposed.

Indiana is one of several states currently experiencing a hepatitis A outbreak, the health department said.

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