Hepatitis A

The guy who runs the coffee bar where my husband works was just diagnosed and now they want to vax all the employees...That seems stupid..if he has been exposed he already has it. I'm so mad and worried...

What do y'all know of hep a??


Well he refused the vax and was the only employee to do so. Now they say he can't work for 60 days...wtf?


His employer needs to do research. The shot offers NO protection to someone already exposed and getting the vaccination doesn't provide protection to the person for 4 weeks??? Not sure if all those persons exposed are problematic to customers but I'd find out for sure.

http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=RNWE,RNWE:2006-20,RNWE:en&q=exposure+to+hepatitis+A+before+vaccination


Individuals are contagious 2 weeks before symptoms appear and the vaccine doesn't provide protection for 4 weeks after given. Yet, this site says it isn't easily transmitted to adult workers(that is probably in an office setting rather than those working closely around food???).http://dhfs.wisconsin.gov/communicable/communicable/factsheets/HepatitisA.htm

The immune globulin shot can be given to those exposed within 14 days of exposure(that time is already past as the person was contagious for two weeks before symptoms?).

Hope the best for your husband and co-workers...and customers.


Thanks Joyce! I know!! I kept trying to calmly explain to the nurse that vax after the fact was insane. BUT.it is the immune globulin, not the vax (just found that out) and you are exactly right. 14 days would need to be from when he got sick, not just this past 14 days. AND..I think I might be pregnant. There is NO way I would get that shot now, and I was directly in contact with the guy w/the hep a on the day they are most worried about at the store. I bought a cup of tea and a salad on an open plate and he was the guy I paid. Not only did he take the plate and weight it, he handed me change. So.. I am at more risk than my husband.

So..now he is out of work for 60 days because he refused the shot. And I am wondering of some of the symptoms I have been hoping were preg symptoms are hep a! They refuse to pay for blood tests, but I am getting one on my own.

Thanks for those links!


i think it's horrible that your husband is being punished(out of work for 60 days) because of refusing a vaccine. really, it should be the guy with the hep A that shouldn't be working. and really, your husband should be provided some sort of compensation cos it's not his fault a co-worker got sick.
the questions that should be asked to the guy with hep A is: how often did he properly wash his hands at work? did he make any of the food? and where did he get the damn hep A?
i've worked in the food industry for many years now, and i am totally insane about constantly washing my hands. but not everyone obeys proper regulations.
the sad part is, the employees might not be at risk as much as all the customers. have they told any of the customers or are they keeping it all hush hush? cos really the problem should be contained before it spreads further.
good luck sheryl. i hope you & your husband do not have hep A.


Oh yeah, it's all over the news. Anyone who got coffee etc..on 4 specific days can get a free IG shot. I had to fight w/them for a blood test today. It was unreal (but I got it set for Monday).

A good thing is there was another guy from the store there getting a shot today and he said that he was in the bathroom with the guy w/hep a once and he was almost compulsively washing his hands. I guess that is good, unless it means he knew he had it...Who knows!