By Kay Lazar
The Boston Herald
Friday, July 2, 2004
Three high-profile cases of restaurant workers infected with hepatitis A in the past three weeks is prompting anxious Massachusetts restaurant owners to seek vaccinations for their employees to guard against further illnesses.
“It’s on everyone’s mind,” Peter Christie, president of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, said yesterday.
Christie said he has been negotiating with vaccine makers this week in hopes of finding affordable vaccines and health care workers to administer them.

But Christie said vaccines are far from a perfect solution.
“The flaw is you can only immunize those who want to be immunized and also the transient nature of the workforce makes it difficult,” he said.
Christie said he is reminding owners that the best way to prevent a potential hepatitis A outbreak in their businesses is to remind workers to wash their hands after using the bathroom. The virus is usually spread when people do not wash, then touch their own mouths or prepare food for others.
State health officials previously considered requiring hepatitis A vaccines for food workers, but could not justify the cost for a virus that usually just produces fever, fatigue and nausea.
“Very few people get hospitalized, very few people die, it doesn’t cause chronic infection, and it goes away,” said Dr. Alfred DeMaria, director of communicable disease control for the state’s Department of Public Health.
While vaccines provide long-term immunity, inoculations give temporary protection if given up to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Stoneham officials are holding two free inoculation clinics today for patrons who ate at J.J. Grimsby’s on Saturday June 19, when an infected worker served customers. The clinics run 9 a.m. to noon at Stoneham Town Hall and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Melrose Memorial Hall.
The case follows mass inoculation clinics earlier this week in Boston for patrons of a downtown Quiznos Sub shop and one two weeks ago that drew thousands to Arlington after a Friendly’s worker was diagnosed with the illness.
Food for thought
Tips for customers to spot safe food handling in restaurants:
– No bare-hand contact with food that will be served uncooked, such as salads, sandwiches, ice cream.
– Workers should be wearing gloves when preparing food that will be served uncooked, and they should be changing the gloves frequently.
– Food handlers should wash frequently and there should be soap, hot water and disposable towels in restroom.
– Food handlers that are experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea should not be working near food.