Health Department: “We’re giving them everything we know”
Septemeber 15, 2005
Jacksboro, Campbell County (WVLT) – A new case of Hepatitis-A in Campbell County is cause for concern.
The reason, a restaurant worker is the latest person to contract the virus.
Volunteer TV’s Stacy McCloud spoke with health department officials Thursday morning to get answers to questions you and others want to know.
The phones have been ringing non-stop at the phone bank set up here at the Regional Health Department.
Folks that have eaten at Charley’s Pizza on Cumberland Lane in Jacksboro are calling with the typical questions, such as the dates of possible exposure and when they can get the shot.

But there have also been many calls of concern. Residents wanting to know how they can feel safe in their own community?
“I appreciate the concern. I know the residents of Campbell County are concerned. From a public health standpoint, we are very concerned the Hepatitis-A continues, but there has never been a food handler with Hep-A in Campbell County until now so we still feel like it’s safe to eat in Campbell County,” says Sandy Halford, from the Regional Health Department.
Halford says the Health Department feels confident that Charley’s is not the source of this case or ever even been considered a possible source of the outbreak.
But many community members we’ve talked with feel like there’s more to all of it, officials insist they’re not hiding anything.
“Is there any information that you are not giving the community that they should know?” McCloud asks.
“We’re giving them everything that we know,” says Halford.
But that’s the problem, they say they just don’t know. Don’t know where it started or if they ever will. But they say one thing’s for certain, they are working endlessly to figure it all out and contend that the people of Campbell County should go on about their business.
The phone banks are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday.
If the call volume continues to be high, it may stay open longer.
There are two numbers you can call, the toll free number is 1-800-852-6710. The other is a Knoxville number, it is 865-549-5307.