A local restaurant closes one day after reporting hepatitis

A local restaurant closed on Wednesday after a diagnosis of hepatitis A was diagnosed at one of its employees, but reopened on Thursday after the facility's "disinfection."

Amazing Joe's, 2607 Central Ave., closed on Wednesday after the Bartholomew County Health Department confirmed that a female employee had been diagnosed with hepatitis A, said Nick Grams, director of the restaurant.

The Ministry of Health did not disclose information about the employee or post an announcement to customers who might have eaten at the restaurant about the employee being diagnosed or the impact the diagnosis could have on health client.

Hepatitis A is a transmissible liver disease that can be prevented by a vaccine and caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV), according to the Federal Government's Center for Disease Control. According to the federal agency, it is usually passed from person to person by oro-fecal route or through the consumption of contaminated food or water.

Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms such as fatigue, lack of appetite, stomach pain, nausea and jaundice, which usually disappear within two months of infection . most children under 6 years old have no symptoms or have an unrecognized infection, according to the CDC. Antibodies produced in response to infection with hepatitis A last a lifetime and protect against re-infection. The best way to prevent hepatitis A infection is to get vaccinated, according to the CDC.

Dr. Brian Niedbalski, health officer for Bartholomew County, said the state's health department was planning to issue a statement that a restaurant employee would be diagnosed with the virus today.

When the Republic contacted Niedbalski on Thursday night after receiving information from the public, he said the health department would open a hepatitis A vaccination clinic at the FairOaks mall from noon to 6 pm. Monday for guests who might have eaten at the restaurant on selected dates in April. These dates include April 17 and 22 and April 24 and 26.

"The risks of contracting hepatitis A (on the part of the employee) are relatively low," he said. People who should consider getting vaccinated are those who worked with the employee or those who went to the restaurant or consumed food on these dates in April, he said. The vaccines will be offered free of charge by the health department, he said.

The hepatitis A virus is transmitted through poor hygiene and lack of hand washing, Niedbalski said. Individuals can contract it by touching something that the infected person has touched, such as a handle or door surface, or by eating a food that has been handled by the infected person.

If a person gets vaccinated, the chances of the infection occurring are greatly reduced, so this will be a less severe case than if the person was not vaccinated, said Niedbalski.

Niedbalski admitted that as of Thursday night, he was the only doctor to know that a case of hepatitis A had been reported at a local restaurant.

In a typed statement from the restaurant provided by Grams, the restaurant stated that the health and safety of team members and restaurant patrons was a top priority.

"When we learned that one of our team members in Columbus, Indiana, had been diagnosed with Hepatitis A, we immediately began our collaboration with the Department of Health of Canada. Bartholomew County, "the statement said. Grams confirmed that it happened on Wednesday.

"The person concerned has not worked at the restaurant since the diagnosis and we wish him a speedy recovery and his return," the statement said. "We have indeed taken all the necessary measures requested by the health department and proactively taken additional precautionary measures by temporarily closing the restaurant and using this time to clean and sanitize all areas of the restaurant," the statement said. .

Grams said the process involved cleaning the restaurant with a bleach-based solution based on a health department opinion.

On Wednesday, the restaurant also made arrangements with the health department to vaccinate half of its 45 staff members, who had not been vaccinated before, said Grams.

The infected employee has been working at the restaurant for about a year, but he was not allowed to say whether she was a waiter, hostess or was working in the kitchen.

All other inquiries regarding the diagnosis of employees are sent to the Department of Health, said Grams and Mike Robinson, President of Veritas Management Inc.

Grams and Robinson refused to say why no notice was posted at the restaurant about the infected employee when the restaurant reopened Thursday night, and why no notice was sent to customers who could have eaten at the restaurant on the following dates: inform them of the need to get vaccinated or to consult their doctor.

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