Up to 2,000 customers of a West Jordan 7-Eleven might have been exposed to hepatitis A and should get a preventative injection, the Salt Lake County Health Department announced Sunday.
The recommendation is for customers who visited the store, 2666 W. 7800 South, from Dec. 26 through Jan. 3 and who used any restroom there or consumed any of the following items:
• A fountain drink or other self-serve beverage
• Fresh fruit
• Any item from the store’s hot food case, such as pizza, hot dogs, chicken wings or taquitos
Packaged items, including bottled beverages and microwaved foods, are not implicated in the possible exposure, the health department said in a news release. Customers who consumed only packaged or bottled items — as well as those who are fully vaccinated against hepatitis A (the vaccine is given in two shots) — do not need to contact the health department, the release says.
Customers who might have been exposed should call 385-468-INFO (4636) from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. beginning Monday and a health department staff member will provide them with options for receiving a hepatitis A vaccine. They must receive the preventative vaccine within a short time of their possible exposure so they should call as soon as possible, according to the news release.
The possible exposure occurred when an infected employee worked while ill and potentially handled certain items in the store. The health department believes the case is linked to an ongoing outbreak Salt Lake County has been experiencing since August 2017.
The release says 7-Eleven is cooperating fully with the health department’s investigation and has sanitized the affected store.
“This is an important reminder to food service establishments that they should consider vaccinating their food-handling employees against hepatitis A,” Gary Edwards, executive director of the Salt Lake County Health Department, said. “It’s also important that food handlers be conscientious with hygiene, hand washing and not working when ill — and that managers be vigilant in enforcing those important requirements that help protect public health.”
