Free Hepatitis A Vaccination Clinic Scheduled In Santa Cruz Co.

SANTA CRUZ COUNTY, CA — A free hepatitis A vaccination clinic is scheduled in Boulder Creek on Tuesday evening, county officials said. The vaccinations are offered on a first-come, first-served basis. More than 100 locals were vaccinated during the last clinic.

The clinic, which is being held at the Boulder Creek Fire Department on Sept. 26 between 5:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., is being offered in response the recent uptick of confirmed hepatitis A cases in Santa Cruz County and across the state.

• California’s Hepatitis A Outbreak: 5 Things To Know

As of Sept. 19, San Diego County had 444 cases and 16 deaths linked to the outbreak; Los Angeles County had 10 confirmed cases; and Santa Cruz County had 69. San Francisco has seen 13 confirmed cases so far.

HAV is usually transmitted by: Touching objects or eating food that someone with HAV infection handled; having sex with someone who has an HAV infection; or by the fecal-oral route, which is when a person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with even a tiny or microscopic amount of feces from an infected person.

Symptoms can include fever, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, yellowing of the eyes (jaundice), stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, pale stools and diarrhea. Public health officials say vaccinations are the best way to avoid contracting hepatitis A.

To avoid contracting the virus and to prevent the spread, one should not share food, drinks, eating utensils, towels or toothbrushes with others or sexual intercourse with infected persons. Washing one’s hand before eating or preparing food and after using the bathroom or changing diapers will also prevent the spread.

The Boulder Creek Fire Department is located at 13230 Highway 9.

Patch Editor Maggie Avants contributed to this report

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