Additional Vaccinations Available For Possible Hep A Infection

WHITE PLAINS, NY — The Westchester County Department of Health has provided preventive treatment to more than 2,900 people for Hepatitis A since Thursday in connection with five cases of the illness traced to the bartaco restaurant in Port Chester. More than 1,200 people were vaccinated Saturday, and another 60 people were registered to be vaccinated Monday.

At a briefing today, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced that additional vaccinations will be available for free at the Department of Health Clinic in White Plains, 134 Court St., on weekdays through Nov. 6. Vaccinations are available by appointment.

“It was critical from a public health standpoint that we get out in front of this outbreak, and we have,” Astorino said. “We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to do so to protect the public.”

The Health Department also vaccinated about 900 people Thursday and 800 Friday. The preventive treatment is for people who may have been exposed to the disease when they ate or drank at Port Chester's bartaco from Oct. 12 through Oct. 23. Monday is the last day to vaccinate people who ate or drank at Bartaco on Oct. 16, because preventive treatment is only effective if given within 14 days of exposure.

The Health Department will offer Hepatitis A vaccinations at its clinic, 134 Court St., White Plains as follows:

• Monday, October 30 from 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (for those who dined October 16 - 23)
• Tuesday, October 31 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (for those who dined October 17 - 23)
• Wednesday, November 1 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (for those who dined October 18 - 23)
• Thursday, November 2 from 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. (for those who dined October 19 - 23)
• Friday, November 3 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (for those who dined October 20 - 23)
• Monday, November 6 from 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (for those who dined on October 23)

Here are the last possible dates to receive preventive treatment based on when someone ate or drank at bartaco:

To speed the process, register in advance and have your registration number handy when it is your turn. To register, go to here.

If you do not have internet access, call 211 or 1-800-899-1479 to register, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bartaco customers also can call the company at 1-844-617-8242 to be directed to additional clinics in Connecticut.

Anyone with a prior history of Hepatitis A vaccination or Hepatitis A infection does not need to be treated and should not register.

The Health Department learned on Oct. 25 that an employee with Hepatitis A, a viral illness that affects the liver, worked at the restaurant while infectious. To date, four patrons also have been diagnosed with Hepatitis A. The Health Department immediately began investigating the source of the infection upon learning of the cases.

Image via Shutterstock.