Customers at a New York restaurant may have been exposed to the hepatitis A virus

People who ate at the Main Deck restaurant in Penn Yan, NY, between March 27 and April 12 were possibly exposed to the hepatitis A virus. Most people won’t get sick if a restaurant employee has hepatitis A, but there is still a risk. People who may have been exposed should receive treatment to prevent infection.

“While the risk of hepatitis A infection is low, we must act carefully to prevent the spread of this highly contagious disease,” said Doug Sinclair, Yates County Public Health Director. “Anyone who has eaten at this restaurant during this time should check their immunization status and, if they have not already been vaccinated against hepatitis A, come to our free clinic or visit their healthcare provider if they experience symptoms.”

The hepatitis A vaccine is only effective within two weeks of exposure to the virus. Yates County Public Health advises anyone who ate food at the Main Deck restaurant between April 4 and April 12 to receive a free hepatitis A vaccine clinic on April 18 from 1 to 7 p.m. at the Yates County Office Building at 417 Liberty. Street in Penn Yan. To register for an appointment, go to www.yatescountypublichealth.org. If you need help scheduling an appointment or are unable to come to our clinic, please call our office at 315-536-5160.

Those who dined at Main Deck between March 27 and April 3 may have been exposed, but receiving the hepatitis A vaccine now will not prevent infection from this exposure. These people are encouraged to monitor themselves and their families for symptoms for 50 days after consuming the food. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dark-colored urine, clay-colored stools, joint pain, or jaundice. If you have symptoms, contact your healthcare provider and tell them that you may have been exposed to hepatitis A.

The owner and staff of Main Deck have been cooperative and following all recommendations from the state and local health departments. New York State Health Department staff thoroughly inspected the restaurant and cleared it to open.

If you have any questions, please call Yates County Public Health at 315-536-5160. For more information about hepatitis A, please visit the New York State Department of Health website at https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/hepatitis/hepatitis_a/or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/hav/afaq.htm.

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