Hepatitis A Clinics

In 2018, a hepatitis A outbreak spread through Kanawha and Putnam counties. Most cases were in people who used drugs or had no stable housing, and several were in food service workers. The outbreak was linked to a national multistate outbreak. In response, the county health department and its partners held a series of hepatitis A vaccine clinics.

Clinics for food service workers

In late May 2018, the state Bureau for Public Health asked for clinics for food service and restaurant workers. The state bought an extra $550,000 in vaccine to support them. Each clinic ran from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.:

  • Friday, May 25: the health department, Charleston (about 520 people vaccinated)
  • Wednesday, May 30: Charleston Civic Center
  • Thursday, May 31: Putnam County Courthouse, second floor of the old courthouse
  • Friday, June 1: St. George Conference Center, Court and Lee streets, Charleston
  • Friday, June 1: Forrest Burdette Memorial United Methodist Church, 2848 Putnam Avenue, Hurricane

Workers filled out paperwork first, and anyone under 18 needed a parent or guardian. The health department billed insurance with no copay or deductible. Workers without insurance got the vaccine at no cost.

On May 31, 2018, the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office held a free clinic at its Cross Lanes detachment for recent flood victims and food service workers. Ambulance authority and health department staff gave the shots. About 30 people were vaccinated by noon.

Clinics for other high-risk groups

In June 2018, the clinics opened to more people at risk. A clinic on Thursday, June 21, ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Gateway Shopping Center, 23 MacCorkle Avenue, St. Albans. A walk-in clinic followed on Friday, June 22, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the health department, 108 Lee Street in Charleston. They were open to people who were homeless, people who used drugs, their close contacts, people exposed to someone with hepatitis A, food service workers and people recently released from jail or prison. The vaccine was free for people with no insurance or too little insurance.

For the details of each clinic and case, see the Kanawha and Putnam hepatitis A clinics, the state health officer’s recommendation for food service workers, the June 22 hepatitis A clinic and hepatitis A linked to national multistate outbreak.

This information is from 2018. It is kept here as a record and is not current advice. Check current guidance from the CDC or your doctor.

Sources

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