According to WECT, line-ups for post-exposure hepatatis A vaccine and IgG shots are expected at a Fayetteville, NC Olive Garden after a foodhandler who worked in late July and early August has tested positive for the virus.

Authorities in Cumberland County are warning of a possible Hepatitis A exposure at the Olive Garden at 234 North McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville anytime on July 25, 26, 28, 29, 31 and August 1, 2 and 8 for those who worked or visited there.

The exposure came from a restaurant employee.

Cumberland County is offering immunizations at the Public Health Department on Ramsey Street starting today at 9am.  It will last until further notice daily from 8am to 5pm.

If I was running a food business, hep A would scare me the most. It often turns out like this: no illnesses linked to the food handler (and maybe the individual is the best handwasher out there) but there will still be hundreds of people lining up — resulting in pretty bad PR. Worst part is that folks can work for a couple of weeks, handling hundreds of meals, shedding the virus without even knowing that they are infected.

Here’s an old food safety infosheet detailing a hep A outbreak at a McDonalds in Illinois a couple of years ago.