Hepatitis A Immunization Available Today: Food Service Workers Encouraged To Vaccinate

DETROIT (WWJ) - A serious outbreak of Hepatitis A cases in southeast Michigan has moved the Detroit Health Department to encourage food workers to get vaccinated today at a local clinic.

Michigan leads the nation in Hepatitis A cases and the Health Department is recommending restaurants, bars and delis make arrangements to have their workers vaccinated.

Today from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. food service workers will be able to get immunized at the Samaritan Center on Conner off I-94 on Detroit's east side.

Food workers should bring their photo ID and health insurance card if they have one. Uninsured food workers may qualify for a free vaccine.

An analysis by the Detroit Free Press in December found that Michigan has led the U.S. in hepatitis cases per capita this year, with more than 500 reported cases so far.

The Detroit News reports that there have been 20 deaths linked with hepatitis A in southeast Michigan since August 2016.