Update received Sept. 16 from the Henderson County Department of Public Health:
With tomorrow’s weather forecast calling for heavy rainfall, the Health Department has decided to postpone its Sept. 17 Hepatitis A vaccination event to a later date to be announced.
Hepatitis A vaccines are available via appointment at the Health Department, 1200 Spartanburg Highway, Suite 100, Hendersonville 28792 by calling 828-694-6015.
Press release from Henderson County Department of Public Health:
The Henderson County Health Department is investigating four recent cases of severe Hepatitis A among individuals using intravenous or IV drugs.
The cases are unusual as the virus typically spreads through fecal-oral contact, such as in food-borne outbreaks. Other counties in North Carolina (Stokes, Surry, Forsyth, Davidson, Caldwell and Mecklenburg) have seen similar cases among those using IV drugs.
Many of the individuals are also infected with chronic Hepatitis C. It is best practice for those infected with Hepatitis C to protect their liver with a vaccination against Hepatitis A and B. Individuals with a history of IV drug use and/or chronic Hepatitis C infection are recommended to get vaccinated.
Henderson County Department of Public Health is offering a Hepatitis A vaccine to the community on Thursday Sept. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church, 2557 Chimney Rock Road, Hendersonville, NC 28792.
Uninsured people and those who are a close contact to a person infected with acute Hepatitis A can be vaccinated at no charge during this event or by appointment at the Henderson County Department of Public Health by calling 828-692-4223.
Hepatitis A is a self-limited disease that does not result in chronic infection. Most adults with hepatitis A have symptoms, including fatigue, low appetite, stomach pain, nausea, and jaundice, that usually resolve within two months of infection. Most children less than six years of age do not have symptoms or have an unrecognized infection. Antibodies produced in response to hepatitis A infection last for life and protect against reinfection.
More information about Hepatitis A is available at https://www.hendersoncountync.gov/health/page/hepatitis-vaccine-preventable.
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