Patrons of a southeast Iowa restaurant are being urged to get a shot of the Hepatitis A vaccine immediately. An employee at Whitey’s Bar and Billiards in Burlington has been diagnosed with Hepatitis A. It’s a liver disease that can be spread to others through food and drink.
Customers who patronized the restaurant between July 2nd and Sunday, July 13th are urged to get to a doctor if they ate food from the salad bar or drank something that had ice or a lemon slice in the glass. The Hepatitis A vaccine reduces the risk of contracting the disease, but some people who get the shot may still become ill.
Symptoms include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, diarrhea, dark urine and jaundice. Customers who ate or drank at Whitey’s in Burlington from June 25th through the 1st of July are also at risk, but it’s too late for them to get a shot. Those customers should contact a doctor if they become sick, however, as the disease is serious.
The Des Moines County Health Department is offering vaccinations at its office in Burlington from 9 a.m. ’til 8 p.m. today and tomorrow. Angela Walker, the restaurant’s owner, says the health of her patrons is her "utmost concern" and she’s joining public health officials in urging customers to get a shot.