Individuals infected with hepatitis A who work in food establishments can spread it to customers and other employees. Although foodborne outbreaks of hepatitis A are uncommon, they can require intensive and costly public health efforts to control.
Learn about three important actions food establishments can take to prevent illness:
Exclude or restrict workers who have been diagnosed with or have symptoms of hepatitis A. Review local or state food codes to find specific exclusion and restriction criteria.
Managers need to know if their workers are sick so they can decide if they should handle food. Learn what the Food Code, HIPAA, and ADA have to say about employee and manager conversations on foodborne illness.
Ensure Proper Hand Hygiene to Help Prevent the Spread of Hepatitis A
Avoid bare hand contact with ready-to-eat foods.
NOTE: Alcohol based hand sanitizer is not a substitute for washing hands with soap and water.
Practice Proper Disinfection to Get Rid of Hepatitis A on Surfaces
Use disinfectants that are effective against hepatitis A.
Review cleaning and disinfection procedures to make sure viruses are not spread throughout the kitchen, restrooms, or dining areas.
Discard food handled by workers infected with hepatitis A [FDA Food Code 2017 section 3-701.11] and disinfect surfaces that might have touched contaminated food.
Have a plan to clean up vomit or diarrhea [FDA Food Code 2017 section 2-501.11] to keep germs out of the kitchen. Make sure staff know proper cleanup procedures.
*State and local requirements may vary
