Nassau 7-Eleven May Have Exposed Customers To Hepatitis A

People who shopped at a 7-Eleven in February Merrick may have been exposed to Hepatitis A, the Nassau County Department of Health said.

According to the DOH, an employee at the 7-Eleven, located at 1555 Jerusalem Ave., has a confirmed case of Hepatitis A. Anyone who consumed food or drink prepared on the site, or used the bathroom there, between Feb. 1 and March 6 may have been exposed.

The symptoms of Hepatitis A may range from mild to severe and include an abrupt onset of fever, fatigue, poor appetite, nausea, stomach pain, dark-colored urine and jaundice (a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes). The disease is rarely fatal, and most people recover in a few weeks without any complications, the DOH said. The symptoms commonly appear within 28 days of exposure, with a range of 15-50 days.

However, those who may have been exposed between Feb. 24 and March 6 can still receive a Hepatitis A vaccine to prevent the illness. Those who have been vaccinated with two doses of Hepatitis A vaccine or who have had the illness in the past are protected from infections.

Nassau County will be offering free Hepatitis A vaccines for those exposed in the window at the end of February and into March. They will be available at the CBB Building at Nassau Community College, located at 1 Education Drive in Garden City, on Sunday, March 10 between noon and 4 p.m. There will be a second round of vaccines available on Monday, March 11 between 1 and 6 p.m. at the Nassau County Department of Health, located at 200 County Seat Drive in Mineola.

A call center has been established for those that require additional information. You can call 516-227-9570.

There are no special medicines or antibiotics that can be used to treat a person once Hepatitis A symptoms appear. Generally, bed rest is all that is needed. Thorough hand washing after bathroom use, and before, during and after food preparation is the most important means to prevent the spread of this and other intestinal illnesses. Sharing of food and utensils should be discouraged, especially whenever anyone is ill.