In response to Eaton County recently becoming a hepatitis A outbreak county, the Barry-Eaton District Health Department’s (BEDHD’s) Charlotte office is adding hours when individuals can get vaccinated.
BEDHD’s Charlotte office at 1033 Health Care Drive, will offer walk-in hepatitis A vaccinations Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office will also be open late on Wednesdays, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. for walk-in hepatitis A vaccinations.
Appointments for hepatitis A vaccination are not required.
Clinic hours for other, non–hepatitis A vaccinations will also be offered on Wednesday evenings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. by appointment at BEDHD’s Charlotte office only.
To schedule an appointment or for questions about vaccinations, individuals should call 517-541-2630 in Eaton County or 269-798-4133 in Barry County.
Anyone who wants to be vaccinated against hepatitis A can get vaccinated at BEDHD. Most private insurance is accepted. Individuals who don’t have insurance or whose insurance doesn’t cover the vaccine may qualify for a low-cost vaccine if they are in a high-risk group. Those who don’t have insurance coverage for the vaccine and who are not in a high-risk group will be charged $71 per dose.
High-risk groups include:
*Men who have sex with men
*Persons with an acute or chronic liver disease
*Persons with a history of substance abuse
*Persons currently homeless or in transient living
*Persons who are or were recently incarcerated
*Persons who are in close contact with any of the above risk groups
* Household members and/or sexual partners of someone with hepatitis A
*Food handlers
*Healthcare workers with direct patient care
Eaton County has had four cases of hepatitis A since December 2017. One individual has died. Statewide, since the official start of the statewide outbreak in August 2016 through January 31, 2018, 727 individuals have had illness linked to the outbreak. This outbreak has had an unusually high hospitalization rate, with 81 percent of ill individuals being hospitalized. Twenty-four deaths have been reported.
Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable, contagious liver disease. It is often spread by eating food or drinking water that is contaminated with infected feces or by oral contact with contaminated objects. Hepatitis A can spread easily among people who live together and sexual partners. Symptoms include fatigue, stomach pain, yellow skin (jaundice), dark urine, and pale stool. Some people have no symptoms. People who believe they have been exposed to hepatitis A or who have symptoms should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
For more information about hepatitis A, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/hepatitis/
