Hundreds of Hepatitis A vaccines arrived on Wednesday for the city to continue delivering post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to people potentially exposed to produce handled by an infected worker at the Brother’s Produce.
Municipal officials said 450 vaccines were received from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). On Saturday, the city ran out of its supply of 50 vaccines in two hours, halting its effort to deliver PEP to exposed shoppers.
“As planned, we have an organized process for administering PEP through Friday,” said health officer Paul Persaud. He said PEP will be administered between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. After the vaccines ran out, municipal officials told people to call a hotline and leave a message to get on a waiting list.
More than 300 people are now on the list. Persaud said these people are being called in an orderly manner to receive their PEP.
50 people were given PEP on Wednesday, said the health officer. He noted the Board of Health is only administering to the uninsured.
Those with insurance should seek post-exposure prophylaxis from their health care provider, according to the alert issued by the New Jersey Department of Health on Friday. To be effective PEP should be received as soon as possible after eating contaminated food, but no later than Oct. 19.
The alert stated a food handler employed by Brother’s Produce at 327 East Railway Avenue tested positive for Hepatitis A. The person worked while “potentially infectious” between Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, 2019.
Anyone who purchased produce from Brother’s Produce, a very popular shop for produce in northern New Jersey, during that six-day window is being urged to throw them out.
Brother’s Produce has removed all produce from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5, 2019. The family-owned business also sent workers, who came in contact with the infected former employee, for screening. Health inspectors also conducted an inspection of the business.
Uninsured individuals are asked to call the Paterson Health Department hotline at 973-321-1277 extension 2757.