Hundreds Line Up To Get Vaccinated After Camden County Starbucks Employee Tests Positive For Hepatitis A
GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- There are growing worries after a Starbucks employee tested positive for hepatitis A in Gloucester Township. There's now a vaccination clinic for anyone who feels they may have been exposed.
The line wrapped around the corner Friday afternoon as hundreds of people in Camden County lined up with the same concerns.
"I was nervous, very scared," one woman said.
They are all waiting to get vaccinated after a food handler at the Starbucks on Blackwood Clementon Road tested positive for hepatitis A.
"It's just remarkable that in this day in age something like this is going on," one man said.
The Camden County Department of Health says they were notified Wednesday that the employee tested positive and worked through the infectious period.
They say the store gets about 600 people a day, meaning thousands may have been exposed.
"We're in a time period now where we're looking at some of these viruses that have been wiped away through vaccinations that are making a slow and steady come back," Camden County spokesman Dan Keashen said.
Keashen says because this is so unusual, vaccines are limited. On Friday, they only had about 600 doses to give out.
"This is another hurdle for us as a health department where we've been stretched incredibly thin during a pandemic," he said.
The department is recommending anyone who patronized Starbucks on Nov. 4-6 or 11-13 get the hepatitis A vaccine.
Edward Rainas was first in line.
"I'm a little upset though since Starbucks didn't tell any of the customers what was going on," Rainas said.
Andrew Weirback agrees. He was forced to make getting vaccinated a family affair.
"I'm here with my wife, my granddaughter, my daughter, we're all here, unfortunately, getting the shot," he said.
Starbucks says it is working closely with Camden County health officials.
They say the store was immediately closed when they learned of the exposure and reopened after all employees were vaccinated.