Hepatitis A vaccine clinic set for Erie-area Cracker Barrel customers; no more cases found

David Bruce, Erie Times-News
·2 min read

No additional cases of Hepatitis A have been reported in connection with the Erie-area Cracker Barrel employee who was diagnosed last week with the contagious liver disease.

The employee, whose name and medical condition are not being provided due to patient privacy laws, handled food at the Summit Township restaurant as recently as Wednesday, Erie County Department of Health officials said. The case was reported to the county Health Department on Thursday.

No additional cases of Hepatitis A have been reported in connection with a Summit Township Cracker Barrel employee who was diagnosed last week with contagious liver disease.
No additional cases of Hepatitis A have been reported in connection with a Summit Township Cracker Barrel employee who was diagnosed last week with contagious liver disease.

"There was no indication that contaminated food was ever shared, and the facility was following proper food-handling procedures," said Erin Mrenak, county Health Department director.

A spokesman for the Tennessee-based restaurant chain said steps were taken after the employee became sick to prevent spread of the illness.

"We immediately took proactive steps and voluntarily closed early on Friday to conduct deep cleaning and sanitizing," Cracker Barrel said in an email. "We welcomed guests back to our store the next morning. We continue to actively work alongside the Erie County Health Department and have arranged for our employees to receive vaccinations."

More: Erie-area Cracker Barrel worker diagnosed with Hepatitis A. What should customers know?

Hepatitis A is spread through close personal contact or, less often, through contaminated food. It is believed to be the first Erie County case of Hepatitis A involving a restaurant worker in at least 12 years, according to county health officials.

Free Hepatitis A clinic Tuesday for Cracker Barrel customers

The county Health Department is hosting a free Hepatitis A vaccination clinic for adults 19 and older who ate food prepared at Cracker Barrel, 7810 Interstate Drive, between Feb. 10 and Wednesday. The vaccine is recommended whether the customer's meal was dine-in, takeout or delivery.

The clinic will be held Tuesday from noon to 7 p.m. at Perry Hi-Way Hose Co., Station 43, 8281 Oliver Road, Summit Township.

"Parents or guardians of customers 18 years and younger who ate at the restaurant can consult with a doctor or pharmacy," county health officials said in an email. "If the person 18 and younger received the vaccine as part of the routine scheduled immunizations, they should be covered. If not, they can consult a doctor on what to do."

More: Why Erie County childhood vaccine rates have dropped, and what concerns doctors most about it

What are the symptoms of Hepatitis A?

Anyone who ate food at Cracker Barrel in Summit Township between Jan. 30 and Feb. 21 should watch for symptoms of Hepatitis A, which can take as long as seven weeks to develop. Symptoms include:

  • fatigue

  • loss of appetite

  • nausea

  • stomach pain

  • diarrhea

  • dark urine

  • joint pain

  • jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)

Anyone with symptoms should seek medical attention, health officials said. Most people who develop Hepatitis A recover fully even if they are untreated, but it can cause liver failure and death in rare cases — especially in older people and those with chronic liver diseases.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNBruce.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Hepatitis A vaccine clinic set for Erie PA Cracker Barrel customers