The Multnomah County Health Department is holding several special hepatitis A vaccine clinics in downtown and North Portland for people who ate or drank at two Cup & Saucer cafes .
The clinics are for people who ate or drank at the Cup & Saucer, 8237 N Denver March 22 to March 29. Or, for anyone who ate or drank at the Cup & Saucer at 3566 SE Hawthorne March 22 or March 25.
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that can cause temporary illness, but can cause serious illness in some people. The virus is so easily carried and passed to others that the state requires every case to be reported and multiple cases among food handlers to be tracked to prevent further spreading and suffering.
Like other food-borne illness the Health Department tracks, this one can cause life-threatening illness in some people - rare but one of the reasons the Health Department doesn't like it to spread far.
The best way to prevent hepatitis A is by getting vaccinated. The vaccine can lower the risk of getting sick if they are given within two weeks of coming in contact with the virus. You should call your healthcare provider to see about the vaccine or other care options.
(Note: if you ate or drank at the 8237 N Denver cafe Feb. 22 to March 29 and then had fever, tiredness, belly pain, vomiting, diarrhea or jaundice, call your healthcare provider or the Multnomah County hotline at 503-988-4454).
Immunization Clinic
If you don't have a provider or you can't get into your provider in time, vaccines are available at:
• The Multnomah County Immunization Clinic at 426 SW Stark Street, Portland (3rd floor) (link is external). Walk-in clinic hours are:
o Saturday, April 8, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
o Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, April 10-12, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
• The North Portland Health Clinic at 9000 N Lombard St, Portland.
o Monday, April 10 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
If you do not have insurance, or if your insurance does not cover immunizations, the fee is $21.96 per shot. No one will be denied access to the hepatitis A vaccine due to inability to pay.