Mandatory Hepatitis A vaccinations being pushed by County board
To counter legal roadblocks preempting the County from imposing mandatory Hepatitis A vaccinations for food service workers, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich’s motion to sponsor State legislations amending the California Retail Food Code to mandate such vaccinations for public health.
Today’s action follows on Supervisor Antonovich’s previous motion to require Hepatitis A vaccinations for food service workers. On May 3, 2007, County Counsel discovered that the County is prevented by State law from imposing a universal vaccination requirement for food service workers.
However, a new State Retail Food Code does require mandatory reporting by food facilities to the local health officer of food service workers with certain symptoms of gastrointestinal illness, and Public Health has recommended that it will reinforce this new mandatory reporting requirement through communications, trainings and technical assistance consultations.
“It is vital that the local health officer have the power to require preventive Hepatitis A vaccinations for food service workers,” added Antonovich.