I chose Hepatitis A because we’re still in the midst of an outbreak in our City. It’s a viral infection that is transmitted via the fecal-oral route but it can also be passed from person to person(AJN 2004). Hepatitis A can be transmitted from the ingestion of contaminated food with an incubation period of 15-50 days. The Disaster management stages include prevention, preparedness and response (NIES&McEwens 2019).
The community was impacted in that the county health department was overwhelmed with 300 people seeking vaccinations. The News media reported that Panera Bread at a certain location had an employee with Hepatitis A preparing food. The Health Department was made aware by the Treating Medical Facility also. All of these people were treated then months later new reports came in leading into an epidemic according to the Alabama Department of Public Health(ADPH 2020). A Questionaire was developed to screen all patients who came for other services including regular immunizations, Family Planning and Sexual transmitted disease clinics and offer the vaccine for protection. It became part of the assessments. Hepatitis A was not one of the required vaccines.
NIES &McEwen (2019) Community Public Health, chapter 26, Communicable diseases
American Journal of Nursing, March 2004,vol-704(3),p27-28 2004 Lippincott Williams &Wilkins, INC.ISSN:0002-936X.Hep A: Another- vaccine-preventable disease continues to emerge, Goldrick, Barbara A, Ph.D., MPH, RN, CLC
ADPH.ORG 2020