Hepatitis A Outbreak in SC

From SC Department of Health and Human Services (May 15, 2019):

On Monday, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) announced that cases of hepatitis A across the state have reached outbreak level. Hepatitis A is a contagious liver infection that is transmitted through person-to-person contact with someone who has the infection or through eating or drinking food or water contaminated by an infected person.

Getting vaccinated against hepatitis A is one of the most important components of preventing the spread of this infection. Hepatitis A vaccination is covered by the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) for Medicaid beneficiaries, as recommended by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) guidelines. Children covered by Medicaid are eligible to receive the Hepatitis A vaccination through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. For additional information on the VFC program you may visit the SCDHEC website at http://www.scdhec.gov/Health/Vaccinations/. Vaccines for adult Medicaid beneficiaries are payable directly through the Medicaid program.

Additionally, SCDHEC is currently offering no-cost hepatitis A vaccines to individuals at high risk for infection who are not covered by Medicaid. To schedule an appointment for a vaccination at a local health department, residents should call (855) 472-3432 or visit www.scdhec.gov/health/health-public-health-clinics.

More information about this outbreak is available at scdhec.gov.