Waiting Line For Inoculations Continues

People continued to wait outside the Spokane Regional Health District on Tuesday for a shot at an inoculation against hepatitis A.

Health officer Dr. Kim Thorburn said 56 people have contracted the disease so far this year. Three of those people work at Players and Spectators restaurant in the Valley.

The health district recommends that anyone who dined there from Jan. 7 through Jan. 11 get a shot of immune globulin, the medicine that can prevent the onset of hepatitis A if given within 14 days of exposure.

No cases of hepatitis A have yet been traced to the food and beverage handlers at the Valley restaurant.

“It’s certainly something we’re investigating,” Thorburn said. “But to date, we haven’t definitely determined any secondary cases. It’s still a bit early.”

The Spokane Regional Health District hopes its current supply of immune globulin will last until the end of the Players and Spectators scare.

The health district has fewer than 1,000 doses left.

A national shortage of the medicine has left Spokane scrambling for immune globulin. , DataTimes