Hundreds Vaccinated For Hepatitis A In Downtown San Diego In Effort To Curb Outbreak

Thursday, September 21, 2017

Above: A patient receives a hepatitis A vaccination at a public clinic in downtown San Diego, Sept. 22, 2017.

More than 250 people received shots against hepatitis A at a clinic in downtown San Diego Thursday, as efforts continued to contain an outbreak that has killed 16 and sickened more than 400.

The clinic, in the community concourse outside city hall, was scheduled to run through 4 p.m.

The event was hosted by the city of San Diego, Downtown San Diego Partnership and American Medical Response, which provides the city with ambulance services.

The outbreak, which started in November, has primarily hit the homeless and drug users. However, health officials encourage other groups of people to get vaccinated, including first responders, food handlers, health care professionals, service workers who interact with the homeless, workers in substance abuse programs and public transit employees.

More than 22,000 San Diegans have been vaccinated so far.

The city is also offering hepatitis A shots at public libraries. Information can be obtained by calling 211 or going to 211sandiego.org.

For more stories on San Diego's hepatitis A outbreak, view KPBS News' complete coverage.

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