Around 60 people associated with a Powys primary school will be offered the Hepatitis A vaccination.
Staff and pupils in Years 3, 4 and 5 at Llangors Church in Wales Primary School will be offered the vaccination on Thursday 3 May. This follows confirmation that a person linked to the school has the infection.
Public Health Wales is working with the environmental health team at Powys County Council and with Powys Teaching Health Board, to investigate the source of the infection, deliver vaccinations and offer advice to close household contacts of the patient.
The vaccination session at the school is as a precautionary measure. Hepatitis A spreads easily between young children, who will often not have symptoms but can still transmit infection to other people.
There is no indication that the infection has been contracted on the school premises, and the school is co-operating fully with arrangements.
Dr Christopher Johnson, Consultant in Health Protection, Public Health Wales, said:
“Hepatitis A is a viral infection, usually short lived that has unpleasant symptoms but can be serious on rare occasions. Children often only have a very mild illness or do not have symptoms at all.
“Symptoms can include flu-like illness such as tiredness, general aches and pains, headaches and fever, as well as loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, abdominal pains, jaundice, very dark urine and itchy skin.
“Good handwashing after using the toilet and before preparing or eating food is the best way to prevent the virus spreading.
“Children may pass the virus onto others without having symptoms so we are reminding parents to encourage good hand washing at all times.”
People are advised to contact their own GP or NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47 if they have any concerns about their health or their child’s health.
Hepatitis A vaccination is not routinely offered on the NHS as the infection is rare in the UK.
Further information about Hepatitis A is available on the Public Health Wales website at http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/888/page/43692
