SIMCOE MUSKOKA DISTRICT
HEALTH UNIT
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Recalled frozen fruit product and Hepatitis A vaccine
SIMCOE MUSKOKA - The national recall of Nature’s Touch frozen fruit, issued by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency on April 15, is restricted to one product sold exclusively at Costco.
The Costco outlet in Barrie has taken the product off its shelves, but a quantity has been sold since the recalled batch was first placed on the shelves in December.
The recalled product is Nature’s Touch Organic Berry Cherry Blend, sold in 1.5 kg (3 lb.) bags, containing the UPC Code 8 73668 00179 1, with an expiry date of up to and including March 15, 2018.
Anyone who bought this product should not consume it, and should throw it out or return it to Costco.
The recall has taken place because of potential contamination with hepatitis A virus.
Hepatitis A is a liver infection that can cause illness, usually mild, for a week but can be up to several months.
Symptoms can start to appear between 15 and 50 days after being infected, and can include fever, low appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, and yellowing in the whites of the eyes and the skin (jaundice).
It is more serious for people who have existing chronic liver disease.
Hepatitis A can be prevented with a vaccine.
Anyone who has eaten the product in the last 14 days can be protected from the disease by getting the vaccine.
As well, people who have previously been fully vaccinated or previously infected with hepatitis A will be protected.
Costco in Barrie is offering hepatitis A vaccination through its pharmacy at no cost to customers who have consumed the recalled product within the last two weeks.
Their pharmacy will be offering the vaccine daily from 12 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. until Friday, April 22.
It is also planning to provide vaccination on the weekend, but exact times have not been determined.
They may extend the service beyond that date based on demand and availability of the vaccine.
Costco is unable to vaccinate pregnant women, persons who are immune compromised or have chronic liver disease, or infants under 1 year of age, and therefore, these people should contact their local health care provider or the health unit.
Most local health care providers do not stock the hepatitis A vaccine.
They would either have to contact the health unit for publicly-funded vaccine or write a prescription to be filled and paid for at a local pharmacy.
Some extended health benefits plans cover the cost of the vaccine, and Costco has stated it would reimburse any of its customers who consumed the product within the last two weeks, and paid for the vaccine to be administered from a health care provider.
The health unit will also be providing free immunization in Barrie at the 15 Sperling Drive location starting Thursday on an appointment basis only.
To make an appointment for the free hepatitis A vaccine or for more information, call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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