Homeless Shelter To Require, Provide Hepatitis A Vaccine

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) – A Kentucky homeless shelter is going to start requiring that patrons be immunized against Hepatitis A before staying.
    
The Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Catholic Action Center co-founder Ginny Ramsey says the shelter will offer free Hepatitis A vaccines for those who don’t have health insurance. The Lexington shelter will start enforcing the requirement Aug. 6.
    
Ramsey says the requirement was approved this month after organizers learned a local homeless person had tested positive for Hepatitis A. Ramsey says the illness spread rapidly throughout another city’s homeless population, and she didn’t want that happen again.
    
Polly Ruddick is the director of Lexington’s Office of Homeless Intervention and Prevention. Ruddick says the shelter receives no city or state money and will be the only Lexington shelter to require the immunization.
    
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Information from: Lexington Herald-Leader, http://www.kentucky.com