Livermore Restaurant Patrons Possibly Exposed To Measles
LIVERMORE (CBS SF) -- Alameda County health officials are urging people who were at a Livermore restaurant Saturday night and are more at risk of contracting measles to get in touch with their doctor no later than Friday.
A tip from the California Department of Public Health about an active measles case sent officials scrambling to identify anyone who might have come in contact with the patient.
The exposure happened in a three-hour window, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. Saturday night at Sauced BBQ and Spirits, a busy restaurant on Livermore's First Street
Dr. Nick Moss, with the Alameda Public Health Department, is trying to track down everyone who dined at the restaurant that night.
"After exposure, it can take 7-14 days before people can develop symptoms of measles infection," Dr. Moss said.
Within that seven-day window, if someone was exposed but not vaccinated, doctors can administer immunoglobulin and prevent the virus from igniting.
On Thursday evening, the restaurant issued this statement:
"In following the guidelines given by the Department of Public Health, we have contacted all of our staff and there is currently no risk in our restaurant."
The concern for Alameda County officials is who was exposed.
Health officials said some people can get a more serious form of measles and need preventative treatment within six days of being exposed.
Those people are children 12 months old and younger, people who cannot receive the measles vaccine because of a weakened immune system, because for example they had an organ transplant or chemotherapy, and pregnant woman.
Those groups, as well as health care workers who were at the restaurant between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. are asked to get in touch with a health care provider and call the Alameda County Health Department at (510) 267-3250 right away and no later than Friday.
Health officials say it was a patron who may have exposed others in the restaurant to the illness.
© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. KPIX 5 correspondent Andria Borba contributed to this report
