Final answer:
A food handler diagnosed with Hepatitis A should be immediately excluded from work, local health authorities must be notified, staff education on hygienic practices reinforced, and the environment continuously cleaned and disinfected.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a food handler is diagnosed with Hepatitis A, several important steps must be followed to ensure the safety of the public and to comply with public health guidelines. First, the infected individual should be excluded from working in a food handling environment immediately to prevent the spread of the virus.
Education on thorough and frequent handwashing, especially after using the bathroom and before preparing or touching food, is crucial. The local public health authorities should be notified of the case, and they may conduct an investigation, which can include interviewing and testing other staff members and patrons if necessary.
Furthermore, other staff members should be observed for symptoms of Hepatitis A, and vaccination might be recommended for those who have been exposed to the virus and are not already immune.
The infected food handler should not return to work until cleared by a healthcare professional, which typically is not until they have been symptom-free for at least one week. Throughout this process, ongoing cleaning and disinfection of the workplace, particularly of surfaces and utensils, are key preventive measures.