• Hepatitis A
  • For Special Populations

Some people on my team are worried about initiating the HepA vaccine series in people who are homeless because we may not be able to complete the series or keep up with their records over time. How much of a concern is this?

While a complete series of HepA is recommended for long-term protection, even a single dose of HepA vaccine has been demonstrated to provide protection against hepatitis A for more than 10 years and can prevent or control outbreaks of hepatitis A. People who are experiencing homelessness may have difficulty protecting themselves from exposure to HAV in other ways because of their living conditions. They should be vaccinated when possible and provided a record of immunization. Reporting the HepA vaccination to a state immunization information system also can facilitate immunization assessment at future healthcare encounters.

Last reviewed: June 25, 2023

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