Singaporeans are not called foodies for nothing - they will readily eat cockles, even though the shellfish has earned a bad name for being a Hepatitis A carrier. Hawkers who sell laksa and char kway teow - which typically come with cockles - say the popularity of the shellfish has not diminished over the years, despite health concerns.

Bylaws and policies can't guarantee we'll never encounter disease or danger - that would be an unrealistic expectation - but good regulations ensure the risks are kept to a minimum. That's what happened last week when it was learned an employee of the Fairway Market on Quadra Street tested positive for the hepatitis A virus.

It’s much better to get vaccinated before exposure. Customers who recently ate at the Fairway Market deli on Quadra Street in Victoria, British Columbia (that’s in Canada) are urged to get vaccinated for hepatitis A after an employee tested positive for the virus this week.

Tuscaloosa News reports customers who ate at the McDonald's in Northport on McFarland Boulevard between Feb. 28 and March 14 may have been exposed to hepatitis A, according to the Alabama Department of Public Health.