What action should be taken if a food handler has a sore throat and fever?

When a food handler presents with a sore throat and fever, it is important to take immediate precautions to prevent the potential spread of foodborne illness. This is particularly critical as both symptoms can be indicative of a communicable disease, which poses a significant risk in food safety.

Excluding the food handler from food handling duties until they are cleared by a physician is the most responsible action. This ensures that any contagious illness does not contaminate the food, thereby protecting consumers and maintaining public health standards. Health departments and food safety regulations typically require that individuals exhibiting these symptoms refrain from working with food until they are evaluated and cleared for return to work.

Continuing to work while symptomatic, even with a mask, does not sufficiently mitigate the risk of transmission. It is also important for food handlers to be fully healthy when handling food to ensure safety and compliance with food safety practices. Using over-the-counter medication may relieve some symptoms but does not address the underlying potential for disease transmission. Therefore, the safest approach is to exclude the individual from food handling activities until professional medical guidance is obtained.