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The Department of Health is advising all vendors in the territory providing food and beverage at public events that they should possess a valid vendors license (issued by the Dept. of Licensing and Consumer Affairs) along with a Temporary Health Permit and Health Card issued by the VI Department of Health, Division of Environmental Health.
D.O.H. reminded that food safety is critical to public health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 48 million Americans (one in six) get sick, 128,000 are hospitalized through food-borne diseases. Moreover, food-borne diseases cost more than $50 billion each year.
Food-borne diseases are caused by consuming food or drink that is contaminated by germs. Perhaps the food was not fully cooked or left out at room temperature. Perhaps someone who handled the food was sick or had germs on their hands. Even the simplest errors in food handling can cause someone to get a food-borne disease, and when this happens to two or more individuals, it is called a food-borne outbreak, the Dept. of Health said.
If during an event a food vendor is discovered to not be in possession of a health permit and/or health card, there’s a good chance of receiving stiff fines and an even better chance of having the operation of the booth/stall or food truck, be interrupted, the Dept. of Health said.
