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Hep B carrier wins licence for food service

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-09-02 23:35

HANGZHOU: A university graduate who fought discrimination against Hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers for two years has received a health certificate allowing him to be employed in the food industry.

Lei Chuang, 22, graduated from Zhejiang University, will pursue a master's degree at the Shanghai Jiaotong University. He started his struggle against discrimination in 2007 when his brother was rejected by a state-owned enterprise for being an HBV carrier.

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Implementing regulations of China's Food Safety Law released in July this year lifted a ban on HBV carriers working in restaurants and other food-related jobs.

In August, Lei applied for a health certificate at a community health service center in Xihu District, Hangzhou City, but was rejected after tests showed positive.

"I planned to bring a lawsuit against the center if I couldn't get the certificate before September 1," Lei said.

The Zhejiang Provincial Health Department decided to issue Lei a certificate when he reported the case to Yang Jing, the department head.

Lei said he would use the certificate in Shanghai during postgraduate study to promote the implementation of regulations outlawing discrimination against carriers.

Earlier this year, Lei organized other HVB carriers to ask for hugs from passengers in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, to show the disease could not transmitted by hugging. A total of 82 of 101 they met opened their arms to Lei and his team.