CHARLOTTE—A Charlotte restaurant owner is going on the offensive battling perception and health concern over Hepatitis A. 

"The restaurant industry is thriving," said Jon Dressler, owner of three Charlotte-area restaurants. 

That's one reason he opened his third shop last Fall, Dogwood Southern Table in SouthPark.  Last month, however, he received a call no one wants to get.

"We were contacted by the Mecklenburg Health Department that one of our employees had contacted Hep A while on vacation," said Dressler. "It's not a cleanliness issue, it's not an internal issue. The health department didn't have to shut us down."

The Health Department issued an alert asking everyone who was there over a two day period to get a vaccination.  That created a lot of concern.

"It impacted the business slightly at first. We were deluged with phone calls," said Dressler.

Dressler quickly became an expert on Hepatitis A and batted the reality versus perception of it.

"To put it bluntly, you have a better chance of winning the lottery in Mecklenburg County than contracting Hep A. Transmission of Hep A has never happened in the history of Meck County," said Dressler.

Rather than being upset, Dressler has another idea.

"It would be wonderful if all of Mecklenburg County restaurant workers were required to have the Hep vaccination," said Dressler.

The National Restaurant Association reports there are 426,000 restaurant workers in North Carolina. The two-set vaccination is about $150 a person.  Meaning, it would cost close to $64 million to vaccinate all restaurant workers in the state.  No one from the state or Mecklenburg County health departments wanted to comment on camera about the need for the vaccine.  However, the CDC did put out a report.

The number of people contracted Hepatitis A over the last 20 years has dropped dramatically.  In North Carolina in 2014, there were 44 reported cases. The CDC published a list of those who should get the vaccine, and those who shouldn't adding "although persons who work as food handlers have a critical role in common-source foodbourne outbreaks, they are not at increased risk for Hepatitis A because of their occupation."

"Slowly, but surely, all of my employees are being vaccinated," said Dressler. 

The restaurant owner isn't taking chances, making all of his employees get the vaccine.  He admits it's expensive, but it's a cost he's willing to take.

"You weigh the expense of the vaccination versus the expense of any lost business you might incur," said Dressler.

The North Carolina Restaurant Association also didn't want to make a comment yet on the issue.