When should a food handler with a sore throat and fever be excluded from the operation?

A food handler with a sore throat and fever should be excluded from the operation primarily when the customers served are a high-risk population. This is because individuals in high-risk groups, such as young children, elderly people, pregnant women, and those with weakened immune systems, are more susceptible to foodborne illnesses.

In the presence of an infectious agent, symptoms like a sore throat and fever pose a significant risk of transmitting pathogens that could lead to serious health complications in these vulnerable populations. Therefore, in settings where food is served to high-risk individuals, it is crucial to take stringent precautions to protect the health and safety of those consumers.

While serving primarily children or adults is relevant, the focus on high-risk populations highlights the critical need for protecting those most at risk from illness. The use of gloves does not mitigate the risk posed by the illness, as pathogens can still spread through other means. Thus, the priority is to exclude the affected food handler to maintain a safe environment for all customers, particularly those at a greater risk of severe outcomes from foodborne illness.