The media circus seems to have moved away from the Willow Glen Jamba Juice almost as quickly as it arrived on Thursday, perhaps only to return if a customer actually contracts the Hepatitis A virus. The crowd at Lincoln & Willow might have been a little thin this weekend, but you can expect large groups to return more quickly if no one actually gets sick.

The Santa Clara County Health Department moved quickly to allay fears, specifically downplaying the risk in its press release:

A food handler who worked at this Jamba Juice location has been diagnosed with hepatitis A infection. The food handler worked while potentially infectious on several dates in August. Because it is likely the employee followed good hand hygiene and food safety practices, the risk of exposure is small. Additionally, this particular Jamba Juice underwent a routine Environmental Health inspection on July 31, 2007 and no violations related to handwashing or employee illnesses were noted.

But that didn’t stop KTVU Channel 2’s Janine De la Vega from inciting panic.

The televised story from WG on Thursday led with at least one customer who was upset not to have heard about the trouble before making her purchase. She may have been justifiably upset, but it probably didn’t help that De la Vega’s questions were panic-inducing. Another customer interviewed for the piece said the reporter’s questions were all quite inflammatory, seeking trouble where it may not have existed.

The story went on to provide a balanced response from county health officials, but made no mention of Jamba Juice’s actual response, which has been appreciated in most circles. WGx isn’t sure why De la Vega crafted her story the way she did, but many neighbors seem to expect the whole thing to blow over in a few days anyway.

To be safe, you should see your doctor if you suspect you are sick. WGx considers this to be true whether or not you have ever had a frozen blended smoothie. Film at Eleven.