Retail Rat Infestation Survivor Speaks Out: "Hantavirus didn't kill me, but the nightmares & coverup nearly did."

I worked part-time at a store that had a rat infestation, and management didn't tell us. Employer refused us ventilators as employees cleaned rat feces; lied to the public about the reason for the store shutdown. Customers (unknowingly) shopped for months w/rats in the store.

None of the government agencies gave us any education about hantavirus - OSHA and the county health department were called. Our employer didn't give us any education about health risks.

My former employer removed the health placard from the door; to this day my community doesn't even know the risks they were exposed to.

Here's what I learned: Rats in retail and grocery stores are more common than people know.