A surge in cases of norovirus is being reported across parts of the United States this winter, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While there is no medication to treat norovirus, experts say that hand washing and proper hygiene practices can help prevent infection and spread.
According to Dr. Mark Loafman, assistant chair of Family and Community Medicine at Cook County Health, hand sanitizer is not effective in preventing norovirus. “The virus doesn’t get killed with hand sanitizer,” he said. Instead, thorough hand washing with soap and warm water for 20 seconds before meals is recommended.
Dr. Whitney Lyn, lead family medicine physician at Sengstacke Health Center of Provident Hospital, suggests using hand sanitizer alongside hand washing as a more effective measure. The CDC notes that norovirus can be found in both vomit and feces, even before symptoms appear, and can stay in the body for up to 2 weeks after recovery.
Eating raw or undercooked shellfish also increases the risk of infection, as noroviruses are “relatively resistant to heat” and can survive temperatures as high as 145 degrees. Quick steaming processes may not be enough to kill noroviruses, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of norovirus include sudden vomiting and diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, body ache, headache, fever, and dehydration. In severe cases, it can lead to hospitalization and even death. While most people recover within one to three days, 19 million illnesses occur annually in the United States, with significant impact on vulnerable populations such as older adults.
To protect yourself from norovirus, focus on rigorous hand washing, scrubbing surfaces with household disinfectants, and proper laundry practices. If you contract norovirus or live with someone who has it, clean and disinfect surfaces well, wear rubber gloves, and follow proper laundry and waste disposal procedures.
Source: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/this-common-precaution-wont-stop-norovirus-experts-say-heres-what-to-do-instead/3636595