3 Ways to Beat a Norovirus Outbreak

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Yes, it's a hard bug to beat.
Handwashing is the best prevention. Teach your kids to wash for 20 seconds with warm water and ordinary liquid soap. Then rinse all those bubbles away and dry with a clean towel (we use paper towels when the bug is going through the house). Kids (adults too) should wash hands after pottying, diapering, playing or shopping with others, after school, and before eating (even a quick snack). Any germs that are on their hands go into their mouth (or nose or eyes). Similarly, keep their fingernails SHORT.
It also helps to train your kids to keep their hands out of their mouths
Bleach is the best cleaner but not everything can be bleached. Older Lysols don't work but the newer ones claim to kill norovirus. Look on the back of your Lysol can. If the back label says "Lysol Disinfectant II" it doesn't list norovirus but the newer cans (labeled "Lysol Disinfectant III") DO list norovirus.
There are other disinfectants listed on the CDC website. We use Virkon. Smells nice and kills noro.
Another good rule is to keep sick people from preparing food for 3 days AFTER starting to feel better. Keep those sick folks away from the kitchen, out of the school lunch room, out of the fast food joint. Most norovirus transmission is foodborne (from a sick handler who didn't wash well enough before getting in the kitchen).
Keep healthy

Lori of CO 11:41AM December 27, 2008

any kind of soap will basically work and it does not have to be antibacterial. The soap actually lyses (cause the virus cell walls to weaken then explode) killing the virus.

Jasprer of OH 8:40AM December 12, 2008

This spreads so easily because 98% of people have no idea what what to do to prevent the spread and worse businesses and schools do nothing.
When an outbreak occurs or even good if it doesn't, these hand sanatizer stations you see many places now should be used and be available everywhere. Especially in schools the hand sanatizers should be in the hallways, bathrooms, cafeteria and so on!
Schools and businesses should keep bathrooms clean and surfaces clean and tripple the efforts when an outbreak occurs. Clean doorknobs and surfaces especially multiple times a day.
Teach proper hand washing/hand sanitizer procedures.
I've seen schools which did absolutely nothing, no extra cleaning, no instruction on proper hygene, no access to hand sanitizers and in reality every school should have an infection control person versed in procedures and who is responsible for keeping everyone on track.
It doesn't cost a lot to do this it just takes someone to implement it.
It can't be cured, the answer is to prevent it spreading as much as possible. The practice of only sending a kid home from school or an employee home when visibly sick isn't enough and should be required to stay away at least 72 hours despite how they feel. Many businesses pressure employee's to return because of rules such as you must have a doctors note (most don't go to a doctor, they can't do anything) or your not paid for the sick time or get looked upon badly...
We could reduce the infection rate significantly if we just had some rules in place.

Gary of MS 10:52AM November 14, 2008

Norovirus is the most infectious of ANY virus ever studied (only a few viral particles are needed to infect). It lives in the environment for 7 days to 2 weeks, and is impervious to heat and cold -- AND common commercially available disinfectants such as Lysol.
Thus, when an individual is feeling better after 24 or 48 hours, and goes back to school or work, that person is shedding the virus like crazy. Every doorknob, pencil, keyboard, glass, etc is now a tool for infection.
When a person who is infected with norovirus vomits, viral particles are spewed all around (in bathrooms, toilet bowls, floors, sheets, carpets) and, again, regular cleaning does very little good. A strong bleach compound is necessary -- and unless the cleaner wants to get infected, a face mask is needed.
So, to the poster who asked about sending her children back to school --- be aware that that is precisely how norovirus is spread so efficiently in classrooms. This is also why it quickly becomes epidemic in cities such as New York.
Also, food preparation areas are among the most common venues for transmission. So, a food prep worker who has been sick with norovirus should stay away from work for as long as possible. However, we know that won't happen, for obvious reasons. During noro outbreak season in NYC, I rerely eat out.

Jane of NY 11:58AM November 12, 2008

I am going through this right now. Literally. My one child started with it Saturday night, and tonight, Monday, my second child started, as well as my husband. What I am trying to figure out is whether to send the 2 that have not gotten sick to school tomorrow. I can't find any guidelines on this, but I don't want to wipe out the whole school. At the same time if they aren't going to get sick, I don't want them missing school. I guess if they can spread it even if they aren't sick we should all stay home for a couple days. Ugh, barf-fest '08. It is like a horror movie, wondering if you are the next to fall!

Monica of MI 3:44AM November 11, 2008

Hope College is not in Ohio; it's in Holland Michigan.

Hope Student of MI 10:28PM November 10, 2008

Do not use alcohol-based hand wash, instead use a chlorine based hand wash. For example germ-x soft wipes are chlorine based. The chlorine completely kills the virus while, the alcohol does not.

CNR of MI 7:27PM November 10, 2008

YOU CANNOT KILL THE NOROVIRUS WITHOUT BLEACH.PEOPLE INFECTED WITH NOROVIRUS CAN SHED IT IN THEIR STOOL FOR UP TO 2-3 WEEKS. babies for up to 6 weeks. If you are going to write a column on NOROVIRUS GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT. Also they are working on a Norovirus VACCINE. It is time we had ONE> THE NAME OF THE COMPANY IS LIGOCYTE>.

Amy of IL 7:17PM November 10, 2008