Good for the elderly
Wash hands. Staff must wash hands carefully and thoroughly, especially after using the restroom. Since norovirus is spread primarily through feces and vomit, employee handwashing is the number one way to prevent the spread of norovirus.
Infection in Older Adults and in LTCFs Norovirus infection generally manifests as a relatively brief, self-limited illness in healthy immunocompetent individuals, although it can cause significant morbidity and mortality in frail elderly adults.
Five steps to reduce your risk of Norovirus
Frequent hand-washing is perhaps the best way to prevent norovirus. Work up a good lather with soap, and wash for at least 20 seconds. Avoid contact with anyone who’s recently had vomiting or diarrhea if you can. If you’re exposed to a sick person, wash your hands immediately.
The food service industry can help prevent norovirus outbreaks by: Making sure that food service workers practice proper hand washing and avoid touching ready-to- eat foods, such as raw fruits and vegetables, with their bare hands before serving them.
Foods that are commonly involved in norovirus outbreaks include:
Common symptoms of norovirus infection include vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Less common symptoms can include low-grade fever or chills, headache, and muscle aches. Symptoms usually begin 1 or 2 days after ingesting the virus, but may appear as early as 12 hours after exposure.
Elderly people may be vulnerable to gastroenteritis and food-borne infections because of changes in immune response [3, 4], gastrointestinal physiology [5], use of immunosuppressive or acid-suppressive medications [6, 7], and comorbid conditions [6] associated with aging.
Bed rest is the top prescription for treating norovirus patients. Plenty of rest is important, as is hydration due to the loss of fluids. Some doctors recommend sports drinks or other over-the-counter remedies for replenishing critical nutrients and minerals.
Humans are the only hosts of the virus. Unlike coronavirus, face masks and hand sanitizers aren’t much use at curbing the spread of noroviruses, infectious diseases specialist Dr. Luis Ostrosky told KHOU.
However, she said wearing face mask will not prevent you from getting viral gastroenteritis. “Viral gastroenteritis is not respiratory virus,” she said. “It’s not going to be as effective in spreading that. The primary means to prevent the spread is going to be proper hand hygiene.”
Proper, frequent handwashing is the absolute best way to prevent norovirus. Always wash your hands before and after using the bathroom, changing diapers, before preparing/eating/handling food, and whenever you’re in contact with common surfaces that carry germs.
While medical treatment is often not needed, there may be ways you can help relieve symptoms more quickly.
You can use hand sanitizers in addition to hand washing, but you should not use hand sanitizer as a substitute for washing your hands with warm water and soap. Handwashing is always best. Hand sanitizers aren’t as effective as washing hands with water and soap at removing norovirus particles.
Young children, the elderly, and people with other medical illnesses are most at risk for more severe or prolonged infection.