Many people have been sharing germs with each other! Many others have also shared they have or have had diarrhea or their stomach just doesn’t feel right. If this is you, PLEASE Stay Home until you are feeling better.
The winter season and the gatherings that are associated with it are a peak time of year for norovirus outbreaks.
Common symptoms of norovirus are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.
Noroviruses are most commonly spread by food contaminated with stool or by direct person-to-person spread. The virus can also be spread via objects contaminated with stool and by airborne spread when someone vomits. The illness usually lasts for a few days, and most recover completely with no long-term health effects. Dehydration is the most common cause of hospitalization with norovirus, so the most important thing to do while you are ill with norovirus is to keep drinking fluids.
Anyone who has diarrhea, vomiting, or fever should stay home while they are ill.
Hand washing is the most effective way to prevent the spread of norovirus and many other
infectious diseases.
• Hand washing should be done using warm water and soap.
• Rub hands together for at least 15 seconds making sure to scrub the backs of hands,
wrists, between fingers and under fingernails.
• Rinse well under warm water and dry.
• If soap and clean water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
For more information about norovirus, visit
https://idph.iowa.gov/cade/disease-information/norovirus
