Norovirus: What You Need to Know as a UofG Student

Feb 16th, 2023

What You Need to Know About This Stomach Virus

Norovirus is a highly contagious stomach bug that's on the rise! As a university student, it's important to know how to protect yourself from this pesky pathogen to help keep you and those around you healthy.

Often referred to the stomach bug, the norovirus spreads in the Northern Hemisphere mainly between November and April when people are spending more time indoors. Unlike some other viruses like SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen behind COVID-19, Norovirus is tough and can stick around longer on hard surfaces.

When you’re infected with norovirus, symptoms may start as soon as 12 hours after exposure. Most people feel better within 2 to 3 days.

Norovirus symptoms:

nausea
diarrhea
stomach pain and cramps
vomiting (children usually experience more vomiting than adults)

You may also experience:

chills
fatigue
headache
muscle aches
low-grade fever

If you become ill:

Anyone who is ill with diarrhea or vomiting should stay home/stay away from others until symptom-free for at least 48 hours (especially for those who work with food, the elderly or at a hospital).

Norovirus can make you vomit and have diarrhea several times a day. This can lead to dehydration (loss of fluids). Drink plenty of liquids to replace lost fluids. If you have a severe case, you may need to be admitted to hospital and given fluids intravenously (through a needle inserted in a vein).

Diagnosing norovirus:

Your healthcare provider can diagnose norovirus infections. They might take a sample of your stool or vomit for laboratory testing.

Treating norovirus:

There is no prescription medication to treat norovirus infections. Most people begin to feel better on their own within 2 or 3 days and do not experience any long-term health effects.

Protect yourself and stop the spread:

How Does the Norovirus Spread?

Norovirus is found in the stool and sometimes in the vomit of ill persons. People can become infected with the virus in several ways:

Direct contact (e.g. shaking hands) with another person who is infected
Touching surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus (e.g. doorknob, hand or stair railings, etc.) and then touching your mouth or eyes
Eating food or drinking beverages that are contaminated by an infected person
Eating food such as shellfish contaminated at the source
Airborne transmission has been suggested to explain its rapid spread in settings like schools and day cares

Those infected with Norovirus can spread it once they feel ill and for up to two days after the symptoms (usually diarrhea) stop but people can carry the virus for up to two weeks longer and infect others.

How can I protect myself from getting a Norovirus infection?

Keep your hands clean. Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds after using the toilet, diapering a child and before preparing or eating food. This is the best way of reducing the risk of getting infected with Norovirus.
If soap and water are not available, and if hands are not visibly soiled, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 70% – 90% alcohol.
Wash all fruits and vegetables before eating/preparing them
Avoid sharing foods and beverages with others.
Do not prepare food for others if you have symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea.
Thoroughly and frequently clean and disinfect environmental surfaces and equipment with a chlorine bleach disinfectant, especially in areas that are touched often such as telephones, door handles, gym equipment, common areas such as shared kitchen spaces, etc. A chlorine bleach solution of one part household bleach to 50 parts water can be made from two teaspoons of household bleach mixed with two cups of water.

Did You Know? You can get norovirus more than once!