154 norovirus epidemics in England as Covid-19 precautions relaxed

Oh poo. Guess what else is spreading in the UK as Covid-19 precautions have been lifted: norovirus.

Yeah, shit there is. Public Health England (PHE) has issued a warning regarding this nasty vomit and diarrhea virus after routine surveillance revealed increased norovirus activity. During the last 5 weeks, from the end of May to July, 154 outbreaks have been reported in England. This is almost three times the average of the 53 households over the same period over the previous five years. Most of the increase has occurred in educational settings, especially nurseries and day care centers.

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The warning included the following statement from Prof Saheer Gharbia, deputy director, National Infection Service, PHE: community, but as restrictions relaxed we’ve seen an increase in cases across all age groups. “

Obviously, anything with the nickname “vomiting” should cause concern. For example, don’t go on a date with someone called “Vomiting Joe” without asking them more questions. There’s a reason “The Vomiting Boys” hasn’t been used as a boy group name yet. I have already written for Forbes about how contagious Norovirus is and how it can cause sudden nausea, fever, abdominal pain, body aches and what else? Oh, projectile vomiting and diarrhea.

There are things you can do to prevent the spread of norovirus. And they don’t involve hoarding toilet paper. One of PHE’s recommendations is that you “stay home if you have symptoms of norovirus”. Wait up to 48 hours after you have no more symptoms before returning to work or school. Don’t say, “Well, I haven’t vomited a projectile in half an hour, so it looks like I can go back to work.” »Also do not prepare food for others until you have no symptoms for at least 48 hours. It’s not cool to potentially give other people trendy diarrhea.

They also recommended that you “wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and lukewarm water.” Of course, you should do it anyway. It is better to use soap and water rather than hand sanitizer, as alcohol will not kill norovirus.

Another tip that PHE offers is to use a household bleach-based cleaner or a combination of bleach and hot water to disinfect anything that may be potentially contaminated with norovirus. This includes faucets, doorknobs, or any other knob that you can turn or use frequently. Wash any potentially contaminated clothing or bedding in water of at least 60 ° C (140 ° C) with a detergent.

Finally, try to wear disposable gloves when handling potentially contaminated items. Free time is good. The norovirus on your hands is not.

Norovirus is probably not the only virus that will make a comeback in the coming months. With social distancing and face mask requirements easing, other pathogens may say, “Finally, we can get back to normal.” This is if viruses could speak.

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