The 4 easiest ways to capture norovirus and how to avoid them
Experts share how to protect yourself from the dangerous stomach bug as the cases increase.
Norovirus has the impression that it is everywhere at the moment, and for the reason: cases are a 12 -month summit, according to the centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). THE Latest data Of the agency shows that the current average rate of three weeks for positive norovirus tests in the United States is 16.3%. So if you start Feel nauseating With continuous vomiting and diarrhea, there is a good chance that you have faced this rapid disease.
Also commonly known as the stomach bug, "Norovirus is very contagious". Kelly Johnson-Arbor , MD, a Medical toxicology doctor and the co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center, says Better life . According to Johnson-Arbor, symptoms generally start from 12 hours to two days after initial infection, can last several days and can also cause health complications, such as potentially fatal dehydration.
In other words, norovirus is not Something you want to live. To help you stay safe, we have consulted health experts to find out how people usually come into contact with this virus. Read the rest to discover the four easiest ways to capture norovirus and how you can avoid them.
Read this then: Norovirus spreads quickly - the 3 easiest ways to protect you .
1 Touch contaminated surfaces
You should take additional caution these days to make sure that your hands only come into contact with clean surfaces.
Michael Newell , the vice-president of science disinfectant startup Avantguard, says that touching contaminated surfaces is one of the simplest ways for people capable of norovirus. All you need is a quick touch of the face or mouth thereafter so that you are infected.
After an infected person launches or has diarrhea, "contaminated surfaces should be cleaned and disinfected immediately," he said. Newell recommends using a chlorine whitening solution with a concentration of five to 25 tablespoons of domestic whitening per gallon of water, or a disinfectant which was considered effective against the norovirus by the Environmental protection agency (EPA).
You should also immediately wash clothes that may have been contaminated with excrement or vomiting, according to Newell. "Wear rubber or disposable gloves when manipulating contaminated clothes and wash your hands carefully," he adds. "Wash with a detergent on a long cycle and dry in a dryer."
2 Consume food or contaminated drinks
It is important to pay attention to what you consume because you can also catch the norovirus by eating. The virus can " easily contaminate food And water because it only takes a very small amount of viral particles to make you sick, "according to the CDC.
Johnson-Arbor says that many people do not know that Norovirus can infect them in this way.
"Food can become contaminated by the Norovirus when affected by an infected person, or when exposed to contaminated water that contains fecal waste," she explains. "So, even if no one in your family is infected with Norovirus, you can still contract it by eating fresh products that have been inadvertently irrigated with contaminated water, or eating raw oysters that were harvested in an area with contaminated water. "
There are several things you should do to avoid grasping the stomach bug through what you consume. "Food that could be contaminated by the Norovirus should be thrown away," says Newell.
To be safe, you should also carefully rinse fruits and vegetables, as well as cook oysters and other crustaceans at an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit, according to Newell. "Know that noroviruses are relatively resistant," he notes.
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3 Direct contact with an infected person
People infected with norovirus can lose billions of viral particles that are not visible to the human eye, and some need to make someone else, according to the CDC. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"Norovirus is very contagious because it takes as little as 18 viral particles to cause an infection compared to flu A, which requires a transmission of thousands of viral particles to cause an infection," notes Johnson-Arbor.
This means that it is really difficult to avoid getting sick if you come in direct contact with an infected individual.
"If you think you have contracted norovirus, stay at home and avoid others if possible," advises Johnson-Arbor. "Because norovirus can still be transmitted from one person to another even after the resolution of the initial symptoms, it is preferable to avoid the preparation of food or close contact with other people for at least two days after resolution of symptoms. "
4 Clean after someone who is sick
Of course, you cannot always avoid being near people with norovirus. If someone in your household has become sick, you might be the only one available to take care of them, but that will put you at an increased risk of infection.
"People can catch norovirus when they clean after an individual infected vomit or have diarrhea, or when they change the layer of an infected individual," warns Johnson-Arbor.
It is not inevitable, however. The practice of preventive measures can help you stay healthy even by taking care of a sick person. Most important? Properly Wash your hands , According to the CDC.
"To avoid contracting the norovirus of others, it is recommended to wash your hands frequently with soap and water instead of using a hand disinfectant, as alcohol (the main ingredient in many Hand disinfectants) does not reliably kill the virus, "said Johnson-Arbor.