Health

Norovirus to cause Christmas misery – signs, symptoms and how to protect your family now


CHRISTMAS is a time for coming together with our families – but that also means we’re at risk of picking up something nasty.

With the current outbreak of norovirus, it’s important to know how to protect yourself from the nasty winter vomiting bug.

 Don't let norovirus ruin your Christmas - know how to protect yourself

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Don’t let norovirus ruin your Christmas – know how to protect yourselfCredit: Getty – Contributor

Health bosses have urged infected people to stay at home amid concerns it will continue to spread and have an impact on health services during the festive period.

The latest figures from Public Health England showed that outbreaks were 67 per cent higher than the five season average for the same period.

It means that it’s spreading faster than it usually does.

The main symptoms are typically suddenly feeling sick, projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea.

Spreading quickly

Norovirus is actually a year round illness but cases tend to escalate at this time of year because people are indoors, in closer proximity with the heating on.

Dr Dan Quemby told Cosmopolitan that those conditions “make it easier for the virus to spread person to person”.

He added that the other reason you’re more likely to contract norovirus in colder months is because “your immune system may be weaker”.

Norovirus is really easily spread – you can catch it from being in close contact with someone who has the virus.

It’s also easy to pick up from touching surfaces or objects that have had the virus on them, then touching your mouth.

You can also pick it up by eating food that’s been prepared or handled by someone infected.

Practice good hygiene

So, the best way to protect yourself is to practice good hygiene.

Wash your hands frequently with soap and water is the best way to stop it spreading.

Keep in mind that alcohol hand gels don’t kill norovirus.

Dr Aron Hall, a norovirus expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told NBC: “It’s [norovirus] resistant to many common disinfectants.

“It can persist on surfaces for several days, even at room temperature.”

Five ways to limit the spread of norovirus

  1. Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms. Do not return to work or send children to school until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared. Also avoid visiting elderly or poorly relatives, particularly if they are in hospital.
  2. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water. Alcohol hand gels don’t kill norovirus.
  3. Use a bleach-based household cleaner or a combination of bleach and hot water to disinfect household surfaces and commonly used objects such as toilets, taps, telephones, door handles and kitchen surfaces.
  4. If you are ill, avoid cooking and helping prepare meals for others.
  5. Wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent and at 60°C, and if possible wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items.

That means that if you’re cleaning up after sick people, it’s also important to use a cleaning product strong enough to do more than just wipe the virus around surfaces.

Celebrity doctor Ranj Singh said on Instagram: “It’s the illness that everyone dreads, especially at this time of year.

“Symptoms include fever, aches and pains, vomiting and diarrhoea.”

He then offered the following four tips:

1) It’s caused by a virus so antibiotics don’t help – it’s all about supporting your body to get rid of it.

2) It spreads quickly so make sure you practice good hygiene if anyone in your family is infected – wash hands, wipe surfaces, deal with contaminated items straight away.

3) Most cases can be managed at home, but if you are worried or getting worse, especially if you are very young/old/have a long term medical condition, then speak to a healthcare professional (NHS111) for advice.

4) Try to stay away from other people if you can until your symptoms are completely gone.

How to look after yourself if you have norovirus

Most people will make a full recovery within one to two days, but it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time to prevent dehydration especially in the very young, elderly or those with weakened immunity.

Do:

  • Stay at home and get plenty of rest
  • Drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash – take small sips if you feel sick
  • Carry on breast or bottle feeding your baby – if they’re being sick, try giving small feeds more often than usual
  • Give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
  • Eat when you feel able to – you don’t need to eat or avoid any specific foods
  • Take paracetamol if you’re in discomfort – check the leaflet before giving it to your child

Don’t:

  • Go back to work, or send your children back to school, until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared
  • Have fruit juice or fizzy drinks – they can make diarrhoea worse
  • Make baby formula weaker – use it at its usual strength
  • Give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea
  • Give aspirin to children under 16

The advice from Public Health England is that if you are unfortunate enough to be infected then you should stay away from hospitals, work places and schools for at least 48 hours.

Dr Helen Carter, deputy director of Public Health England, said: “Norovirus is very unpleasant and highly infectious. Do not gift this, this Christmas.

“It causes diarrhoea and vomiting, and the bug can live on hard surfaces such as kitchen tops for hours.

“It spreads very quickly in places where people mix together in close proximity, such as schools, nurseries, care homes and hospitals.

“If you are unfortunate enough to catch norovirus you must stay away from hospitals and care homes until you are symptom free for at least 48 hours as norovirus can seriously affect vulnerable patients.

“Most people will make a full recovery fairly quickly, but it is important to drink plenty of fluids during that time to prevent dehydration especially in the very young, and elderly.”

HSE advise deep cleaning and handwashing to avoid Norovirus bug after Irish schools affected





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