Family visiting after recovering from norovirus - AIBU precautions?

[Ninetyninepercent]

MIL is coming to stay for Xmas. Poor woman has had norovirus - started Thursday with awful vomiting, but should have been symptom free (ie not being sick and not feeling sick) for 48h by the time she visits today for several days. It should be Ok, but I've been doing a bit of research into it and some places say 72h symptom free and that she can shed virus for a week. If it was any other time apart from Christmas I'd postpone her visit, but obviously with it being Christmas and her being on her own we can't do that. I think the level of risk after 48h is manageable if we take some precautions. But equally don't want to make her feel like a pariah. But with two DC, I'd really rather they didn't catch it (as I'm sure she feels too!)

Anyway....do these precautions sound OK/normal (I tend towards the OTT so want to judge opinion before I talk to her about any special measures for her stay, if any....

• kids use our bathroom, so she has her own bathroom/toilet
• clean toilet/bathroom and wipe door handles daily
• no food prep done by her (awkward as she is usually very hands on, which is usually great but might be put our)
• tell her we can't use the dish she prepared for Xmas dinner - prepped around 36h post-vomit period
• ask kids not to cuddle in her bed in the morning (opinions espec on this? she would be really sad, as would kids)
• change handtowels in bathrooms daily. obviously own towels.
• no kissing on mouth

I should also say that if we get it, we get it - its not the end of the world (might get it from somewhere else at any other time of course!), but obviouslly I would much, much better we didn't.

Also I don't really want to give list of do's and don'ts to the kids and get them all unnecessarily bug averse or DGM averse. PLUS I don't realy want Xmas ruined by me being all hawk vigiliant over her for everyone's sake. What precautions would you take?

I probably just drink as much alcohol as possible and hope for the best...

You are being a tad OTT... Just ensure good hand washing (and drying) after the bathroom,
you could pop to the shops later and catch something from another customer...
Most of all, look after your mum, she must feel washed out (and theres your excuse for her not cooking)

I think your list will be almost impossible to stick to.

As you say, there isn't really much you can do. Normal cleaning will have to suffice + a bit more dettol?

Hope you all keep well.

Anti viral hand gel.

my only addition would be for every one to use kitchen towel for hand drying, pop a roll in each bathroom, a plastic bag in each bin, knot and bin each bag nightly

And if you can get it virkon disinfectant. Or else dettol everything.

why not wrap the poor woman in a bin bag

AND don't forget the bright yellow 'caution' tape, you'd be lost without it

I think those 'precautions' are being ridiculous. In hospitals, we are fine to carry on as normal 48 hours after the last vomiting, so unless you have a child with significant immunosuppression, the only one I would do is not use whatever she's made 36h later. As for changing handtowels daily, that is never a bad idea in a busy house when there are bugs going around as with EVERY winter and young children.

"Anti viral hand gel."

No such thing really, no matter what the marketing says. Antibacterial/alcohol hand gel doesn't work against norovirus, so handwashing at the normal times (before eating or preparing food, after the loo etc) is the important thing.

Think you are being OTT - she will feel like someone 'unclean'. Why not just put her in the shed?

HA HA HA good one op.

Well it does exist whether it is effect against noro i have no idea. But boots do sell this :www.boots.com/en/Boots-Advanced-First-Aid-Anti-Viral-Hand-Foam-200ml_1036207/

But it doesnt say which viruses it is effective against so it may well be useless as you say Bartlet.

As someone with 2 small kids whose entire family has recently had the winter bug I don't think you are being over the top. I kept away from everyone for about a week afterwards as I felt so terrible and it took about 2 weeks to feel normal again.

I am today feeling murderous towards a mother who sent her daughter to a party after school last week even though she had been ill the day before and was off school - my daughter has been ill since saturday afternoon and I think we might not be able to do our xmas visiting this year.

I was very relaxed about it all before we got the norovirus - I do not want to ever get it again - seriously it is just awful.

Crap - DH has just discussed with his family that we may not make it tomorrow as DD ill, turns out they are all sick, so if we do go then we are likely to catch something - why can't people be more thoughtful?

hospital wards re-open to admissions the second everyone is 48hrs clear so I'd go with that!

and yes I've had it I know how horrible it is, but more than 48hrs clear isn't necessary IMO

My ex-step mother did this to me at the age of 12 when I visited and came down with tonsillitis - I wasn't allowed to use the bath in case I infected HER (hers and my dad's) children. Cue years of OCD (diagnosed, not just OCD type behaviour).

Just remind your children to wash their hands before eating. They've probably been exposed to worse at school anyway.

Hand gel & don't let her dry up, yuk I hate peoples hands all over my tea towels

DON'T rely on hand gel! Focus on HAND WASHING!

Alcohol hand Gel does not kill Clostridium difficile bacteria or Norovirus. Hands should be washed with soap and water if coming into contact with Clostridium difficile or Norovirus.

Another fascinating link about hand sanitisers and why they are not effective with Norovirus:

www.doh.state.fl.us/chd/bay/Documents/Norovirus.pdf

Bleach is what you need to clean, not anti-bacterial sprays/wipes.

What ChiloftheMonkeyBasket said,

you are in with a chance if you do that, go over the top, it worth it.

this day and time last year, I was having an op, so Christmas day last year was a blur, been having chemo, I have a very suppressed immune system,

we are OTT in this house because I can't afford to get any infection,

it's amazing how many infectious people are out and about, no matter how you explain it, they all try to come round, or hug me.

living with children is terrible, as everyone sends their children to school ill, my children once they understood how infection was spread have been amazing, they are really good at doing all the prevention routines, and spotting a potential infectious people,

six months ago late in the evening the night before DS2's birthday I end up in A&E, due to infection, really wasn't fun, missed his birthday, got home a couple of days later.(did speak to him on face to face iphone)

so mine are brilliant, they enjoyed the science in the explanation, so then understood how to avoid how it all works.

We've all just had Norovirus. DS was so dehydrated he stopped weeing AT ALL for well over 8 hours until I terrorised him into drinking and weeing in order to avoid liver damage. It can be awful but we all survived.

I would add diaorlyte to your list just in case because if it's around you may well get it anyway.

Having had it, I don't actually think YABU. I'ts hell on earth

norovirus is a virus and not killed by domestic disinfectants such as dettol.

Bleach and steam clean if you have the means.

I hate norovirus. Its vile and I am tempted to say you're being a bit paranoid but I kinda get it!

Hmm, I think the only bit that is reasonable is not using the dish she has prepared.