Norovirus question

[Pheebie]

I’m curious whether you can re catch Norovirus that someone caught off you? In a family house for example, is it possible to pass noro onto a family member, they get it then you re catch it off of them? Also, can you get reinfected from items you touched when ill weeks after?

If it is possible to react hard it off family members again and again, how can I stop this happening? I know chlorine bleach is best, but in regards to clothing and bedding should it all be thrown away just because an infected family member has touched it? Where do you draw the line with cleaning things? Do you refernish the entire room?

From my understanding norovirus is airborne so its highly contagious. The best course of defence is to quarrentine the sick person away from everyone else. I wouldn't throw away fabrics as such. Chuck on a hot wash. Also as far as I know once someone has had norovirus they won't get it again for a number of week. I maybe wrong though.

Of course you don’t throw away bedding and refurnish a room!
Is this diagnosed norovirus?

I read that you are immune for about 14 weeks. So all 4 of us should get it again just in time for Easter. Hurray.

I am under the impression that once you've had it you are immune for something like 14 weeks. I read that online. Hence why you can get it every year if you are unlucky.

Hi OP, you shouldn't be able to re-catch a stomach bug once you've already had it. Immunity lasts several weeks, depending on what virus you have. Often with sickness bugs people, especially children, can relapse and then be sick again after a few days clear, which I think is sometimes confused with them having 're-caught' it.

The virus is not airborne, but is carried in tiny particles of vomit or diarrhoea which can fly into the air when someone throws up, or when the toilet is flushed. The viral particles can survive on surfaces and fabrics around the home for several days, so it's possible for someone to pick up the virus several days after the last person was sick.

I'm emetophobic, so tend to go slightly crazy when anyone is ill. Nothing will protect you completely. But lots of hand washing, hot-washing soiled fabrics, and bleaching hard surfaces can help. Try to confine the poorly person to one room and one bathroom, and don't leave the house until you're at least 48 hours clear of any symptoms!

Ohhhh boy. My worst nightmare. Nothing gets my ass into gear to disinfect the place like a bug.

Once someone has it, everyone seems to get it.

Protect yourself. Boost that immune system, use that hand sanitizer

@Youmatter Apparently the normal hand sanitizer doesn’t work so you have to get one with benzalkonium chloride. Thought you’d be interested to know. Also do you have experience of family members re catching it off of each other? As I heard this can happen.

No I’ve never had this before but we always hear of it happening.

Honestly I go crazy with the bleach but just make sure you’re all healthy. Get the vit c into you and all will be fine

I work with people who are experts on noro transmission. The current thinking is that immunity lasts about 6 yrs... on average, to the strain you were exposed to, so can be susceptible to a different strain. Viruses are like that. Lots of strains. They mutate easily.

Small children (or anyone immo-compromised) are super shedders, for weeks after they were ill even when the child is fully recovered, they still 'share'.

Plenty of vomiting bugs aren't noro, though. I don't know as much about the other sick bugs & how long their immunity lasts.

I personally am satisfied to (only) wash hands a lot & wash anything that might have been contaminated in hot water. Sick bugs often don't spread at all in our house so that strategy seems to work for us.

Hand washing will help limit any spread, as pp said, alcohol gel won’t work.

Clean frequently touched areas (door handles, tables, etc.) with bleach.

Have a separate hand towel for the ill person.

Wash bedding etc at the highest temp it can take.

No need to throw things out :)

To stop me from going insane and walking the house with a bleach spray in each hand squirting until the walls melt I remind myself that even if you touch something with the virus on it can only get you if you then put your hand in your mouth. So washing hands- soap, hot water, clean towel before eating and keeping fingers off faces are key.

I think you stay mildly contagious for about two weeks but are super contagious for about three day after last vomit. So don’t think about it too much or you’ll be scrubbing floors forever.

Good luck. It’s so grim.

not noro, but other bugs or food poisoning can re-infect you.
to prevent that you need to disinfect with bleach.
hot wash (60 or higher) towels, bedding, underwear.
wash cuddly toys.

@MedSchoolRat As an adult, am I shedding the virus for only 2 weeks or more? I have many things where I feel very nauseous but am not physically ill, do I still shed despite not having all symptoms? Like is everyone had something that wasn’t Noro could they keep recatching it over and over if precaustions aren’t taken in the house?

@MedSchoolRat Also does benzalkonium chloride kill the virus? As I’ve been using benzalkonium chloride wipes on this that can’t be bleached like phones and tablets.

you can still use dilute bleach to damp wipe screens or remote controls (and the door bells, bannister...)

@redsummershoes Do you have an idea of the dilute recipe? Don’t wanna be putting bleach that’s not diluted enough on things, as it’s not good for you of course.

it says on the bottle of bleach (thick or thin) how to dilute to disinfect surfaces.

Healthy adults usually stop shedding within 2 days. I guess you could be careful for a couple extra days about who you snog (the most intimate forms of contact).

I don't know the individual chemicals, OP. That one is widely described as a bactericide & those usually kill viruses, too. What worries me is it seems to be banned in the USA, due to unclear safety profile over all, and is linked to increasing bacteriological resistance in some articles.

It seems like B-C is mostly used for skin sterilisation, especially when people are managing wounds at home (like post-surgery; I can't find any other purpose described). Maybe it's too expensive for surfaces, plus has the unclear safety profile, compared to bleach & alcohol. I'd also fear it's destructive to things like the thin chemical coatings on mobile phone screens, or glues holding them together. I'd research carefully how to sterilise the phone without damage if you truly think that's necessary.

*within 2 days after the last definite symptom, you know, like being sick or diarrhoea.

Pheebie, just try and relax a little, you'll make yourself ill worrying so much, I absolutely dread sick it worries me no end, with three young dc it's awful, but sometimes no matter what you do you'll get it if you are going to. Just get everyone to wash their hands regularly, wipe surfaces and door handles and give everyone their own towel. I tend to use the dettol aerosol spray on soft furnishings when we are ill, no idea if it kills norovirus but it says on the can it kills rotavirus which is another strain. I hope you are all clear of it soon and can relax and enjoy Xmas.