Protect yourself from norovirus this winter

Norovirus image courtesy CDC/ Charles D. Humphrey, PhD

Norovirus infections are on the rise in the U.S. and around the world right now.

Sometimes called stomach flu or “winter vomiting,” norovirus infections cause vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps. The sickness can last from one to three days.

Norovirus spreads when people come in contact with surfaces or eat food contaminated with bodily fluids from a sick person. The virus is very contagious, and an infected person can pass it on even before they start feeling sick and for up to three days after they feel better. The virus spreads quickly in places where people live or play closely together: day care centers, schools, nursing homes, hotels and cruise ships.

The norovirus is more active in cold weather, so cases usually peak during the colder months, but some officials are saying that cases are higher than ever this season. Outbreaks have been reported in California, Oregon, Georgia, Maine, West Virginia and on several cruise ships. More than 1 million people are thought to have been infected in the U.K. this winter — 72 percent more cases than last year.

The most common way that norovirus spreads is through food that has been handled by an infected person. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 50 percent of food-related illness each year is caused by norovirus contamination.

There is good news, though: Norovirus infection can be prevented! Here are some steps to take to save yourself from this yucky virus:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water. You should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds with hot, soapy water. This is especially important to do before and after you eat or prepare food, after using the restroom and when taking care of someone who is sick. We have great fact sheets to help hand-washers of all ages.
2. Don’t make food for other people if you are sick.
3. Wash fruits and vegetables well and cook seafood thoroughly. 
4. If you or a loved one gets sick, make sure to wash clothes, sheets and towels in hot water.

We hope that these tips help you stay infection-free this winter!

Get Ready Mailbag: Do ticks spread babesisos? How do I protect myself?

Welcome to another installment of the Get Ready Mailbag, when we take time to answer questions sent our way by readers like you. Have a question you want answered? Send an email to getready@apha.org.

Q: My cousin was recently diagnosed with babesiosis, which her doctor said comes from ticks. I’ve never heard of it — am I at risk, too? How can I protect myself?

A: Your cousin’s doctor is right. The main way that people get babesiosis is from a tick bite.

The disease is spread by a parasite called Babesia which lives inside of certain types of ticks. These ticks are so small — about the size of a poppy seed — that you may not even know if you’ve been bitten.

[Photo: Young form of Ixodes scapularis, 
the type of tick that spreads Babesiosis.
Photo by G. Hickling,
University of Tennessee, courtesy CDC.]

Babesiosis can cause flu-like symptoms, such as fever, chills, headaches, body aches, tiredness, nausea and loss of appetite. Health professionals may suspect this illness if you live in the Northeast or upper Midwest and if these symptoms show up during the summer months. However, some people don’t show any symptoms at all, so preventing tick bites is the key! (http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/babesiosis/prevent.html)

To prevent tick bites:

• Hike on well-marked trails and stay out of bushes and long grass.
• Make sure to cover your skin with long pants and shirts.
• Apply bug spray.
• After walking through wooded areas or spending time outdoors, inspect your clothes and body for ticks.

The good news is that babesiosis is easy to treat once it is detected.

We hope your cousin recovers quickly and that you continue to stay safe!

Flu Fridays: Could your job put you at risk for the flu?

It's Flu Friday, and we want to know: Are you sick of your job? Or is your job making you sick?

A new study looked at the jobs of people who were hospitalized with the flu during the 2009–2010 flu season. What researchers found was surprising: People who worked in some fields were more likely to get a very bad case of the flu than people who worked other types of jobs.

What kind of jobs were related to workers having a serious case of the flu? At the top of the list were health workers. This wasn't breaking news, because nurses, doctors and other health workers have to deal directly with sick people. But some other surprising jobs made the list:

• Transportation and warehouse workers: 1.5 times more likely than the average worker to get serious flu.
• Administrative support and waste management workers: 1.5 times more likely.
• Hotel and restaurant workers: 1.3 times more likely.
• Retail workers: 1.1 times more likely.

The study found that other jobs — such as teachers and construction workers —  were less likely than the average U.S. worker to get sent to the hospital from a serious case of the flu. (That may surprise any teacher who has had to deal with lots of sick students!)

But if this news makes you want to quit your job, not so fast!  First off, the study found that in general, people with jobs landed in the hospital a lot less often than people who didn't work at all. So having a job — and a regular paycheck — is generally a good thing for your health, according to the study.

Plus, the study found other things could have increased people's risk for getting very sick with the flu aside from their job. For example, researchers found that more than 30 percent of people who worked in the hotel and restaurant industry were smokers — and smoking can really increase your chances of having serious complications if you get the flu. Other things that made people more likely to get really sick from flu included having a chronic disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, and not having a regular place to go for health care, such as a doctor or clinic that you go to every time you get sick.

So what does it all mean? No matter what kind of job you have (or want to have), this new study doesn't change the fact that you can do a lot of things to protect yourself from a bad case of the flu.

Our top tips:

• Get a seasonal flu shot every year.
• Wash your hands and practice good hygiene.
• In general, keep yourself as healthy as possible to prevent things like diabetes and heart disease.
• If you smoke, quit smoking.
• If you get sick, see your doctor.
• If you get the flu, stay home from work. You'll get better faster and you won't spread the flu to your coworkers!

Flu Fridays: How to take care if you get the flu

Welcome back to Flu Fridays! So far, we’ve discussed what causes the flu and given you tips on how to avoid getting sick. We really want you to stay healthy this winter, but in case the flu strikes you or someone you care for, we want you to be ready.

Before you develop symptoms, you can get ready for cold and flu season by stocking up on basic supplies. We’ve put together a checklist of useful things to have in your home in case of a flu emergency (PDF).

If you do get sick, the most important thing you can do is stay home. The flu virus is highly contagious, and no one will admire you for coming into work or dragging yourself to school while you’re coughing and sneezing all over the place. If a loved one is sick, you should encourage them to stay in bed and rest until 24 hours after their fever is gone — that’s when the virus can no longer be spread.

While at home, you can do a number of things to make yourself (or the person you’re taking care of) feel more comfortable. Encourage the sick person to get plenty of rest, and have her or him drink clear fluids — water, broth or sports drinks will help prevent dehydration. Over-the-counter medications can help relieve symptoms like body aches, fever and coughing, but these will not make the person less contagious. Flu.gov has great information about treating the symptoms of the flu.

To prevent the spread of the flu when someone is sick at home, it’s best to have the sick person rest in an area separate from others in the family. Family members should wash their hands frequently with soap and water, especially after being around the sick person. (The person with the flu should wash their hands frequently as well!) People who are high risk for catching the flu, such as young children, pregnant women and the elderly, should avoid contact with the person who is sick. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers more information about caring for someone sick at home on its website.

The exception to the “stay home” rule is if you or your loved one needs to visit a health provider. And that brings us to our next point: Know when to seek medical attention. Flu symptoms can be severe, but if you or someone you’re taking care of develops any of the following symptoms, they need immediate medical attention. Be alert for:

• difficulty breathing,
• blue or purple discoloration in the lips,
• sudden confusion or change in behavior,
• sudden dizziness,
• pain or pressure in the chest,
• severe vomiting, or
• seizures.

We hope the flu doesn’t come near you this season, but in case it does, you’ll be ready!