There are several essential things facility managers should know about norovirus:
- Norovirus is known as the "vomiting disease." When people get sick with norovirus, a vomiting incident can spread billions of virus particles that easily infect others
- Because it is highly contagious, it can spread quickly in virtually any type of facility
- Rarely do people die of norovirus. View it as a severe case of flu that lasts about three or four days
- Norovirus germs can live on surfaces for up to two weeks
- It is seasonal – typically late October through April, as depicted on the CDC Norovirus Outbreak Map.
With the norovirus season about to begin, DayMark Safety Systems Professional Cleaning Expert Duane Carey answers five common questions about norovirus clean-up:
- If someone vomits in the facility, how can you tell if it is caused by norovirus?
You can't. You must always assume it is and treat it as such.
- Must you wear protective clothing when cleaning up such an incident?
Definitely. Some bodily fluid clean-up kits come with all the protective gear necessary to protect the cleaning worker.
- Is there a specific way to clean up a norovirus vomiting incident?
Without question. Instructions can be found on the CDC website, and some manufacturers of bodily fluid cleanup kits also provide detailed and specific step-by-step information, such as that of DayMark.
- Should all such incidents be cleaned up the same?
Yes. The same steps and procedures should always be followed. Doing so makes the process second nature to cleaning workers.
- Because cleaning up vomit is so unpleasant, are there ways to make it less unpleasant?
Some cleanup kits absorb vomit very quickly. This makes the task more manageable for the cleaning worker and allows the problem area to be cleaned rapidly and more thoroughly.