The Health Department is closed Monday, Sept. 7, for the Labor Day holiday.

    • Control Norovirus

    Norovirus is very contagious.

    You may hear norovirus called the ‘stomach flu.’ Some viral illnesses that cause vomiting and diarrhea are caused by norovirus. You can become infected with norovirus many times in your life.

    • Norovirus can spread quickly in places like daycares, nursing homes, schools, restaurants, and cruise ships.
    • Symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting, often at the same time. Some people also have nausea, stomach cramps, and fever.
    • Symptoms typically start 12–48 hours after exposure and usually go away within 1–3 days.
    • Norovirus is most contagious when people are sick and during the first few days after they recover. However, the virus can stay in poop for more than 2 weeks after recovery.

    Report suspected outbreaks of norovirus.

    Report an increase in illness above the expected or ‘normal’ rate. Call (253) 649-1412 to report. We will help you manage the situation.

    How to control an outbreak of norovirus in schools or childcare.

    Wash your hands.

    • Remind students, staff, and volunteers to carefully wash their hands with soap and water, especially after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.

    Stay home if you’re sick.

    • Children, staff, and volunteers who are sick with symptoms of norovirus should stay home from school or daycare until 24 hours after symptoms stop.
    • Food workers should be restricted from preparing or handling food until 48 hours after symptoms stop.

    Clean soiled areas safely.

    • To prevent exposure to the virus, wear disposable gloves, mask, eye protection, and protective clothing when cleaning soiled areas. After cleaning, remove these items in a way that prevents contaminated surfaces from touching the skin. Dispose of these items in a sealed garbage bag.

    Remove vomit or stool.

    To reduce further exposure to others, promptly clear the area where the illness has occurred of all non-essential students or staff. Immediately clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces.

    • Use paper towels (or another disposable absorbent material) to clean visible debris. Double bag and discard.
    • For carpeted areas, use an absorbent material (like kitty litter or dry oatmeal) to absorb liquid. Double bag and discard.
    • To minimize particles in the air, don’t use a vacuum to clean vomit or poop.

    Disinfect.

    Norovirus can stay on surfaces for several days or weeks. After cleaning the surface, immediately disinfect with chlorine bleach solution. Apply bleach solution to hard, non-porous, surfaces. Leave the disinfectant on the surface for 10 minutes, rinse with water, then air dry.

    • Mix 1½ cup household bleach per gallon of water (a concentration of 5,000 ppm) for surfaces that were visibly contaminated.
    • Mix 1 tablespoon household bleach per quart of water (a concentration 1,000 ppm) to disinfect non-soiled surfaces.
    • Instead of bleach, you can use a disinfectant registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as effective against norovirus. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Quaternary ammonium (quat-) based sanitizers often found in schools are not effective against norovirus.
    • Increase the frequency of routine cleaning and disinfecting within the building.
    • Clean and disinfect bathrooms and frequently touched objects, like faucets, handles, doorknobs, handrails, and desktops several times each day until the outbreak is over.
    • Steam clean carpets at 160°F for 5 minutes.
    • Carefully handle clothes or linens contaminated with vomit or poop. Wear gloves while handing soiled items and wash your hands after removing gloves. Wash soiled items with detergent in hot water, then thoroughly machine dry.
    • Never mix bleach with ammonia or other chemicals.

    Use modified food handling practices.    

    Norovirus is easily spread through food and hand-to-mouth contact. During a norovirus outbreak:

    • Stop buffet, family style, or self-service menus (like salad bars or sharing common food at a table).
    • If a self-service menu is unavoidable, all food should be individually packaged or wrapped (e.g., serve salads in clamshell boxes).
    • Serve food directly to each student from the kitchen staff or service line during lunch.
    • Stop Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) food sales, potlucks, and sharing foods brought from student’s or staff’s homes.

    Resources