UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — With THON fast approaching, Penn State University Health Services (UHS) is urging anyone with symptoms of norovirus to stay home. This includes the period while symptoms are active and for at least 48 hours after symptoms resolve. Symptoms typically include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain and sometimes fever.

Norovirus, also called the “stomach flu” or “the stomach bug,” can hit quickly, often within 12 to 24 hours of exposure, and is highly infectious. While people generally recover from norovirus illness within 24 to 72 hours, they may still be infectious for several days after symptoms are gone, particularly for the 48 hours immediately following symptom resolution.

People most likely to suffer from severe symptoms that may result in hospitalization are young children, older adults and anyone with compromised immune systems, such as the Four Diamonds children.

If you become sick with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain or fever, follow these guidelines:

• Stay home and rest, and try to isolate yourself from others as much as possible.
• Try to hydrate by drinking clear liquids, such as sports drinks (without caffeine), ice chips and water. Sipping liquids and gradually advancing the amount may be better tolerated by your gastrointestinal system.
• Do not prepare or serve food or work in any health care, day care or food services role until at least 48 hours after symptoms are completely resolved.
• Do not go to THON.
• Wash your hands with soap and water after using the restroom and before eating or preparing food.

To help reduce the risk of sharing and contracting norovirus, UHS is reminding individuals to take the following preventive measures:

• Wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after using the restroom or before preparing food; use alcohol-based hand sanitizers when soap and water are not available.
• Do not share food or drinks.
• Clean surfaces with an EPA-approved disinfectant or use a chlorine bleach preparation with 1/3 cup of bleach per gallon of water. The area should remain wet with the bleach solution for at least 10 minutes. This is especially important for nearby surfaces after vomiting or diarrhea since viral particles can splatter. Wear rubber household gloves when cleaning and disinfect them when done. Wash your hands when done cleaning.
• Use hot water to wash towels, bedding and clothing that may have been contaminated with virus splatter.

“It is unfortunate that the seasonal norovirus wave tends to correlate with THON. But this is a highly contagious virus — it is like wildfire, and it takes a very small number of virus particles to transmit the disease,” said Cecilia Devonshire, infection control nurse manager at UHS. “Therefore, it’s so important to stay home and isolate if you have symptoms or are recovering from symptoms. So many of us are experiencing some form of pandemic fatigue, but that continued approach to contain our germs by not attending gatherings when we are sick is another way to show love to our community.”

For additional information on norovirus, visit the CDC website. If you have additional questions about your risks, contact the UHS advice nurses at 814-865-4847 (press 3).