Norovirus up by 72% in the UK

[theresetoby]

thats petrifying to hear.... absolutely petrifying.

[claire43]

Well theresetoby I wouldnt go that far but it certainly makes you realise just how vulnerable you are. Its a bit of a lottery as to who gets its & who doesnt. I get personal hygiene etc but your case is proof positive how it can spread like wildfire despite all your best efforts at cleaning up.

[jotini]

maybe the person who had wiped his face with his hand and then touched things.
your case doesn't refute how it is spread
hand washing for some people isn't very good...i.e. they're not very good at it.
i'm still going with good hand hygiene being the best prevention.

[Cynna]

Good hand washing just like jotini said.

Just remember that the members that have gotten sick have all survived. Many did not v... at all, many only had d..... The few that did v... found that it was not as bad as they feared.

Try to relax, turn off the news, distract your mind when it obsesses or has irrational thoughts about v....

Remember that for most the more they research and read about noro they more they obsess about it.

You do not have to wash hands until they bleed. Just wash hands like normal. Clean bathrooms like normal. We will all be ok.

[marieb73]

The CDC has identified it as a new strain from Australia, hence no immunity to it. In BC, they are saying it is the worst since the 2006-2007 season which again was thanks to a new strain.

Handwashing isn't a guarantee but it goes a long way to helping stop or stall the spread. So keep your hands clean, maybe eat at your home instead of restaurants or other peoples homes and your chances of catching it will go way down.

[frosty]

Hi guys, I am really scared about this too, the media, the hype.. the outbreak... like I am going to catch it eventually... I'm so scared that my mum, dad or sister could come down with it as they are not hygienic as me! help

[Rls1994]

Same frosty. But look at it this way, even if one does catch it, doesn't mean you will too! As long as you use precautions and wash your hands frequently you will be OK. By the way, welcome to the forum! Was it bad in 2006-2007 too? I heard of no one going down with it. I was in school then and didn't hear of anyone getting it.

[Cynna]

This thread talks about the new strain.

http://www.emetophobia.org/showthrea...ews-about-noro

[claire43]

Just heard of another family of 3 adults all coming down with noro one after the other over christmas/new year! Its just never ending. I had to work in another branch today which is about 8 miles from where I normally work & I had to eat from local bakery. It wasnt very nice & it was cold & I keep thinking what if the person who handled it wasnt hygienic ....... we all know what Im thinking. So now every odd noise my stomach makes or symptoms I could put down to IBS I instinctively think noro. I got flu vaccine done privately 10 days ago just wish there was one available for noro too.

[rivercity1973]

Trust me If you had it you don't get ANY warning, so if you have any thing going on in your stomach and you don't v immediately, you DON'T have norovirus. So it's great if you think you might have symptoms cause you don't and if you do get it you don't have time to worry and instinct takes over to get you through. Remember our fears are a learnt response but evolution means your body knows how to react. It's horrible to go through but living with the fear is far worse.

[claire43]

Thanks that makes sense

[LouK]

Rivercity do you feel any less anxious about things since having noro?

have also been worrying with any stomach or bowel ache so your comment above has helped.

[rivercity1973]

Hi louk
I guess I'm a little less worried now, I'm not saying if someone said I was going to v now I'd be calm, but I was so scared of it before that the reality didn't live up to my fears. Put it this way, whilst I was v&d I was still able to come on here and post what was happening!!! As I've said it's as if your body goes into auto pilot and you have no time for fear as you just have to get on with it. My mate asked me a month ago if I'd rather lose a finger than get noro, at the time I think I'd have sacrificed my whole hand! but having lived through it my thoughts are I coped as well or better than all the others who got it who do not share our fear. Honestly guys ask anyone that's had it, you don't get warning so safely ignore all your funny tummy pains, and if you get it I promise you, you will cope and your body will remove all your fears to help you. Swearing at the toilet also seemed to help, I was even able to laugh during it!

[frosty]

Same frosty. But look at it this way, even if one does catch it, doesn't mean you will too! As long as you use precautions and wash your hands frequently you will be OK. By the way, welcome to the forum! Was it bad in 2006-2007 too? I heard of no one going down with it. I was in school then and didn't hear of anyone getting it.

There's usually something every year... I went to a really dirty school so sv was going round like wildfire. My sister was going to school too, I swear it's school :/ it was so long ago I hardly remember but from that day on I lived in school healthily just because of good hygiene and keeping myself healthy.. I think it worked but yeah can't help but be apprehensive about the future how you managing?

[rivercity1973]

Food for thought. The wife of the first guy who brought noro to my house, despite sharing a bed with him and having to clean up her one year olds D & V, did not catch it!!! She has had it a couple of years ago so is not immune, and her baby V over her! I just dont understand it