Is there a chance?

[trs12345]

I’m constantly asking these types of questions, my sincerest apologies. The fact that it isn’t truly known just how long norovirus can actually survive outside of a host strikes a whole lot of fear into me.

On August 11th, I basically left my grandparents’ house a few minutes after using a disinfected restroom that my uncle had gotten sick in. Despite it being disinfected, I don’t know what he used so there’s no promise that he killed off the virus, plus it’s possible he didn’t clean the toilet water either which is bothersome to me. Being that I had to get out quick because he was about to have another episode (he only had *D with this virus btw), I barely washed my hands.
So it’s possible viral particles had gotten on both my hands and my clothes.

Fast forward to this month, October. About two weeks ago, we bought a bag of wings from Walmart. Upon getting home, the grocery bag carrying the wings hit the back of my thigh, and being that I always sit on and never have disinfected the car seat, it leads me to think I transferred particles to the bags. It doesn’t help that I’ve touched the seat before touching the actual bag as well.

Of course, on that day, I decided to wash my hands, open the bag, wash them again, and take some of the wings out. After grabbing the last wing, I accidentally touched the outside of the bag and then touched the inside of it. So now at this point, I convinced myself that I put the virus in the bag, and today, I ended up eating the rest of the wings as I was hungry and couldn’t find anything else in the house so I’m pretty scared.

Should the virus have been dead at this point? Or am I pretty much doomed?

[ScaredinMD]

Hi Trs,
I can see this is causing you a lot of distress. I'm so sorry. I can so identify with you. It's one big chain event, isn't it? I think you are ok. I am a nursing student and have devoted the last 4 years to studying viruses that cause v* in adults in every research paper I've written (thanks, emetophobia). All of the information I've seen says norovirus can live for up to a few weeks (4 - 6 at most) on hard surfaces and less time on fabric. The two most effective methods for getting rid of particles? Bleach on surfaces, and handwashing for all 30 seconds (it takes that long to get the virus to unstick from your skin)... hand sanitizers are ineffective against noro. I think since that was in August, you've way passed the amount of weeks Noro can live on inanimate objects. YAY! WOOHOO! YOU ARE SAFE!

[trs12345]

I guess you’re right! It’s the 22nd, nearly 3 days later, and I’m still alright! Haha, thank you very much for your informative answer! Really helped calm me down.