Norovirus in Michigan

[mitch04133]

I just hate hearing stories on the news about the norovirus and food poisioning. This is exactly why I hate eating out!! I am more scared of getting food poisiong than anything else. People can be dirty and disgusting, not wash there hands, and come to work sick! And it scares the crap out of me!!!


ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Fifty-two people contracted norovirus after eating at five separate events catered by a popular downtown Ann Arbor eatery, according to the Ann Arbor News.





The events were sponsored by Afternoon Delight Cafe starting Dec. 1, and people started reporting they fell ill a day or two afterward, health officials said.





Health officials said testing confirmed norovirus, which is a group of viruses that cause symptoms similar to those of the stomach flu. Health officials added that the virus is easily spread and highly contagious.


The virus may have been spread by an employee who had fallen ill and returned to work thinking they were better, but were still contagious, the Ann Arbor News reported.





According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, norovirus is common during this time of the year.





The owner of the cafe said the restaurant has been thoroughly sanitized and is working closely with the health department.

[kasey]

Ok, Maybe I sound harsh but this is criminal.


People should be tested or something to see if they are still contagious before going back to work...Do ya'll even realize how that would minimalize the spread of this? And if some idiot goes back to work without being properly seen by a doctor, arrest them. It's criminal to me and I would file suit.


Not kidding either.


I am sick and tired of hearing about people who go back to work while still being contagious[img]smileys/smilies_07.gif[/img]

[blancfixe]

I agree to an extent. Certain people might lose their jobs if they don't go in, especially low wage people. That said, there is NO EXCUSE for not washing your hands after you go to the bathroom/v* whatever. If something is coming out of your body, you wash your hands after, I don't care which orifice.

So question: Do you guys appreciate news notice of norwalk/rotovirus? For example, I live in DC and on the news this am, they said that there is a huge outbreak at Catholic University. While it may make me superparanoid (I actually just washed down the bathroom handles here at work), I appreciate knowing, so I know how careful I need to be. I really wish that they had an sv outbreak map on the weather channel website like they do for allergies, cold and influenza.

One more question, does that 'airborne' stuff help at all with sv? I am flying home to Cleveland in a week and don't want to catch anything from those incubators they call planes. (If there's a better forum on this one, please feel free to direct me!)

[christianne]

One more question, does that 'airborne' stuff help at all with sv?* I am flying home to Cleveland in a week and don't want to catch anything from those incubators they call planes.* (If there's a better forum on this one, please feel free to direct me!)

I fly ALOT and I've heard mixed reviews on "Airborne". Some say it works okay, others say it doesn't do anything at all. I personally have never taken it, mostly because it's really expensive for just a few of those tablets. So with flying 4 days a week it really would be too much $$$! BUT....I've really never gotten ill either, except for a cold here and there. I just wash my hands alot instead and take mutivitamins and vitamin C.

Airborne is really just vitamins, so it can't really "prevent" anything, just helps to strengthen your immune system. It can't hurt to take it, but washing your hands before you touch your face or mouth and so forth is really the best defense against coming down with anything.

Have a great trip! [img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[blancfixe]

Thanks! Yeah, I know that type of stuff is a crapshoot, and that it's basically concentrated vitamins. I've heard gross things about airplane bathroom water, so I'll have to hold off til I land.

How does being emet and flying so much work for you? I'm only afraid of flying b/c of turbulence and 'v* potential'. Crashing, not so much. Just whether I'd v* on the way down....

[melissarene]

Yeah, it's ALL over in Michigan. There is a preschool/dayschool closed today due to illness here in Kalamazoo. It's totally freaking me out. Not to mention a coworker who is here today and doesn't feel well. Just great.

[kellybean]

I heard that story on the news the other day. I can't beleive one person got 50 others sick. It spreads like wildfire. Very scary.

[mitch04133]

I guess what grosses me out the worse, is that it is transmitted oral-fecal route. So this person is obviously not washing there hands proprely. He proably went to the bathroom, and didn't wash all the poop off of this hands, then it got mixed up in the food. How gross is that? That is why I am always so scared to eat out!

[kasey]

Yeah, People just need to learn the proper way to wash...Just water doesn't do a damn thing. I have been in public bathrooms and seen the way some people "wash" their hands...It's disgusting.

[stormchaser97]

I heard that story on the news the other day. I can't beleive one person got 50 others sick. It spreads like wildfire. Very scary.

Just keep in mind, one person only gets 50 other sick WHEN they're handling food. Usually speaking, according the research I've read, one person gets an average of 1.1 other people sick under normal circumstances. Even that should be questioned because it's probably one unsanitary person getting a couple people sick and some clean people getting nobody sick. So it's really the food handling that's wildfire, not other situations.

[stormchaser97]

Seriously, though, this upsets me for reasons not having to do with just my emet. I mean, yeah sure, its just a crappy few days for normal people who get this, but the elderly and small children can have SERIOUS complications from this. So can people with compromised immune systems like AIDS patients or people underoing chemo. It's not just not fair to us, it's not fair to a lot of other people too, they CANT afford to get something like this.

[worrygirl]

I don't understand WHY people don't wash their hands after using the bathroom?! WHY, WHY, WHY????????

[tree1211]

I'm telling you, a town for emets only is sounding better and better.

[californiagirl]

Ok, Maybe I sound harsh but this is criminal.


People should be tested or something to see if they are still contagious before going back to work...Do ya'll even realize how that would minimalize the spread of this? And if some idiot goes back to work without being properly seen by a doctor, arrest them. It's criminal to me and I would file suit.


Not kidding either.


I am sick and tired of hearing about people who go back to work while still being contagious[img]smileys/smilies_07.gif[/img]

I completely agree with you. Because of the sick person's stupidity, people, HUNDREDS at a time, are getting sick, and some are even ending up in the hospital! I know that if I ended up in the hospital because I got sick from an ill employee in a restaurant, and was stuck with high medical bills, I'd be PI**ED!!!! I am so sick and tired of being financially responsible for someone else's stupidity (been having alot of that lately!!!)


I understand that people have to work, so fine, have the sick person do some other duty that doesn't involve putting the public at risk. People with compromised immune systems are getting very sick, and that, to me, is unacceptable.

[sheri-baby]

i've always been in the bar and restaraunt business...non-emets don't think or care about contaminating customers food and drink...same goes for bosses...if it's busy...most bosses won't even let you call in sick..they beg you to come in...or sometimes you have no choice!!....