So the first thing I see trending on FB on Christmas Morning...

[alexikiss]

WINTER VOMITING DISEASE: California health officials are warning about an uptick in cases of norovirus this winter.

It's the most...wonderful time...of the year!

[SoVerySorry]

I'm... so happy I'm on the opposite side of the country lol. General sanitary rules should keep you safe though!

[Dinosaurbirthday]

Yep...just saw that article too and it ruined my Christmas. I'm hoping it's being overhyped and my usual hand washing will keep protecting me. This time of year is so difficult.

[Bebopy5]

No matter how much of an outbreak there is in your area you are at no greater risk if only one person has it. Keep up the hand washing and you will be fine.

[kimin661]

O-M-G I saw that last night. I didn't sleep at all last night and I worried about it all day today. :'( They said there have been 34 outbreaks so far, compared to the nine last year. What in the world!!! Ugh. So sorry..... I am in the same boat.

[PsiRockin]

When I was unwrapping my presents, the news started saying that. I live in Cali. I'm gonna stay inside with my new drawing tab now. Hopefully you all are well and avoid this.

[Razzle]

Hand washing and I should also emphasize (this may be counterproductive to healing from this phobia but oh well) sanitizing your phone every once in awhile as well.
It sounds super OCD but the way I see it? If you use your phone a lot (as I do) you transfer a lot of germs onto it. Ever see what happens to a white phone case after a couple of weeks? It's pretty gross.

Just a small, slightly OCD tip there.

[kimin661]

Just got done purchasing $40 worth of germstar noro and monk sanitizing wipes... I WILL NOT let this go through my house damnit. -_-

[gumdropper1]

I also saw that article and thought it was funny that LA Times referred to it as Winter Vomiting Disease. It hasn't been called that since the early 70s. Then it got changed to Norwalk virus (after it was isolated in Norwalk, Ohio) and then norovirus (after other Norwalk-like viruses were identified). Yes, there is more than one.

I think Winter Vomiting Disease is a horrible name and should make every emet fear winter tremendously.

[ChiGal]

^^^I think anyone would cringe at that name lol!

[andee]

Just commented to another post about this. 32 cases in all of CA is not that much, even though it's up from last year. I'm trying to calm myself with that. Also, DO NOT read all the comments under the articles about this. It will scare the living heck out of you. I started and had to stop. Just keep washing...everything!!

[kimin661]

It's not cases, it's outbreaks. 32 outbreaks. 😩😩😩

[Flowerchild]

I was confused by the article too. Although the vomiting bug or norovirus whatever you want to call it doesn't particularly frighten me. I was confused because the wording of the article was unclear. It said outbreaks but also said that there have been 32 confirmed cases of it as compared to last year there was 9. I strongly believe that media overly dramatizes everything .

[andee]

Yes, I misread...but what is the definition of an "outbreak?"

[deeendnamtoe]

Yeah...I'm freaking out over that too. I mean, 32 cases means hundreds of cases, but that's still only hundreds in a state that has almost 40 million people. Still, I freak out. And I did the math, 500 people out of 40 million is .00125%. So in my mind...WHAT IF I'M PART OF THAT .00125%. hahaha. I hate this phobia.

[redastrid]

An outbreak can mean two people depending on the disease or if the media is running out of things to talk about lately. Honestly every winter I see a bunch of articles that are like "worst year for norovirus ever recorded!!" so at this point I feel like they just say that every year for drama.