Norovirus Germs Can Live on Surfaces for up to Two Weeks

Norovirus — sometimes called the stomach flu — is as persistent as it is unpleasant. These troublesome germs can survive on people, surfaces and food for up to two weeks!

“Norovirus is so contagious, you only need to be exposed to a few viral particles to catch it,” family medicine doctor Charles Garven, MD, explains. If you get sick, you’re shedding billions of those particles in your poop and vomit. And, while it’s not fun to think about, those particles can end up in all sorts of places.

In addition to interacting with people, you can catch norovirus through direct contact with contaminated surfaces, foods and drinks. Norovirus has a 12-to-48-hour incubation period. That means you can have it — and spread it — before ever experiencing symptoms.

But wait! It gets worse!

“If somebody’s coughing, sneezing or vomiting in an area where you have a lot of people close together ― like a cruise ship or a dormitory — norovirus can even spread through the air,” Dr. Garven adds.

How to protect yourself and your family from norovirus germs

When it comes to norovirus, the best defense is a good offense. And, while it’s common to call norovirus the “stomach flu,” it’s not at all related to influenza. That means a flu shot (or any vaccine, for that matter) can’t protect you from catching it.

Dr. Garven shares his recommendations to prevent catching and spreading the stomach flu.

Disinfect surfaces with bleach

Norovirus is extremely resilient. So, not any cleaner will do. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains a list of antimicrobial products that are effective against norovirus. If you want to keep it simple, you can opt to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s guidelines instead. If there’s a sick mess, all you have to do is:

• Mix between five and 25 tablespoons of household bleach into a gallon of water.
• Wear gloves and a mask to avoid being exposed to aerosolized norovirus.
• Wipe up as much of the mess as you can using dry paper towels or rags. The bleach solution can degrade if it’s exposed to too much diarrhea or vomit, so you want the surface to look clean before introducing disinfectant.
• Put your bleach solution on the affected area and let it sit for at least five minutes.
• Wipe up the disinfectant.
• Launder any soiled clothes, rags or linens in high heat on a long cycle.
• Clean and sanitize any non-disposable cleaning items.
• Take out contaminated trash like paper towels or disposable gloves.
• Thoroughly wash your hands.

If you’re cleaning up a mess on carpet or upholstery, steaming is the safest option. Noroviruses can survive temperatures as high as 145 degrees Fahrenheit (62.77 degrees Celsius), so make sure you’re using the right tool for the job.

Noroviruses can live on hard surfaces, like plastic, for more than two weeks. So, even after everybody feels better, sanitize high-touch surfaces like doorknobs and TV remotes every day. Even on soft surfaces like a carpet or fabric, norovirus can be viable for a few days to a week.

Practice good hand hygiene

Because norovirus is so contagious, Dr. Garven advises washing your hands:

• After using the bathroom or changing a diaper
• Before preparing, eating or handling food
• After coughing, sneezing or vomiting
• Before taking or giving someone medicine

Here’s a fact you might not know: Drying your hands is just as important as washing them! Germs transfer more easily when you’ve got wet hands. Taking an extra few seconds to dry your hands thoroughly is an infection-control measure.

Skip hand sanitizer

If reading this is making your stomach turn, you may be tempted to reach for the hand sanitizer. But here’s another thing you might not know: Hand sanitizer isn’t very effective against noroviruses.

The hand sanitizer industry has grown since the COVID-19 pandemic. And some hand sanitizer brands do claim their products kill noroviruses. But a 2022 study of eight such brands found none of them could eliminate it completely.

“Hand sanitizer is a great option in between hand washing, or in addition to it,” Dr. Garven clarifies. “But it’s no replacement for a methodical 20-second scrubbing with soap and water.”

Keep your distance (if you can)

The stomach flu is easy to catch and hard to kill. But practicing social distancing can help stop the spread. If you come down with norovirus, Dr. Garven recommends:

• Staying home for at least as long as you have symptoms. If possible, wait until you’ve been symptom-free for two days before returning to your regularly scheduled routine.
• Isolating yourself in separate rooms, if possible. If you have more than one bathroom and bedroom, take advantage. “Avoid common spaces like the kitchen as much as you can until your symptoms are gone,” Dr. Garven urges.
• Mask up. When norovirus droplets or aerosols make it into the air, they can stay there for a while. So, if you have to be around large groups of people while you’re sick — or in the days or weeks following your illness — consider wearing a mask. It reduces the risk of spreading the bug when you cough, sneeze or vomit.

Final thoughts

Noroviruses are super contagious. So, social distancing, hygiene and other preventive measures can only ever do so much. But even a small impact is an impact worth making.

Taken together, these measures can help protect those in our communities who are vulnerable to complications. And if you’ve ever been sick with the stomach flu before, you know that’s a difference worth making.