7 Need-to-Know Facts About Norovirus

Not long ago, the only time you heard about norovirus was in the context of cruises, in which the virus swept through a cruise ship and knocked passengers down with a “stomach flu.” Unfortunately, norovirus has recently decided to disembark and strike people on airplanes, at school, and other scenarios, causing outbreaks around the world. Here’s what you should know about the illness before it reaches your doorstep.

1. Norovirus is not the flu.
2. Norovirus is incredibly contagious.
3. Symptoms emerge one to two days after exposure.
4. Children and older people are most affected.
5. Hand sanitizer isn’t too helpful against norovirus.
6. The good news? People with norovirus recover quickly.
7. You don’t need to panic just yet.

Norovirus is not the flu.

We’ve pretty much nicknamed norovirus the “stomach flu,” but in truth, it’s not the flu at all, and has nothing to do with the influenza virus. Norovirus is a separate virus that causes acute gastrointestinal distress. You get it by ingesting particles of feces or vomit from an infected person, usually through contaminated food, water, or surfaces.

Norovirus is incredibly contagious.

Once you get norovirus, you’ll more than likely spread it to someone else because it’s so contagious. Each infected person sheds billions of virus particles, and those particles can last on surfaces for weeks. You can catch it from caring for someone who’s sick, eating contaminated food or having a contaminated drink, sharing food or utensils, touching your mouth or face with hands that came into contact with the virus, and even using a bathroom that was recently used by someone with norovirus. On top of that, you continue to shed virus particles once you’ve recovered for two weeks or more.

Symptoms emerge one to two days after exposure.

You probably won’t know when you were exposed to norovirus until you start to feel sick—and then you can work backwards in your memory to recall where you might have picked it up. (This author has gotten it from a five-star restaurant and a shopping mall, so the possibilities are endless!) The most common symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, and nausea. You may also start to feel like you have the flu, with a fever, headache, and achy muscles. Watch out for dehydration too, especially after you’ve gotten sick; it can be a real problem when you’re expelling so much liquid from your body in such a short period.

Children and older people are most affected.

Anyone of any age can (and does) get sick with norovirus, but those most acutely affected are children under 5 and adults 85 and older. If you (or someone you know with norovirus) falls into that age group, you’re much more likely to need a visit to urgent care or the hospital. And for children, it can be a fatal problem—one out of every 110,000 kids dies from the virus annually.

Hand sanitizer isn’t too helpful against norovirus.

Unlike with COVID-19, hand sanitizer isn’t much help with norovirus. You’ll want to thoroughly wash your hands after using the restroom, changing a diaper, or caring for someone, and also before you prepare and eat food, to prevent infection and transmission. You can take a few other steps to stop the virus before it hits home: wash and cook all your food thoroughly; disinfect contaminated surfaces with bleach; just say no to potlucks; and wash potentially infected clothing thoroughly with hot water. If you’ve already gotten hit with the bug, don’t go out if you’re feeling sick and don’t prepare food for anyone while you’re sick or for a few days after recovering.

The good news? People with norovirus recover quickly.

It’s true—a norovirus infection can make you feel like you’re being served death on a silver platter. But try to push through it. You’ll feel better soon; in most cases, infected people recover in one to three days. Pushing through it is pretty much the only thing you can do, anyway. There’s no medicine that can help your body get rid of it, and antibiotics won’t help because they treat bacteria-based illnesses, not viruses. Dehydration, though, can be treated, so head to the ER if it gets really bad for you.

You don’t need to panic just yet.

Norovirus cases are on the rise, and yes, it’s super contagious—but you don’t need to worry too much yet. As of January 2025, CDC maps show outbreaks stretching across the country, but they’re not overwhelming any particular area. The outbreaks are small and responsible for only a handful of cases in each location. Norovirus is also rarely life-threatening, so you don’t need to worry that it’s going to literally kill you. As long as you practice proper hygiene and keep an eye on your local community to gauge transmission, you should be fine for the time being.

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