national guidelines on the management of outbreaks of norovirus ...

National Guidelines on the Management of Outbreaks of Norovirus Infection in Healthcare Settings NDSC
previous 72 hours) from non-affected areas can be discharged directly to a long stay unit or residential
institution without the need for microbiological clearance.
E. Exclusion of any ill staff from work for 48 hours after their last episode of vomiting or diarrhoea
Staff who become ill on duty with gastrointestinal symptoms should leave work immediately. No staff
member that has been ill should return to work for a full 48 hours after his or her last episode of vomiting or
diarrhoea. There is increasing evidence that people recuperating from illness due to norovirus can continue
to excrete the virus for a number of weeks following cessation of their symptoms 7 and therefore the absolute
importance of hand hygiene must be reinforced when staff return to work.
F. Sensible Management of Visiting
Sensible and sympathetic management of hospital/ nursing home visiting can assist in the control of
norovirus outbreaks:
Key Message
• During an outbreak, all visiting should be minimised.
• Children should, where possible, not visit during an outbreak.
Control measures include
immediate cleaning and
decontamination, frequent
• Visitors with a history of vomiting or diarrhoea at home should not visit a handwashing, cohorting of
hospital or nursing home (whether during an outbreak or otherwise) until at ill patients and exclusion of
least 48 hours after their last episode of vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
ill staff
Norovirus in Healthcare Settings - Page 9 -