Nikki Sommer, a nurse with Key West Surgical Group, joined Good Morning Keys on KeysTalk 96.9/102.5 FM for Medical Matters this morning.
The norovirus has been on the upswing recently.
Sommer said, “So people will say, I have the stomach flu, or I have the flu. Sometimes they interchange, like they associate the flu with the stomach flu, but they’re not the same. Influenza is a respiratory virus and yes, you can have some type of nausea and vomiting and diarrhea with the regular flu, but this Norovirus is strictly in the GI tract, and it is a highly contagious virus that usually spreads from hand to mouth contact within 12 to 36 hours after exposure. So a lot of times in the winter months, it becomes more prevalent. So they’re seeing a surge right now. The CDC had released towards the end of 2024, and we’re only in a couple of weeks into 2025. Cases are rising.”
What are some of the symptoms?
Sommer said, “You tend to have, well, several days of vomiting and diarrhea, can be accompanied by body aches, fever and chills. So it’s a very unpleasant virus. It’s like gastroenteritis. So it’s inflammation of the stomach and the intestines, and it just makes you feel miserable for a couple of days.”
Hand washing is so incredibly important.
Sommer said, “Hand washing, since the beginning of my medical career, has been the most important thing to prevent the spread of any infection. Period, end of story.”
What about hand sanitizer?
Sommer said, “This virus in particular, is not immune to alcohol based sanitizers, so that’s why they say hand washing with soap and water is the best. So don’t rely on hand sanitizer to work against this virus, it doesn’t. So there’s something to be said about that. So you need to use soap and water for at least 20 seconds. There’s a science behind it. This particular virus is resistant to alcohol based products. If you don’t have access to a sink and you’ve been touching surfaces, the best thing you can do is, if you use the alcohol, I’m not going to tell you not to use that hand sanitizer. Use hand sanitizer, but don’t put anything near your mouth or touch your face, and then as soon as you can wash your hands.”
Preparing food at home is a good way to avoid this virus as well.
Sommer said, “When you make food at home, you know the cleanliness of your home. You know your counters are clean. You’re going to wash your hands. You’re going to prepare the food. So when making your own food, you wash your hands, you clean your counter surfaces. When you eat food where you don’t know where it came from, you’re more at risk for possibly contracting a virus.”
Are there options to help with the symptoms?
Sommer said, “Over the counter, anti diarrhea, medication, electrolytes, sport drinks a lot of times and Pedialyte for younger children, especially the very young. They’re notorious for just touching things and then putting their hands in their mouth, or touching dirty surfaces and grabbing a snack and not washing their hands. So they’re at risk for this. So having Pedialyte or Gatorade in the house water is great, but when you have such severe vomiting and diarrhea, you need something to replace those electrolytes.”
There’s no actual treatment for the norovirus other than treating the symptoms.
Sommer said, “Isolate yourself from others, try and slow down the stool with the anti diarrheal medication. Drink liquids. Try drink something that has electrolytes in it. If you don’t like Gatorade, there are other options. I know there is a powder called IV hydration. It works really great. However, it has kind of like a salty base, so a lot of people don’t like it. Try and find something that has electrolytes in it. I like coconut water. Coconut water is pretty good, too, but not the one with added sugar. If you can find, like, no added sugar, coconut water, it’s pretty good. Oh, here we go. TikTok claims that soda, cola is the prevention, cure for norovirus. It is not.”
You should slowly re-introduce food with the norovirus.
Sommer said, “Start with some crackers and toast if you’re hungry. Then the simple carbohydrates, broth based soups and fruits. Your body will you what it wants. Just try and do it in small steps. Don’t over indulge. You spent a couple of days basically clearing out your entire system.”
Dehydration is the biggest risk with the norovirus.
Sommer said, “For older people that take blood pressure medication, or a diuretic, where it’s trying to get rid of excess fluid, you have to be careful when you have this virus, it’s important to rehydrate. I’m not saying not to take your medicine, but be in touch with your doctor and let them know what’s going on. You can dehydrate quickly, as well as we talk about young children, they don’t have those cues of thirsty or trying to stay hydrated. They need help with that. So for kids who have symptoms if they start to have rapid breathing, or they’re really listless, you need to seek medical attention right away.”
How do you recover from norovirus?
Sommer said, “Just isolation and then hygiene, really, make sure you don’t spread it to anybody else and wash your hands. Wash your hands and wash all the surfaces with either an antibacterial or bleach-based product. You want to make sure your surfaces are clean, so that way you’re not touching the surface and putting in your mouth and reintroducing it to yourself or others.”
This virus can live on surfaces for up to four weeks.
Sommer said, “So that is why it is important to keep your counters clean. That’s why they say it’s better to eat food prepared in your own home, because you clean your counters, you wash your hands, you’re going to wash your vegetables. It could live on a surface for four weeks where other viruses do not.”
For more information, click here: https://www.keywestsurgicalgroup.com/