\n\tMost everyone has experienced the dreaded stomach bug at some point, and cases are surging as 2026 begins. When your child comes home with it from school, it can feel like it\u2019s inevitable that the whole household will come down with it. Why is norovirus, also known as the \u201cstomach bug,\u201d so contagious? Is there any way to avoid it?\n<\/p>\n
\n\tUR Medicine infectious disease expert Brenda Tesini, MD, separates fact from fiction and explains the most important things to do to help keep norovirus from spreading.\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n MYTH: Norovirus is the same as flu or food poisoning.<\/b><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tNorovirus is commonly referred to as the \u201cstomach flu,\u201d but it\u2019s a completely different virus from the one that causes actual flu. It can also be confused with food poisoning because they have similar symptoms, and both can spread through contaminated food.\n<\/p>\n \n\tNorovirus is a group of viruses that cause vomiting and diarrhea. It\u2019s the leading cause of these symptoms in the United States. Symptoms generally show up between 12 and 48 hours after exposure.\n<\/p>\n \n\tNorovirus is best known for causing outbreaks on cruise ships but can also spread in many group settings like daycares, schools, nursing homes, and households.\n<\/p>\n \n\tNorovirus is extremely contagious because people who are sick with it can release billions of virus particles, and it takes less than 100 of those particles to infect someone else. A person can be contagious for two to three days after they start to feel better.\n<\/p>\n \n\tPlus, the virus can stay on objects or surfaces for up to two weeks and is hard to clean off completely. The virus also survives high heat (up to 145 degrees Fahrenheit), so it can spread through food that is cooked quickly with low heat.\n<\/p>\n MYTH: Activated charcoal, grape seed extract, and Coca-Cola can help prevent infection.<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tThere is a lot of disinformation on social media, but the only way to prevent norovirus is by careful handwashing and disinfecting.<\/p>\n