How to tell if you have norovirus and how to treat it

A recent study has shown that stomach bugs – such as the norovirus – decreased by more than half during the first six months of the pandemic. The authors say it's thanks to a change in behaviour brought about by Covid-19.

The BMJ Open paper found that outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections reported to health agencies in England fell by 52 percent compared with the average for the same period. It concluded that if people continued these hygiene practices – such as hand washing and social distancing – we could potentially see “sustained reductions" in gastrointestinal illness.

Norovirus, also commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, can spread quickly - particularly among families. It is easily transmitted via contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.

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The stomach bug causes sickness and diarrhoea and usually lasts for a couple of days. In March, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) reported that Norovirus outbreaks in England were increasing, especially in nurseries and care homes, as people began to mix more.

The main symptoms of norovirus include:

Other signs to look out for include:

Symptoms start suddenly within a day or two of being infected. Professor Saheer Gharbia, Gastrointestinal Pathogens and Food Safety Directorate, UKHSA, said: "Stay at home if you are experiencing norovirus symptoms and do not return to work or send children to school or nursery until 48 hours after symptoms have cleared.

"Please avoid visiting elderly relatives if you are unwell – particularly if they are in a care home or hospital. As with COVID-19 and other infectious illnesses, hand washing is really important to help stop the spread of this bug,