Hand Sanitizer Won’t Protect You From Norovirus—but This Will
Norovirus cases are surging across the country, with the U.S. seeing more than double the number of outbreaks compared to this time last year. So, figuring out how to protect yourself from contracting the virus that can cause vomiting and diarrhea (often at the same time) is more important now than ever. But, does hand sanitizer kill norovirus?
It’s a hardy virus, and it’s harder to kill than many others. As a result, some of the usual methods of preventing illness won’t work against it. Couple that with it being incredibly infectious, and there’s additional thought that needs to go into how to protect yourself.
Meet the experts: Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York; William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine; Infectious Disease Expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.
Whether someone in your household has norovirus or you just want to be extra-vigilant, here’s what you need to know about what will and won’t kill norovirus.
Does hand sanitizer kill norovirus?
While they’re convenient when you’re on the go, hand sanitizers will not kill norovirus, per the CDC. “The alcohol in them can’t just penetrate and disrupt this virus,” says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
However, Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, points out that hand sanitizer is still effective at inactivating the influenza virus, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
Norovirus has certain structural features that make it difficult to kill. It has a protective protein shell called a capsid that makes it resistant to many common methods that are used to neutralize viruses.
“Norovirus is a much more environmentally stable and hearty virus because it lacks an envelope,” says Infectious Disease Expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “The viral structure is such that it is able to survive in the environment because it does not have an envelope that may dry out. Envelopes are made of fatty molecules.”
How to kill norovirus
Norovirus may be harder to neutralize than viruses like the flu, RSV, or SARS-CoV-2, but it’s not invincible. Here’s what works against this virus.
Wash your hands with soap and water
Dr. Schaffner points out that soap and water don’t technically kill norovirus—but they can help to get rid of the virus. “Soap and water actually lifts up the virus,” he says. “The combination surrounds the virus with soap and then you literally wash it off.”
He stresses the importance of washing your hands properly—meaning, for at least 20 seconds. Dr. Schaffner also shares something his household does that seems to help: “When we come home, we hang up our coats and immediately go wash our hands in the sink with soap and water. We think that helps.”
Cook your food properly
Norovirus spreads through direct contact with norovirus particles, including accidentally getting those particles in your mouth from an infected person. While these particles can be spread through touch, they also can be passed on through contaminated food.
Norovirus is resistant to freezing temperatures and foods need to be heated to an internal temperature of at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit to be killed, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “Anything below that won’t inactivate it,” Dr. Russo says.
Dr. Russo says this is especially important with shellfish, which are more prone to carrying norovirus.
Wash your clothes in hot water
If someone with norovirus gets sick on clothes or linens, the CDC recommends washing them with detergent and hot water at the maximum available cycle length. It’s also important to dry them at the highest heat setting and wash your hands well with soap and water afterward.
If someone in your home is sick with norovirus, Dr. Russo recommends wearing a mask while caring for them. “This virus can also aerosolize,” he says. “Even though it’s not officially recommended, I would wear a mask to try to minimize spread.”
How to kill norovirus on surfaces
Norovirus can also survive on surfaces for long periods of time and only a small number of viral particles are needed to make someone sick. Specifically, people with norovirus can shed billions of particles but it only takes a few particles to make a person sick, according to the CDC.
Use a special disinfectant or bleach
All disinfectants are not created equal. “Norovirus is not inactivated by alcohol,” says Dr. Russo. Instead, you need to use a product that contains bleach or that is registered with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to kill norovirus, Dr. Russo says. Only disinfectants that contain bleach or are registered with the EPA to kill norovirus are effective against the virus. It’s also important to use these properly by following the directions on the label.
If you plan to make your own bleach solution, the CDC recommends adding 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach per gallon of water. Then, leave the bleach solution on the area for at least five minutes before wiping it off.
If you’re cleaning an area that someone with norovirus has vomited or had diarrhea on, the CDC also suggests cleaning the area again with soap and hot water after using bleach or disinfectant.
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