Frontier Academy Elementary Campus

December 13, 2023-Norovirus Alert

12/13/23, 12:16 PM

NOROVIRUS ALERT

 

December 13, 2023

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Important Notice to Parents/Guardians/Staff,

 

An increase in suspect norovirus activity, characterized by vomiting and diarrhea, has been observed at Frontier Academy Schools and your child may have been exposed to the virus while attending class and/or school activities. The Weld County Department of Public Health & Environment (WCDPHE) has advised us that norovirus is likely causing the illness.

 

Norovirus Symptoms

 

Symptoms include a sudden onset of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Some students have had a low-grade fever. The symptoms of norovirus illness usually begin about 12-48 hours after exposure to the virus. We need your help to stop the further spread of illness in our community and your home.

 

How It Spreads

 

Norovirus easily spreads from person to person. It is estimated that as few as 18 virus particles can cause illness, compared to the billions that a sick person sheds in their stool and vomit. The illness spreads when tiny particles of virus from an infected person’s stool or vomit enter another person’s mouth.

 

This can occur when you: 

• Have direct contact with another infected person (for example, when caring for someone who is ill or sharing food with someone who is ill). 
• Touch a surface or object (for example, a computer, door knob, phone, or bathroom faucet) contaminated with norovirus and then touch your face. 
• Eat food or drink liquids that have been contaminated with norovirus.
• This virus can stay on surfaces and infect people for days to weeks.
• A person is most contagious from the time symptoms appear through 5 days after symptoms appear.
• Most household cleaners and disinfectants are not strong enough to completely kill norovirus.

Steps You Can Take

 

You can help slow or prevent the spread of illness by taking these steps: 

• Keep your child(ren) home from school or childcare for at least 48 hours after vomiting or diarrhea symptoms have stopped. 
• Help your child learn to wash his or her hands properly with soap and water. 
• Wash your hands and your child’s hands frequently, especially after using the bathroom or changing diapers, before preparing or eating food. 
• Avoid touching your face. 
• Don’t share food or drinks with other people, especially when you’re sick or they’re sick. 
• Don’t prepare food for others if you have vomiting or diarrhea, or for 48 hours after symptoms end. 
• Immediately flush vomit or diarrhea, or, dispose of it in a trash bag and immediately remove it from your home. 
• Clean and disinfect the areas where someone vomits or has diarrhea.

See the next section for recommended cleaning procedures. 

• Immediately remove and machine wash and dry any clothing or linens soiled by vomit or diarrhea. 
• While there is no treatment or vaccine for norovirus, it is important to drink plenty of liquids. This replaces fluid lost from diarrhea or throwing up and prevents dehydration.

How to Properly Disinfect Surfaces

 

Norovirus can survive on surfaces for weeks and most disinfectants that advertise the ability to kill 99.9% of germs and viruses are not strong enough to kill norovirus.

 

To prevent the spread of this highly contagious virus in your home it is recommended to regularly disinfect surfaces using the following guidelines: 

 

The instructions on the bleach label for household disinfecting are strong enough to kill most viruses, but not norovirus. 

• Bleach solutions found in your local supermarkets contain 6.0-8.25% bleach (sodium hypochlorite).
• If your bleach content is 6.0% you should use a solution of 1 cups bleach in 1 gallon of water for 1 minute contact time.
• If your bleach content is 8.25% (sometimes labeled as ‘concentrated’) you should use a solution of 1 cup bleach in 1 gallon of water for 1-minute contact time. 
• All disinfectants identify a ‘contact time.’ This is how long a surface should remain wet once you apply the product.
• It is important that you follow the instructions for contact time to fully kill the virus. If the surface begins to air dry before the full contact time has passed simply coat the surface with the solution again before it air dries.

Please call your healthcare provider if you have concerns regarding this illness.

 

Sincerely,