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This past week weโve focused on the three most prominent respiratory illnesses affecting Sheboygan County; Influenza, COVID-19, and RSV. There are other viruses circulating, like the common cold. Another โstandoutโ, though, is often mis-identified as the fluโฆor more commonly, the โstomach fluโ, and thatโs Norovirus. Sheboygan County Health Officer Starrlene Grossman described the virus and what you could expect if you catch it.
โThat is a virus that spreads from contaminated surfaces; it causes stomach cramping, diarrhea, vomitingโฆall those awful symptoms. Youโre pretty sick and you donโt want to leave the house, and then it kind of peters out, so yes, we are seeing that in the State of Wisconsin as well.โ
Norovirus gets around very well through direct contact, but it doesnโt typically draw a lot of attention according to Grossman.
โNorovirus is one of those viruses thatโs highly communicable, so itโs very easy to spread. It is not a reportable illness in the State of Wisconsin, so we know that itโs spreading, but we donโt necessarily have the data to say that โthis is how many folks are diagnosed with Norovirus in our communityโ, but we do know that within the State of Wisconsin that weโre seeing more Norovirus.โ
Norovirus is something of an exception in that hand sanitizers alone arenโt effective in preventing its spread. If you discover that Norovirus has been present, then itโs important to disinfect any possibly contaminated surfaces and dispose of any food or water that may have come in contact with the carrier. Bleach-based products are the most effective in killing the virus on surfaces, and frequent hand washing is recommended, too.
Preventing illness in the first place is the best, but itโs not guaranteed โ and neither is insurance guaranteed to cover everything to prevent it. But if you get sick, it can become even more expensive. Morgan Rahn, the Clinical Servicesโ Program Supervisor with the Sheboygan County DPH, said that their agency can help.
โSo we have some resources available for people who live in Sheboygan County if youโre uninsured or under-insured. Youโre considered uninsured if you donโt have any private health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, any of that. Youโre considered under-insured if you have health insurance, but it doesnโt cover certain vaccines, or if your insurance has a fixed dollar amount for vaccines.โ
If all goes well, weโll be past the peak of cold and flu season in another month or two, but until then, the experts say: Practice good hygiene with frequent hand washing, stay home if youโre sick, cover your coughs and sneezes with your elbow, not your hands, and stay up-to-date with the most recent vaccinations.
For more information and resources on local health issues and services, visit the Sheboygan County Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health through this link.
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