The norovirus made the news in a big way in the month of September thanks to a massive outbreak at Georgetown University. While the investigation into the outbreak has yet to locate the initial source, norovirus outbreaks often begin in food service, so certified food protection managers take notice that this outbreak has sickened nearly 150 people and take precautions to prevent a similar incident from happening at their food business or facility.
Certified Food Protection Managers And Norovirus Defense in High-Volume Facilities
Many norovirus cases fall under the radar when only a few individuals are sickened, but the case at Georgetown University shows what can happen in when the pathogen infects a large population. Officially, there is no link to food service in this Norovirus case, but certified food protection managers at university cafeterias, local school, hospitals and other facilities that serve a large amount of people every day have a great impact on preventing an outbreak such as this from even getting started. By taking a few simple precautions norovirus outbreaks can be stopped before they even begin by:
- Enforcing Proper Handwashing Techniques
- Avoiding Bare Hand Contact with Ready-to-Eat Foods
- Staying Home when Sick
These three very easy steps will greatly reduce the risk of spreading the norovirus whether you serve thousands of guests a day or under 10. In fact, these three tools not only prevent the spread of the norovirus, but can help stop many other common illness that begin in food service from spreading.
Have you taken the time to review these basic food safety techniques with your staff to reduce the chances of spreading the norovirus?