Lessons learnt.

[Sally Furniss]

Valuable lessons gleaned from norovirus

22 March 2006 <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=5 border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=5>

</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>By NAOMI MITCHELL

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Lessons learnt from the suspected norovirus outbreak that closed Nelson College last Friday will be vital in coping with a bird flu pandemic, health officials say.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nelson Marlborough District Health Board primary and community general manager Peter Burton said while a flu pandemic would be "a lot more widespread", the norovirus outbreak was a good indication of what might happen. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]The outbreak highlighted the need to keep away from others if you were sick, wash and dry hands often and stay away from the emergency department unless it was an emergency, he said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]It also emphasised the need for people who take care of themselves or sick people at home, to have adequate supplies of paracetamol, food, water and tissues, he said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Public Health and schools worked very well together during the outbreak, he said. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"It is exactly what we would hope is the case with a pandemic influenza." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Mr Burton was surprised at the amount of media interest the outbreak created, but said it highlighted a need to keep people informed. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"The need to communicate well during an influenza pandemic about what is going on, and what to do, is a fundamental part." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Norovirus is highly contagious. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]People can be infected through direct contact with another person who is sick, through eating contaminated food, or touching surfaces and objects contaminated with the virus.
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nelson general medical practitioners' spokesman Graham Loveridge said there was one important message people should have learnt from the outbreak: "wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands". [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"All the drugs in the world won't be a match for the very basics." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Nelson College headmaster Salvi Gargiulo said the pupils had learnt "first hand" the need to stay away from school if they were sick, to avoid spreading the virus. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]They had also learnt the importance of regular hand-washing. The school has permanently installed anti-bacterial hand gel dispensers, which Mr Gargiulo said students were now using frequently. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]"It is how we can stop these things spreading. It is the same with all the bugs." [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]Laboratory results indicating whether the outbreak was caused by norovirus are expected later this week.
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[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, MS Sans Serif]http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/nelsonmail/0,2106,3612522a6510,00.html
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