Norovirus!

[MaryMac]

Hi everyone, hope you are doing as well as this hideous anxiety lets you! Right now I'm in a panic about noro, (at least it's not cancer I suppose...) It's been on the news, in the papers, it's at a 5 year high... I have emetophobia which is pretty much the root of all of my anxiety, I've had it since I was 4 and haven't vomited since then. I'm 30 now so I keep thinking my time must be up soon.
I'm good at avoiding people who are ill, my friends and family all understand that they must stay the hell away from me but it's people in public who aren't so sympathetic!
I've hardly left the house this week, other than to do my messages as I work from home during the week which is good so I know I haven't come into contact with anyone who has it but I'm still scared!
Anyone else anxious just now? I wish the papers would stop sensationalising it!

[Ats666]

Yes yes yes, I panic when I see the word and I work in a hospital so im constantly on edge re norovirus...it doesn't help when the press hype it up. You are right the general public are the ones to worry about, don't know if you see this but the amount of people who don't wash their hands after the toilet doesn't help the situation :( xx

[Iced_diamond]

Hi there, this is why the press really winds me up sometimes...I'm all too familiar with the Norovirus hype this time of year and I am not going to deny that it exists and people become affected by it, but a lot of people are affected by a lot of things every single day, which we never hear about. You see, people want to sell newspapers. Boring stories like maybe: "Who has grown the largest marrow this year?" don't sell and don't get people hyped or talking. However a nice gory story about how the Norovirus is sweeping through our nation gets people talking, gets people worried, gets people scared...and that's exactly what they want to achieve. I too have been worried in previous years about this virus, but then I began to realize that if I just shut off the hype, I would be a happier person, you know? I believe the Norovirus is also most infectious, if you are dealing directly with people who have it. For example if you're a healthcare worker and you're having to wash a patient who has it or you have to clean up after a patient who has it etc. I think normal, casual every day contact like being in a shop or a train or walking along a street with other people would not be much of a risk. If you worked in a very busy office the chances may be higher, but if you're working from home you are really pretty safe-also as you're much less likely to pick up seasonal colds. To be fair I think the chances of you picking up the Noro is very low and you can also lower your chances (which are already very low) by practising good hygiene (hand washing) and a good diet etc. Please try not to fall for the media hype and don't let it ruin things for you.

[Rls1994]

'Ello MaryMac!

I'm also worried constantly about this stupid virus now, although the chances of me or my family going down with it are very low, since none of us work/go to college etc (due to illnesses). So, I guess I'm very lucky... But I still worry about that low possibility of getting it. No one in my family, including me have had it since Christmas 2004, thank god... But since it's apparently bad this year my anxiety has been extremely high.

My sister has to go dentist on the 20th December, and that's usually the time it's in our area, so I'm worrying about that.... We always used to get the Norovirus right before Christmas sooo... yeah.. I'm worrying. OH, and I've got to go to the doctors on the 17th as well, UGH! If I find out that someone in there has had the virus, I'm not going.

But I do agree with you, it's more about the general public than anything.. Since a lot of people don't wash their hands properly or care if they get this virus and go out as soon as they feel better.. Although you're contagious for about 48 hours after you're no longer experiencing any symptoms.

If this virus didn't exist, it would help my anxiety SO much, and my emetophobia. But that's never going to happen....