How to Avoid Norovirus When Traveling

Hand sanitizer may be your typical travel go-to, but unfortunately, it’s not very effective at killing norovirus—only washing your hands with soap and water is. Wash your hands for at least 20 seconds before eating and after using the restroom.

Be prepared for empty soap dispensers in public bathrooms by packing your own travel soap. These small sheets are easy to toss in your day bag, and since they aren’t liquid, you don’t have to worry about spills.

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While exact numbers vary, researchers agree that the average toothbrush plays host to millions of germs, from the flu virus to E. coli and norovirus. Kill whatever lurks on yours by packing SuperMouth’s Ultim8 SmartBrush and Travel Case.

This portable electric toothbrush comes with a sleek UV-sanitizing travel case that eliminates 99.9% of germs each time you use it, so you’re not putting bacteria back in your mouth with every brush. The smart case also features a built-in battery that lasts up to three weeks on a single charge, making it ideal for extended trips.

I'm also about to give you the definitive answer to the question of whether the toilet seat should be kept up or down: Always down with the lid closed. As Charles Gerba, a professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, bluntly puts it, when you're flushing the toilet with the lid open, "Polluted water vapor erupts out of the flushing toilet bowl and it can take several hours for these particles to finally settle—not to mention where. If you have your toothbrush too close to the toilet, you are brushing your teeth with what's in your toilet."

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Norovirus germs can live on hard surfaces for up to two weeks, making airplanes and cruise ships prime breeding grounds for the bug. If an infected person sat in your seat on the flight before you, norovirus could still be lingering by the time you board.

Use travel sanitizing wipes to disinfect everywhere they might have touched. The tray table, seatback entertainment screen, and seatbelt buckle are prime suspects.

Norovirus can spread through contaminated food and drink. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises:

• Carefully wash fruits and vegetables well.
• Cook oysters and other shellfish thoroughly to an internal temperature of at least 145°F.
• Routinely clean and sanitize kitchen utensils, cutting boards, counters, and surfaces, especially after handling shellfish.
• Keep raw oysters away from ready-to-eat food in the grocery cart, refrigerator, and on cutting boards.
• Throw away food that might contain norovirus

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