Norovirus Breakout in RI Nursing Homes

We recently have learned that a norovirus is in 9 to 11 nursing homes in Rhode Island. We are sure the outbreaks are more widespread than they are being reported. This virus has essentially shut down all visitors and new admissions to all the homes that are affected by it.

The norovirus is not spread through the air but through touch. It can survive on a piece of equipment, a piece of clothing and any surface at all for up to 2 weeks. There have been many reports of the norovirus on cruise ships through the years whereas the cruise ships needs to be completely de-contaminated for 2 weeks and cannot go into service until a month afterward with approval of the FDA.

The norovirus symptoms are vomiting, diarrhea, dehydration and pose a serious health threat to the patients, employees and anyone who tries to visit a loved one in a nursing home. Nursing homes are scrambling to sanitize all surfaces with any disinfectant that they individually choose. Bleach seems to be the disinfectant of choice and is rumored to have dried out the skin of numerous health care workers.

The norovirus usually lasts for 2 or 3 days but can be reacquired by a resident for a second or third or even fourth time if the surfaces are not properly sanitized. This translates into more safety conditions inside of health care facilities. The vast majority of health care operations have gloves available all over their floors. Gloves are used throughout all health care facilities today along with alcohol foams and gels at virtually every nursing station and also throughout the corridors.

There is technology today that can protect someone more than wearing gloves and/or using a sanitizing agent to protect one from bodily fluids and repel this awful virus. These medical uniforms today contain a nano-acrylic copolymer dispersion that makes garments naturally self-cleaning. Fluids literally bead up and fall off the garments.

Last year we lost our mother in a nursing home. Not because of this virus but she was terminal with leukemia. But we cannot imagine her having been on a lock down situation where she could not have seen visitors because someone else brought in the norovirus.

Our connections indicate to us that the norovirus in question could have come from a single person coming out of the hospital and then CNA's, who have multiple jobs in this industry, may have spread it between themselves and the numerous nursing homes in question.

In our personal opinion the health care industry needs to be protecting its patients and themselves at a much higher level. They can't utilize the cheapest medical uniforms, nursing scrubs or lab coats that they can purchase. They need to step up and buy protective uniforms for their loving professional staff.

This also would eliminate lost time of employees being out sick. You don't have to call in sick or take a vacation day in order to take care of your friends and patients, because we know personally that you do become the friends of patients.