Households urged to spray all surfaces with bleach this month

Households across the UK are being urged to take action against the rise of norovirus this winter by spraying all surfaces with bleach.

Norovirus, also commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, can be caught all year round but cases typically increase in the colder months as people spend more time indoors, with close contact making it easier to spread. The bug is linked to around 12,000 hospital admissions in the UK every year and it is highly contagious so it can quickly spread, particularly in settings where people are in close contact like schools, nurseries, care homes and hospitals.

The stomach bug causes gastroenteritis which results in sudden, watery diarrhoea and projectile vomiting, as well as a slight fever, painful stomach cramps, headaches, and aching limbs.

It is spread through contaminated food, water and surfaces, through direct contact with an infected person and by eating food prepared by someone with the virus, so it is important to take precautions.

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) warned that "norovirus is known as the winter vomiting bug for a reason" and urged people to start taking simple steps to help the bug from spreading this autumn and winter, including cleaning and disinfecting surfaces with a bleach-based solution.

In its advice on its blog, the UKHSA said: "Norovirus can survive on surfaces for days or weeks, this is one of the key reasons why the virus spreads so easily through communities.

"It is important to properly clean and disinfect contaminated surfaces using a bleach-based solution (chlorine), wearing disposable gloves where possible. The typical recommendation is to use a 0.1% sodium hypochlorite solution (i.e. 1,000 parts per million (ppm)) for surfaces."

It is possible to be infected with norovirus more than once as the bug is constantly changing which prevents the body from building up any long-term resistance, so even if you've already had norovirus this year, there is still a risk you could get it again.

To help minimise the risk of the bug spreading, the UKHSA said: "Practising good hygiene and avoiding contact with others while infectious are the best ways of preventing the virus from spreading.

"The virus is easily transmitted through contact with infected people and any surfaces or objects contaminated with the virus, so thorough cleaning and proper hand hygiene are essential.

"Wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using normal washing powder at 60°C, and if possible, wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items.

"Disinfect contaminated surfaces using bleach-based cleaning products where possible, as norovirus can survive on surfaces for days or weeks otherwise."