Sick kids can spread gastrointestinal viruses around pretty quickly. I write from experience, my kids have brought home what was likely norovirus a couple of times from school/preschool and spread it to Dani and I.
Once the perfect human pathogen is in a restaurant, grocery store, or cruise ship – or school – it’s tough to get it out without some illnesses.
Part of the problem with noro (beyond the low mean infectious dose; environmental stability; and, 10^9 virus particles per gram of vomit/poop) is a vomit event can lead to particles floating through the air. And maybe moving 30 feet from the barf splatter.
According to ABC 11, over 100 students in Person County, NC are suffering from something that looks like norovirus.
Person County Schools says more than 100 students were sent home from school Wednesday due to illness.
The problem appeared to be come kind of virus that caused stomach problems.
Sources said 84 students and 6 teachers from Person County High School and 17 students from Helena Elementary School in the Timberlake area went home.
Managing a norovirus outbreak is a bit tricky, here are a couple of infosheets we’ve used/developed over the years that might be of use.