A break from listeria: Don’t clean up barf and then head straight into the kitchen

This week’s food safety infosheet focuses on a norovirus outbreak linked to a North Carolina BBQ restaurant in Lexington, NC.  Health authorities have been reported as saying that they believe a food handler, who was not displaying symptoms of a norovirus infection, brought the virus into the kitchen after caring for a family member who was ill. 

Message is: If you are looking after someone who has diarrhea or has been vomiting, it’s really important to not introduce the pathogen into a food preparation or handling setting.  Wash your hands and make sure there aren’t any virus aerosols on your clothes (that happens when you vomit with noro; maybe change them before you head into the kitchen).

You can download the infosheet here.