Norovirus, better known as the winter vomiting bug, is a highly contagious stomach bug that causes sudden vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Most people recover at home within two to three days, and there is no specific medicine that cures it. The single most important rule, straight from the NHS and UKHSA, is to stay away from work, school, nursery, hospitals and care homes until at least 48 hours after your symptoms stop. This article explains what the symptoms of norovirus look like, how to tell it apart from food poisoning, why hand gel does not kill it, and when you need to call 111.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
Norovirus symptoms usually start suddenly, often catching people off guard. The NHS lists the main symptoms as:
- feeling sick (nausea)
- being sick (vomiting), which can be forceful
- diarrhoea, which is often watery
You may also get a high temperature, a headache, tummy pain and body aches. The illness usually gets better in about two days, although the NHS says most people start to feel better within two to three days. Although it is called the winter vomiting bug, the NHS is clear that you can get norovirus at any time of year.
There is no single test you take at home. In practice, norovirus is suspected when vomiting and diarrhoea arrive together and suddenly, especially when someone you have been in close contact with has the same illness. Laboratory confirmation is only usually done during outbreaks in hospitals or care homes.
Why is the winter vomiting bug back this autumn?
Norovirus is surging earlier and harder than usual this year. UKHSA figures reported in early October showed 396 confirmed norovirus cases in England in the four weeks to 20 September, which is 36.9 per cent higher than the seasonal average. Confirmed lab reports are only the tip of the iceberg: UKHSA estimates that for every case reported to national surveillance there are about 288 cases in the community that go unreported, representing an annual burden of around 3 million cases in the UK.
This month, a hospital in the Western Isles had to close two wards to new patients and restrict visiting to essential visitors only after a norovirus outbreak took hold, a reminder of how fast the virus moves through enclosed spaces. UK health officials confirmed this week that while norovirus activity has stabilised in recent weeks, it remains significantly above average for this time of year.
Part of the rise is being driven by an unusual variant. A norovirus genotype called GII.17, nicknamed the Kawasaki bug, is spreading again and has overtaken the long-dominant GII.4 strain to become the most frequently detected type. UKHSA says this means people who have already had norovirus this season may catch it again, because having one genotype does not fully protect against the other. The reassuring part: UKHSA says there is currently no indication that either GII.17 or GII.4 leads to more severe illness.
Is it norovirus or food poisoning?
This is the question everyone asks, because the symptoms overlap heavily. Both cause vomiting, diarrhoea and tummy cramps, and both usually pass within a few days. A few clues point one way or the other:
- Who else is ill? Norovirus spreads from person to person, so if family members, classmates or colleagues are dropping with the same symptoms within a day or two, norovirus is the likelier culprit. Food poisoning usually follows a suspect meal and affects the people who ate it.
- How did it start? Norovirus typically arrives suddenly with vomiting as the headline act. With food poisoning, diarrhoea and cramps often feature more prominently after a dodgy meal, and the timing tends to trace back to something eaten hours earlier.
- The setting. Norovirus thrives where people are in close contact for long stretches: households, nurseries, schools, hospitals, care homes and cruise ships. Outbreaks in these settings are a norovirus signature.
In truth, the distinction rarely changes what you do. Both are managed the same way at home: rest, fluids, and the 48-hour rule below. But if several people around you fall ill in quick succession, treat it as norovirus and be extra strict about handwashing and isolation, because that is when it spreads fastest.
How to treat norovirus at home
There is no specific medicine for norovirus, and antibiotics do not work against viruses. The NHS says most people can treat it at home, and the cornerstone of that treatment is fluids. Diarrhoea and vomiting drain water and salts from the body quickly, so avoiding dehydration matters more than anything else.
The NHS advises:
- stay at home and get plenty of rest
- drink lots of fluids, such as water or squash, taking small sips if you feel sick
- keep breast or bottle feeding your baby; if they are being sick, try smaller feeds more often
- give babies on formula or solid foods small sips of water between feeds
- eat when you feel able to; avoiding fatty or spicy foods may help
- take paracetamol if you are in discomfort, checking the leaflet before giving it to a child
Just as important is what not to do. The NHS says do not have fruit juice or fizzy drinks, because they can make diarrhoea worse. Do not make baby formula weaker; use it at its usual strength. Do not give children under 12 medicine to stop diarrhoea, and do not give aspirin to children under 16.
If you or your child are aged 5 or over and show signs of dehydration, such as dark, smelly urine or peeing less than usual, speak to a pharmacist. They may recommend oral rehydration powder that you mix with water. Older people, people with weakened immune systems and anyone with health conditions that raise the risk of dehydration should also talk to a pharmacist rather than toughing it out alone.
Why hand gel does not kill norovirus
This is the fact that surprises most people. Alcohol-based hand gels, the bottles that became a fixture of every bag and doorway during the pandemic, do not kill norovirus. The NHS states it plainly: wash your hands with soap and water, because alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus. UKHSA reinforced the point on social media this month: anti-bac, hand gel, hand sanitiser, whatever you call it, it does not work against norovirus. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water.
Norovirus spreads through tiny particles of poo, which is why handwashing after going to the toilet or changing nappies, and before preparing, serving or eating food, is the main defence. Beyond hands, the NHS recommends:
- washing clothes and bedding soiled with poo or vomit on a 60 degree wash, separately from other laundry
- cleaning toilet seats, flush handles, taps and bathroom door handles
- avoiding contact with others as much as possible while ill
Norovirus can spread through close contact with someone who has it, through touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, through food prepared or handled by someone with norovirus, and through unclean water or infected food. Because it survives on surfaces and takes very few viral particles to infect, one careless shared towel or unwashed hand can restart an outbreak in a household just as it is fading.
The 48-hour rule: when can you go back?
The 48-hour rule is the single most quoted piece of norovirus guidance, and it is worth stating exactly. The NHS says: do not go to school, nursery or work until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for two days. Do not visit others in hospitals or places like care homes until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for two days either.
UKHSA’s message this autumn has been the same, aimed squarely at households: if you catch norovirus, stay home for 48 hours after symptoms stop, because you can still pass it on during this time. Do not visit loved ones in hospital or care homes in this window, to avoid causing outbreaks. Hospitals have been explicit: with wards already under pressure, a visitor carrying norovirus can shut down beds that sick patients need.
The rule applies even if you feel fine. Feeling better and being non-infectious are not the same thing, and norovirus sheds at high levels even as symptoms ease. If you handle food for a living, stay away from food preparation for the full 48 hours too; food handled by someone recovering from norovirus is one of the classic routes for new infections.
When should I call 111 or 999?
Most norovirus passes without medical help, but some situations need a professional. The NHS says to call 111 now if:
- you are worried about a baby under 12 months
- your child stops breast or bottle feeding while ill
- a child under 5 shows signs of dehydration, such as fewer wet nappies
- you or your child still show signs of dehydration after using oral rehydration sachets
- you or your child keep being sick and cannot keep fluid down
- you or your child have bloody diarrhoea or bleeding from the bottom
- diarrhoea lasts more than 7 days or vomiting lasts more than 2 days
Call 999 or go to A&E if you or your child vomit blood or vomit that looks like ground coffee, have green vomit (adults) or yellow-green vomit (children), may have swallowed something poisonous, have a stiff neck with pain when looking at bright lights, have a sudden severe headache or tummy ache, have blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue, are having severe difficulty breathing, or are confused or not responding as usual. Do not drive to A&E; ask someone to drive you or call 999 for an ambulance, and bring any medicines you take.
Is there a norovirus vaccine?
There is currently no licensed vaccine for norovirus. Researchers have been trying to make one for years, but the virus’s many strains and the short-lived nature of immunity have made it a difficult target. That may be changing: a phase 3 clinical trial called Nova 301 is now testing an investigational mRNA norovirus vaccine developed by Moderna. The trial is recruiting around 8,000 people globally, including at Newcastle Hospitals in the UK, enrolling adults aged 60 and over in good health to receive either the investigational vaccine or a placebo jab, with three to four clinic visits over about a year.
A vaccine that protects older adults would matter, because while norovirus is usually a miserable few days for healthy adults, dehydration hits young children, older people and immunocompromised people hardest. Until a licensed vaccine arrives, soap, water and the 48-hour rule remain the entire prevention toolkit.
Norovirus questions answered
How long does norovirus last?
Norovirus usually gets better in about two days, and the NHS says most people start to feel better within two to three days. You should still stay off work, school or nursery, and away from hospitals and care homes, until at least 48 hours after your symptoms have fully stopped.
What are the symptoms of norovirus?
The main symptoms of norovirus start suddenly and include feeling sick, vomiting and watery diarrhoea. You may also have a high temperature, headache, tummy pain and body aches. Although it is called the winter vomiting bug, you can catch norovirus at any time of year.
Can you catch norovirus twice?
Yes. Immunity after norovirus is short-lived and strain-specific, and UKHSA says that having one genotype does not fully protect against the other. With the GII.17 variant spreading again this season, people who have already had norovirus may catch it again. UKHSA says there is no indication the circulating variants cause more severe illness.
Does hand sanitiser kill norovirus?
No. Alcohol-based hand gels do not kill norovirus, the NHS says. Wash your hands with soap and water after going to the toilet or changing nappies, and before preparing, serving or eating food. This is the single most effective way to stop it spreading.
How long should I stay off work with norovirus?
Stay off work, and keep children off school or nursery, until you have not been sick or had diarrhoea for at least two days. The same 48-hour rule applies to visiting hospitals and care homes. You remain infectious after you start feeling better, which is why the countdown starts when symptoms stop, not when they ease.
Is there a vaccine for the winter vomiting bug?
Not yet. There is currently no licensed norovirus vaccine, though a phase 3 trial of an investigational mRNA vaccine (Nova 301, developed by Moderna) is recruiting around 8,000 adults aged 60 and over worldwide, including in the UK. Prevention still relies on handwashing with soap and water and the 48-hour rule.
Sources
- NHS. Norovirus (vomiting bug): symptoms, self-treatment, stopping spread, 48-hour rule, when to call 111 or 999. Page last reviewed 31 December 2024.
- Newcastle Hospitals NHS. Nova 301 norovirus vaccine trial: phase 3 mRNA investigational vaccine, around 8,000 participants globally, adults 60 and over.
- The Sun, October 2026. Hospital ward closures amid norovirus outbreak: UKHSA figures, 396 confirmed cases in England in four weeks to 20 September, 36.9 per cent above seasonal average.
- UKHSA data dashboard. What is new: weekly confirmed norovirus case data added 8 October 2026 for the 2025/26 and 2026/27 seasons.
- Kettering General Hospital NHS. Norovirus: do not come to hospital: stay-away guidance during outbreaks.
- Open Forum Infectious Diseases, January 2026: phase 1 trial of second-generation oral norovirus vaccine candidate: “No licensed vaccine to norovirus currently exists.”
Related reading
Winter brings more than one circulating bug. Our guide to flu jab vs Covid booster eligibility this winter explains who qualifies for each, and who can get a free NHS flu jab in 2026. If you have young children, read the one-dose shot protecting babies from RSV this winter.
Medical disclaimer: this article is for general information only and is not medical advice. If you are worried about symptoms, contact your GP, call NHS 111, or in an emergency call 999.
