Norovirus is spread when tiny particles of feces (poop) or vomit from an infected person get in your mouth. Anyone can get infected and sick with norovirus. This can happen if you:
- Eat food or drink liquids that became contaminated with norovirus because they were prepared or touched by a person ill with norovirus,
- Touch surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then put your fingers in your mouth, or
- Have direct contact with someone who is infected with norovirus, such as by caring for them or sharing food or utensils with them.
The person in charge at your establishment is responsible to take action in the following scenarios.
- If a customer contacts you to complain of illness, this must be reported to your local health inspector or MDH MDH Foodborne Illness Hotline
- All ill employees must be excluded from a food establishment while they have:
- Employees with diarrhea or vomiting cannot return to work for at least 24 hours after symptoms end.
- Employees must report to the person in charge of the business if they have any of the following symptoms:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Jaundice (yellowing of skin or whites of eyes)
- Sore throat with fever
- Open, infected wound.
- Record all employee reports of diarrhea and vomiting including onset date in an Employee Illness Log.
- Employees must also report to the person in charge if they have been diagnosed with any of the following infections:
- Norovirus
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Hepatitis A virus
- Shiga toxin-producing coli
- Infection with another enteric bacteria, viral or parasitic pathogen
- The person in charge must notify the local health inspector or the MDH Foodborne Illness Hotline if an employee has been diagnosed with any of the above illnesses.
Take the survey
If you work in a coffee shop, bar, deli, restaurant, etc., please take our anonymous, 10-minute Survey for Workers in Food & Beverage Facilities. The survey closes March 25, 2022.
Your response will help us better understand how you want to receive food safety information, how you view food safety inspections, and your perceptions of employee illness behavior.
Help US help YOU
Survey results will be shared with all health inspectors around the state – more than 150 staff who conduct inspections and help educate front-line staff about food code requirements. We will use the feedback you provide to better inform how we deliver future food safety communications, trainings, and resources, and to identify how we can do a better job serving YOU.
The survey will take about 10 minutes to complete. The information we collect is anonymous and confidential.
Share the link
The survey link will work for anyone. Please share with co-workers or others.
Thank you for your time!
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