A recent study has shown that stomach bugs – such as the norovirus – decreased by more than half during the first six months of the pandemic. The authors say it's thanks to a change in behaviour brought about by Covid-19.
The BMJ Open paper found that outbreaks of gastrointestinal infections reported to health agencies in England fell by 52 percent compared with the average for the same period. It concluded that if people continued these hygiene practices – such as hand washing and social distancing – we could potentially see “sustained reductions" in gastrointestinal illness.
Norovirus, also commonly known as the winter vomiting bug, can spread quickly - particularly among families. It is easily transmitted via contact with infected individuals or contaminated surfaces.
