What's that bug, bugging you?
"Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, low-grade, fever, some muscle aches, tiredness, last one to three days”, those are the symptoms of the illness says Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail.
Many people call it the stomach flu but Vail says it's not the flu at all.
"Norovirus is a gastro-intestinal illness”, said Vail.
“Many people refer to it as the stomach flu. It's not flu, flu is a respiratory illness."
From keyboards to ATM's and even your own kitchen counter, Vail says norovirus can be right at your finger-tips.
"You touch surfaces that have been contaminated and then if you don't wash your hands then oftentimes you introduce them to yourself and that's the most typical way people get sick", said Vail.
Health officers from the Ingham County Health Department say the best thing you can do to protect yourself from norovirus is to keep your hands clean.
When it comes to things out of your control, like choosing to eat dinner at a restaurant or getting takeout; Vail says there are people keeping a close eye on restaurants to make sure they're keeping things clean to prevent you from getting sick.
"Keep in mind that we are always inspecting and enforcing regulations about sick food handlers and not returning to work”, said Vail.
“And making sure that they stay home."
If your stomach starts to feel sour and your body is weak and sore experts say here's what you need to do:
Take some time off work, drink fluids, get plenty of rest and wait for the virus to run its course.
The Centers for Disease Control says if you or a family member catches norovirus, you need to clean and disinfect everything.
It says bleach-based cleaners can kill the virus.
You'll also want to make sure you wash any bedding or clothing.
