Hi ZHH community! Are you planning on attending the National Restaurant Assoc. show in Chicago next month? We’d love to grab a coffee or a drink and catch up while you’re there! Email lsweeney@zerohourhealth.com if you’re attending and have time to say hello!
If you or someone you know may be considering suicide, call 988 or message the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.
Generally, the products that kill COVID will also kill noro but you need to double-check the specific product that you’re using against the FDA’s list of noro-approved sanitizers (found here). Remember, some sanitizers (like QUAT) don’t work as well against noro. There are a few things unique to noro, like tossing prepped food if the sick person prepped food, and an extra focus on the bathroom area.
Believe it or not, yes. Your employees are touching the same surfaces, handling silverware that guests had in their mouths, and may also be sharing the same bathrooms. So it’s possible that a sick guest can actually spread illness, particularly with something as infectious as norovirus. We’ve heard guest complaints that, when we map out the timeline, imply that the guests were already sick with noro before their server was infected. It’s relatively rare, but remember that just 18 viral particles can make someone sick with noro, and a sick person sheds billions (with a ‘B’)!
There isn't a simple answer. If you have a large party who became ill, or there are children involved, or if several people have sought medical attention, you should at least consider contacting the health department before they contact you. You should also be prepared for a health inspection. However, there are always risks in contacting the health department, which can be unpredictable. We recently had two local health departments both competing for control and significantly overreacting to what turned out to be a false alarm. Health departments can vary widely in their experience and reaction. If you have a positive relationship with your health department and know they’re a good partner, proactively reaching out is likely less risky. If you have a contentious relationship or a very reactive health department, you will want to tread carefully, though you should always call if you think there’s a serious outbreak happening. For ZHH clients, we can certainly help and may have connections in the local or state health department, so be sure to reach out to our team for support.
One study found that of NYC business managers, almost all had found drug paraphernalia and more than half had encountered active drug use in their business’ bathroom. Counterintuitively, the more public the space, the less likely it is to be used for drugs, bathing, or other activities that might negatively impact your business. Brightly lit, easily visible hallways with mirrors and multi-stall restrooms remove some privacy, which makes bathrooms less appealing to those looking for a place to use drugs, vandalize property, etc. Be sure stall doors open outward in case of an emergency so first responders can get to someone unresponsive inside. Consider including a sharps or medical waste container, which can be useful not only for those who use IV drugs but also those who have medical conditions that require injections, for example. Some businesses are looking into stocking naloxone (Narcan) in their first aid kits in areas with higher drug use. And perhaps most important, train your team in what to do if (or, more likely, when) they encounter a medical emergency or drug use in the bathroom.
The NIH has poured $1 billion into long Covid research — with little to show for it | STAT News
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