Norovirus in care homes: outbreaks, visiting and prevention

Norovirus spreads very easily in care homes, so stay away from a care home until you have had no sickness or diarrhoea for 2 days, and wash your hands with soap and water, because alcohol hand gel does not kill the virus. If a home has an outbreak, visits usually carry on in some form, but with extra precautions.

At a glance

• The NHS says not to visit hospitals or care homes until you have been free of symptoms for 2 days.
• An outbreak usually means two or more linked cases, and it should be reported immediately to the UKHSA local Health Protection Team.
• Government guidance says visiting should continue where possible, with changes that are risk assessed and time limited.
• Soap and water is the recommended hand wash during diarrhoea and vomiting outbreaks, not alcohol rub.
• Older people can become dehydrated quickly, so speak to a pharmacist or call 111 if signs appear.

What is norovirus and why is it a problem in care homes?

Norovirus is a stomach bug, often called the winter vomiting bug, though it can occur at any time of year. It causes sudden sickness, vomiting and diarrhoea, and sometimes a high temperature, headache, tummy pain and aching. Most people recover in about 2 to 3 days.

It passes on through contact with an infected person, through touching contaminated surfaces and then your mouth, and through food handled by someone who is unwell. In a care home, residents share dining rooms, bathrooms and carers, and many are frail, so the virus spreads fast and dehydration is a real risk. UKHSA has noted that a rise in care home outbreaks often comes before a rise in hospital outbreaks.

What counts as an outbreak, and who must be told?

Government infection control guidance defines an outbreak as two or more people with the same infection who are linked by time and place or a common exposure. It can include both residents and staff. A home can also suspect an outbreak when case numbers look unusual for that setting.

A suspected or confirmed outbreak should be reported immediately to the UKHSA local Health Protection Team. The home should also tell the GPs of people who are unwell and its local authority public health or social care contact, and it should check whether the Care Quality Commission needs to be notified under Regulation 18 of the CQC Registration Regulations 2009. Families can reasonably ask the manager whether this has been done.

What happens inside a home during an outbreak?

Guidance also says that an outbreak should not by itself stop a planned hospital discharge. That decision rests on an individual risk assessment with the hospital.

Can you visit during a norovirus outbreak?

Usually yes, with conditions. Government guidance says visits should continue where possible and that any changes must be proportionate, risk assessed and time limited. Measures can include hand hygiene stations, visitor protective equipment, ventilated visiting areas and cleaning of high-touch surfaces before and after visits.

Where risks cannot be managed otherwise, a home may limit visitors, for example to one person per resident, and offer video or phone calls as an alternative. Visitors should clean their hands on arrival and before leaving. Our guide to care home visiting rights explains what you can expect and what to do if a home seems to be restricting visits without good reason.

If you have had symptoms yourself, do not visit. UKHSA’s advice is to wait 48 hours after symptoms stop, and the NHS says not to go to a hospital or care home during that time.

Why does soap and water matter more than hand gel?

Alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus. The NHS and UKHSA both say to wash hands with soap and warm water, after using the toilet and before preparing, serving or eating food. For visitors, this means going to a sink rather than relying on the gel at the front door, and washing for as long as it takes to be thorough.

At home, wash soiled clothes and bedding separately at 60C, and clean toilet seats, flush handles, taps and bathroom door handles. UKHSA suggests a bleach-based cleaner or bleach and hot water for contaminated surfaces.

When does a resident need medical help?

The NHS advises speaking to a pharmacist if an older person shows signs of dehydration or has a weakened immune system or other conditions that raise the risk. Call 111 if they cannot keep fluids down, the diarrhoea is bloody or lasts over 7 days, vomiting lasts over 2 days, or dehydration continues after using oral rehydration sachets.

Call 999 or go to A&E if there is vomit with blood, vomit that looks like ground coffee, severe difficulty breathing, confusion, a sudden severe headache or tummy ache, or skin, lips or tongue that turn blue, grey, pale or blotchy. Our guides to dehydration in older people and sudden confusion in older people describe what to look for.

What can families ask a care home?

• Has the outbreak been reported to the local Health Protection Team?
• How are affected residents being kept apart, and are they being offered drinks and checked regularly?
• What are the visiting arrangements today, and how will you tell us when they change?
• Are staff who have been unwell kept off work until they are symptom free for 48 hours?
• How will you let us know if my relative becomes unwell?

The NHS says people who are unwell should stay off work until they have been free of sickness and diarrhoea for 2 days, and UKHSA gives the same 48 hours before returning to work or preparing food for others. If you are unhappy with how a home is handling an outbreak, see how to complain about a care home.

Frequently asked questions

How long should I stay away from a care home after norovirus?

Stay away until you have had no sickness or diarrhoea for 2 days. The NHS says not to visit hospitals or care homes during that time, and UKHSA gives the same 48-hour period before returning to work or preparing food for others.

Does hand sanitiser kill norovirus?

No. The NHS says alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus. Wash your hands with soap and water instead, especially after the toilet and before eating or handling food. Government outbreak guidance also recommends liquid soap and water rather than alcohol rub.

Can a care home stop all visits during an outbreak?

Government guidance says visiting should continue where possible, with changes that are proportionate, risk assessed and time limited. A home may limit numbers, for example to one visitor per resident, and offer video or phone calls as an alternative.

How long does norovirus last in an older person?

It usually clears in about 2 to 3 days. Older people may become dehydrated more quickly, so speak to a pharmacist or call 111 if they cannot keep fluids down, or if vomiting lasts over 2 days or diarrhoea over 7 days.

Must a care home report a norovirus outbreak?

Yes, a suspected or confirmed outbreak should be reported immediately to the UKHSA local Health Protection Team. The home should also check whether the Care Quality Commission must be told under Regulation 18 of the CQC Registration Regulations 2009. This guidance is for England, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own public health bodies.

Where to get help next

If a relative has been affected, ask the home for a plain account of what happened. For choosing a home with good infection control, read questions to ask when visiting a care home and how to read a CQC inspection report. You can also search for care homes near you.

Sources

• NHS: Norovirus
• GOV.UK: Managing outbreaks in adult social care settings
• UKHSA: Norovirus outbreaks increasing in England

Reviewed by The Care Panel team on 9 November 2026. This guide is general information about care in England, not legal, medical or financial advice. Rules and rates change; check with your council or an adviser before making decisions.