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Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Take away this pain': Families speak on proposed Nebraska medical cannabis regulations
Nebraska advocates for medical cannabis have worked for more than 12 years, and continue to wait, for a safe, regulated system in Nebraska, after winning voter approval in November. Pictured are many longtime advocates for the effort. (Photos courtesy of Nebraskans for Medical Marijuana) LINCOLN — At just 7 years old, Teddy Bronson of Omaha has faced six brain surgeries, been prescribed 14 different drugs and used about half a million dollars in medical hardware to fight his drug-resistant epilepsy that at one time had him enduring an average of 3,800 seizures each month. Matt Bronson, a disabled U.S. Air Force veteran, and Liz Bronson, a nurse practitioner at Children's Nebraska, say that each day is a fight for their 'beautiful little son,' Teddy, including any measures possible to reduce his seizures. That included a groundbreaking half-day neurosurgery at Children's just a few years ago with a robotic surgical assistant. At a public forum this weekend for medical cannabis regulations, which the Bronsons say could help ease Teddy's pain, Matt Bronson said his son is at 85% higher risk of losing his life each night. But each morning, Liz and Matt greet their son. 'I get to see my son smile, I get to hear him babble, and damn it, he is seven and a half years old and he's walking,' Matt Bronson told an often raucous, cheering public forum crowd in Omaha on May 4. 'Three years ago, he was in a wheelchair.' Data shows Teddy is improving, 'but any seizure can take him,' Liz Bronson said. Quoting the family's California-based epileptologist, Liz Bronson said, 'We can either pass evidence-based, well-regulated legislation, or we can sign more death certificates.' 'We come here before you today to say that, 'I'm sorry, but Teddy matters,' and that our family matters and that the suffering individuals in this state matter,' Liz Bronson said. In a more than decade-long fight for medical cannabis in Nebraska, through three election cycles, numerous legislative bills and multiple court fights, the Bronsons are among those who have consistently fought for access to the medicine. Voters overwhelmingly approved legalizing medical cannabis in November. It was approved by 71% of voters, and just a slightly smaller percentage, 68%, approved the basic outlines of a regulatory system. The Bronsons were among hundreds of Nebraskans who attended public forums May 3 in La Vista, May 4 in Omaha or May 5 in Lincoln. Most shared a similar message: Medical cannabis is legal in Nebraska, and the 'will of the voters' must be implemented. But how the state should do so differed among the dozens of speakers who addressed a bipartisan group of 13 state senators spread between the three events on Legislative Bill 677, from State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair, a bill meant to clarify regulations. Senators estimated at least 300 attendees. Some speakers linked the fight with legislative efforts to water down minimum wage and paid sick leave protections passed in the 2022 and 2024 statewide elections. Others linked LB 677 to LB 316, from State Sen. Kathleen Kauth of Omaha, a priority of Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who has escalated his opposition to LB 677 and all products containing tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. LB 316 essentially reclassifies 'hemp' as 'marijuana.' Opponents call it a 'de facto ban' on nearly all THC or hemp products. Hilgers said Wednesday that it was never his intention to use LB 316 against the ballot measures. Hansen is working to make explicit in Kauth's bill that it does not conflict with the ballot measures or LB 677. Nebraska attorney general steps up medical cannabis opposition, regulatory bill awaits debate Hilgers said his 'heart goes out' to anyone in pain who feels they can't access something they feel could alleviate the hurt. However, he said he must uphold federal laws against marijuana despite dozens of states approving medical or recreational cannabis. 'I think two plus two is four, even if everyone else says two plus two is five,' Hilgers said this week when he launched a law enforcement campaign against LB 677. Speakers at this month's forums blasted LB 677 for its compromises, including prohibiting smoking cannabis, specifying 15 'qualifying conditions,' allowing no more than 30 medical dispensaries and requiring a patient or caregiver to pay up to $45 for a registry card under the new state regulatory system. Among those was Ethan Stankus of Bellevue, who said that if he'd known there would be a smoking ban, conditions list or other 'needless compromises,' he would have voted 'nay.' 'This is not what we voted for,' Stankus said, holding up a breakdown of the amendment to LB 677, asking why Nebraskans needed to take time to reexplain their vote. For Hansen and supporters, the need for the bill is complicated, illustrated, for instance, when many attendees criticized the regulations for being housed in a new Nebraska Medical Cannabis Commission that shares resources and staff with the Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. That was part of the ballot measure, partly in response to consistent opposition to medical cannabis from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Across the dozens of speakers, only one, the state's former longtime state epidemiologist in DHHS, Tom Safranek, raised hesitation about the voter-approved laws, for a 'potential for societal damage.' DHHS also opposes LB 677. Due to constitutional constraints with ballot measures — including the need to stick to a 'single subject' — supporters were limited in what they could present to voters. Supporters of LB 677 say it would provide clearer guidance before the commission acts. The proposal also seeks to aid a voter-enacted deadline for the commission to write the regulations, which is currently July 1. The commission, in court filings, has said the ballot measure provided 'no ability to carry out any duties' set forth in the new laws, particularly with its lack of funding. State Sen. Rick Holdcroft of Bellevue, chair of the Legislature's General Affairs Committee, who worked with Hansen on the bill, said Sunday there is 'no way' the measure's required regulations can be completed in time. LB 677 seeks to delay the required regulations by three months, while also more explicitly setting the parameters of the new regulatory system. The voter-passed laws' wide flexibility to let the commission draft all regulations could end up with a system stricter than LB 677 proposes. For instance, one of the governor-appointed members, Lorelle Mueting of Omaha's Heartland Family Service, said in an online comment against a separate LB 705 this year that her agency does not support legalizing marijuana 'in any form for medical purposes' without federal approval. Mueting opposed LB 677 at its hearing. Hansen said the time is right 'to get off our butts' and unite Democrats and Republicans and reach the 33-vote threshold needed to pass LB 677 and help Nebraskans. The system needs to start right and show 'the world hasn't ended,' Hansen said. 'Everyone's not dying. People aren't smoking doobies on the corner like a lot of my conservatives think.' 'We're not going to eat 100% of the apple,' Hansen said Saturday of the efforts. 'We get 75%, 80%, make sure the people who need it, you get it.' Marie Reed of Blair, one of Hansen's constituents, spoke of her 12-year-old son Kyler, who has epilepsy and takes six medications a day. Since 2019, the family has prepared to use a rescue medication for Kyler, a controlled substance, if Kyler's seizures last more than five minutes. 'You don't ever get it until you're in that situation,' Reed, who worked on the recent cannabis ballot measures, said. 'One day, somebody you love might have epilepsy or cancer, and I think that if you truly think about it, you will realize you wish that you could have this to give to your loved one and not keep fighting for it.' While tense at times, the weekend also brought moments of levity, such as Shannon Coryell of Omaha, a self-described 'bleeding heart liberal' who said that 'pigs must be flying' because she agreed with Hansen, a Republican with a Libertarian bent. Tom Becka, a former host on conservative talk radio in Omaha and a longtime broadcaster, spoke to Hilgers and Ricketts, saying that the movie-musical 'Reefer Madness' wasn't a 'documentary.' 'More people have died from the onions on the McDonald's hamburger than have died from medical cannabis,' Becka said to a laughing crowd. No deaths from overdoses of marijuana have been reported, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, though some edibles have led to an increasing number of emergency room visits. Multiple Nebraskans also encouraged lawmakers to act quickly, as some patients who could have gotten help or tested out the medication have died in 12 years of legislative waiting. Jill Hessing of Lincoln spoke of her mother, an open-minded Republican and licensed practical nurse who died of cancer in 2006. While some speakers said they would just go to Missouri for marijuana anyway, Hessing said that wouldn't be the case for her mother, a 'kind, compassionate, law-abiding woman.' Lia Post of Springfield read a written letter Monday on behalf of her friend Angie Cornett of Norfolk, who missed the meeting to bury her mother. Cornett, a nurse, wrote that her mom endured severe and chronic pain for decades. When she tried cannabis for the first time 25 years ago, at age 50, it eliminated the severe burning pain in her feet caused by severe nerve damage from her back and apathy from diabetes. Cornett said her mom described the new pain relief as 'stepping on cold slushy watermelon.' A 'cocktail' of addictive pain relief medications was part of her mom's medical regimen, Cornett said, adding she couldn't help but wonder how her mom's life could have changed with medical cannabis. 'She knew exactly what she was voting for, and as I bury my mom today, I want you to know that she is just one of many patients who have died waiting for the right to access plant-based medicines in Nebraska and access to a God-given plant that was used medicinally since the ancient times,' Cornett wrote Monday. Post, a frequent medical cannabis advocate at the Nebraska State Capitol, said she is one of a handful of longtime advocates who have been told by lawmakers to mind their interactions and cool frustrations or methods of advocacy, such as Post telling Republicans that patients are dying. Even so, Post said the roadblocks won't make her back down from a disease — complex regional pain syndrome — that will one day take her life. 'Fight for us. Fight like our lives matter,' Post said Saturday. 'None of you are God, and you do not deserve to play God in this anymore.' Dominic and Shelley Gillen of Bellevue have been in the fight for 12 years, similar to the Bronsons, for their now 23-year-old son Will, who similarly has a severe form of drug-resistant epilepsy and is referred to by friends and family as 'God's Will.' In that time, Dominic Gillen estimated, his son has faced more than 450,000 seizures and 'a body littered with scars.' Dominic Gillen said he considers Hilgers' efforts against the medical cannabis campaign and its many volunteers, patients and caregivers, the type of 'lawfare' that Republicans lamented under former President Joe Biden. At each event, Gillen told senators to see the patients, 'not look through them.' 'Will has never spoken a word, but he's touched countless lives in this state and other states through his story,' Dominic Gillen said. 'Will is truly the greatest of blessings. He's perfect even in his imperfection.' Hansen, too, urged Nebraskans to share their stories and photos with lawmakers, particularly Republicans. 'Out of curiosity,' he asked Sunday whether those in attendance would support recreational marijuana if LB 677 failed and the regulations became too restrictive. Nearly everyone raised their hands. Hansen said he's telling his colleagues to pass LB 677 and regulate medical cannabis, or the voters will end up legalizing recreational marijuana. Hilgers and other opponents of medical cannabis and recreational marijuana have said LB 677 would open the door to recreational use already. Court battles continue in front of the Nebraska Supreme Court and in courts in Hall County, against a notary, and Lancaster County. The Nebraska Attorney General's Office has argued the laws are preempted by federal law and threatened to sue the Medical Cannabis Commission if it issues dispensary licenses. Notaries targeted in those cases have pledged innocence, including Jacy Todd of York, a notary who faces first-of-their-kind criminal charges in Grand Island. None of the four notaries targeted in the case before the Nebraska Supreme Court has been criminally charged, though a lower-court judge tossed some of their signatures. Hilgers said the lack of charges shouldn't be 'read into. Hilgers, joined by various sheriffs on Wednesday, said that medical cannabis and LB 677 are 'going to make Nebraska less safe, more dangerous. It's going to handcuff the good men and women here that are in front of you and all their colleagues around the state.' Todd, a disabled veteran, was among those asking lawmakers to act and include post-traumatic stress disorder in the list of acceptable conditions for use, the removal of which Hansen said was one of the 'negotiating factors' that was needed to get LB 677 out of the General Affairs Committee. Two amendments from State Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha would add PTSD to the list. The first directly, the second by removing the list altogether and leaving the decision between doctors and patients. Matt Bronson, who served in the military, left for war at age 19. He said he broke his back in 2007, struggles with PTSD, is a recovering alcoholic and has lost most sensation in his legs. He was given many options, including opiates and other addictive pain medications. Before Teddy was born, he said he tried to take his life. Medical cannabis is not about Matt Bronson or Teddy getting high — 'I give two s— about getting high,' his father says. However, Bronson says he can't take the addictive medications, get significant back surgery or be put in a wheelchair for 18 months because he and Liz Bronson need to care for Teddy at a moment's notice, who comes first above his own health. 'Let's take away this pain,' Matt Bronson said. 'I don't want to remember those brothers and sisters I lost in war. I don't want to remember every single damn casket I put on the back of C-17 flying home covered in the damn flag. I love my country, but God damn, Uncle Sam, let's do something about this s—.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
New program to bring more pediatric nurses to growing Children's Nebraska campus
Creighton University nursing students. (Courtesy of Creighton University) OMAHA — As thrilled as they are about a $114 million pediatric mental health care facility rising in Omaha, local health care officials expect challenges, including assembling the necessary workforce during the current nursing shortage. Helping to address such demand is a new partnership between Children's Nebraska and the Creighton University College of Nursing, which is designed to bring additional skilled pediatric nurses to the Children's campus. Buoyed by the Omaha-based Ryan Foundation, 40 full-tuition scholarships will be available in Creighton's Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) program. In exchange for the free schooling, recipients, who already must have a bachelor's degree, will commit to two years of work at Children's Nebraska. Jessica Clark, dean of Creighton's College of Nursing, said she's talked to many professionals interested in pursuing nursing as a different career choice but who are deterred by cost, especially if mired in student debt. She says tuition and fees for the program run about $55,000. The new scholarship is designed to help break down the financial barrier. Clark said the 12-month accelerated program — now in its 50th year — typically draws older students and professionals with more life experience. 'They make phenomenal workers when they hit the workforce,' she said. Marcie Peterson, vice president and associate chief nursing officer at Children's, said she expects the initiative to produce nurses who 'really have a calling to nursing.' 'What we find is they bring a lot of value to the workforce because of those experiences they already have and they know what they want,' Peterson said. She said they provide 'a lot more bang for our buck.' The scholarship idea emerged as various factors collided, Clark said, including the planned 2026 opening of the Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at the Children's Omaha headquarters site. Of that facility's total price tag, $16 million comes from federal American Rescue Plan Act funding earmarked by the Nebraska Legislature. Meanwhile, a study by state health care entities showed Nebraska on pace to be short nearly 5,500 nurses this year. In the backdrop, Clark said, conversations with nurse wannabes working in other professions explained that the top barrier to a nursing career was financial. Clark said she met with representatives at Children's, who talked to the Ryan Foundation. They hoped for 10 scholarships — and received funding for 40. Peterson and Clark expect that nurses who go through the program will stay at Children's beyond the promised two-year commitment. Peterson said Children's has a track record of high nurse retention rates. She said that Children's provides an environment to expand one's career. Her own ascent is an example. Peterson started as a receptionist at Children's right out of high school, 26 years ago. She entered nursing school and said in an interview this week that along the way to her current position she was helped by mentors and colleagues to reach her goals. The scholarship program, beginning this fall and supporting five cohorts, will help students as they develop pediatric skills and prepare to serve in one of 89 pediatric subspecialties across multiple Children's Nebraska facilities. 'We are building a workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving needs of children and families across our region,' said Pam Johnson-Carlson, senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Children's. 'This partnership ensures that highly skilled pediatric nurses will be ready to deliver exceptional care in both acute and specialized settings for years to come.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
$114M Omaha mental health center for kids on track for 2026 opening
A nighttime rendering of the Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children's Nebraska. The nonprofit Mental Health Innovation Foundation leads the project that will be operated by Children's. Kiewit Building Group Inc. is the design-builder, with HDR as its design partner. (Courtesy of HDR) OMAHA — A 'no wrong door' philosophy, which means every youth under 19 that walks in will be seen, is among the highlights of a new four-story pediatric mental health center rising in Nebraska's largest city. The Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children's Nebraska is to span 107,250 square feet on seven acres of the Children's medical campus at 84th Street and West Dodge Road in Omaha. In the making since 2021, when philanthropist Ken Stinson convened a group of mental health professionals, the $114 million project is to begin serving youth and families in January 2026. Thursday, the center-in-progress was open for a 'sneak peek' — part of an awareness campaign that Stinson hopes will alert parents and families to a place they soon will be able to take a youth to get mental health services that have been lacking in the region. 'It's incredibly comprehensive,' said Stinson, with a 'crisis assessment center' element that is to be the first of its kind in the region and one of a small number nationally. That 10,000-square-foot screening and stabilization station will feature a welcoming environment, he said. Children and families can get an immediate crisis assessment; their treatment plan begins during that same visit. There are no exclusion criteria — hence, the 'no wrong door' motto. 'I think it's going to be the best of its type in the country,' said Stinson. He said he is no different from most families who have a loved one with a mental illness. Stinson, retired chairman of Kiewit construction company, and Rhonda and Howard Hawks were among a group that raised funds to in 2018 launch Omaha's Lasting Hope Recovery Center, which offers mental health care. Stinson said he expects the new pediatric mental health center to treat youths from beyond the Omaha metro area and throughout the state. Of its total price tag, $16 million comes from federal American Rescue Plan Act funding earmarked by the Nebraska Legislature, $15 million from Children's, which will operate the center and hire additional mental health care practitioners, and the rest from donors that saw the need to expand mental health services for children. The nonprofit Mental Health Innovation Foundation led by Stinson is managing planning and construction of the center. Even before COVID-19, the foundation said, one in five children was experiencing a mental illness, and the pandemic led to increased problems and suicide. Suicide is now the second-leading cause of death for youths, and Nebraska exceeds national trends for related deaths among teens ages 15 to 19, said a statement from the foundation. It said also that 20% of youths in Nebraska were diagnosed with a mental health condition needing treatment in 2021. Leaders tout the overall project as an innovative model of care, located near existing Children's pediatric medical services. Among the elements of what officials described as the center's seamless continuum of care to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of youths: Inpatient care including 40 beds, with room for eight more. That more than doubles the capacity in the community, said MHIF representatives. Services such as diagnostic evaluations, family assessments, group therapy, social skills training and occupational therapy. Day treatment programs for behavioral concerns such as eating disorders and substance abuse. Outpatient services, nutrition education, family education and interventions and neuropsychological and psychological testing. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Is It Norovirus, a 'Stomach Bug' or Something Else?
Norovirus outbreaks are popping up around the United States, causing concern during a winter when other illnesses also seem especially virulent. "Between August 1, 2024, and January 15, 2025, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked 1,078 norovirus outbreaks among participating states through its NoroSTAT monitoring system -- a significant jump from the 557 outbreaks reported during the same period last seasonal year. This increase is also higher than outbreak levels seen in previous seasonal years (2012–2020 and 2021–2024)," says Dr. Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH and medical editor at GoodRx. With an estimated 19-21 million norovirus illnesses a year in the United States, norovirus is both a common illness and commonly confused with other illnesses. We talked to doctors who see norovirus in the broader landscape of infectious diseases, giving us the details on what distinguishes norovirus and how we can treat it, heal and prevent its continued spread. Norovirus is a rapid-onset viral infection that manifests with gastrointestinal symptoms. Norovirus is spread by contact with the virus on surfaces, in food or by touching a person who has the virus. It doesn't take much virus to infect someone new, making it highly contagious. Plus, you aren't necessarily immune even if you've had norovirus before in recent weeks or months, since it can come from different strains of the virus. Pinto-Garcia says norovirus symptoms can persist longer in young children, older adults and anyone with a weakened immune system. Although it is most common during the fall and winter, it also occurs year-round. Norovirus is not always diagnosed through testing since only around 13% of cases prompt a doctor's or hospital visit. The symptoms are distinctive, and treatment is often similar whether gastrointestinal symptoms are specifically due to norovirus or not. "The classic symptoms are nausea/vomiting, abdominal pain/cramping and watery diarrhea. Vomiting is more common with norovirus than many other viruses," says Dr. Kari Neemann, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist at Children's Nebraska in Omaha. "Other possible symptoms include fevers, body aches and headache. Once you become infected you generally will develop symptoms in 12-48 hours (rapid onset). Duration of symptoms is most commonly 1-3 days." While norovirus symptoms tend to abate within three days, the impact of dehydration and other secondary symptoms, like lack of appetite, may take longer to resolve. Those who have experienced norovirus will still be contagious for weeks after their symptoms are gone, so it is particularly important to continue a rigorous hand-washing regimen and sanitize surfaces during the weeks after infection. The stomach flu or "stomach bug" doesn't usually refer to an influenza virus; even when the flu has gastrointestinal symptoms, it is primarily a respiratory illness that may also produce fever, aches and fatigue. Stomach flu and "stomach bugs" are a conversational way to refer to any illness that produces gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea or vomiting. People may refer to their symptoms as the stomach flu. Still, it is wise to treat anyone with severe gastrointestinal symptoms as if they could have norovirus, prompting those around them to sanitize surfaces and wash hands regularly. Treatment of severe gastrointestinal symptoms, even when not identified as a particular "stomach bug" like norovirus, is typically focused on rest and hydration. Rotavirus is an illness more common in infants and young children that presents some symptoms similar to norovirus, but knowing its course can help you avoid worrying if a child has symptoms that are out of the ordinary for norovirus. "[Rotavirus] infection usually begins with acute onset of vomiting, followed 24-48 hours later by watery diarrhea and can be associated with fevers," says Neemann. "Here, symptoms develop a bit slower than norovirus. Onset of symptoms is usually from 1-3 days of exposure, and symptoms last longer than norovirus at 3-7 days." Rotavirus vaccines are available and scheduled when infants are only a few months old to prevent severe illness. While the standard progression of rotavirus takes longer than norovirus, in both illnesses, the most important signs to watch for are signs of severe dehydration. "Children who are dehydrated will often have decreased urine output (less than one wet diaper or void in six hours), may cry with few or no tears, have dry mouth, sunken eyes, cool or clammy hands and feet and may become more sleepy or fussy," says Neemann. "These would all be indications to seek immediate medical attention." Your doctor might also weigh in on whether they suspect rotavirus or norovirus is to blame, but they may also focus on treating the dehydration. Food poisoning is an umbrella term for any virus or bacterial infection that produces severe gastrointestinal symptoms and is acquired through inadequate safety measures when preparing food. Norovirus can be transmitted this way and is estimated to cause 58% of foodborne illnesses in the United States, but other infectious agents can also be transmitted in food. Food poisoning should be treated the same way you'd treat norovirus at home, in the sense of working hard to stay hydrated and rest until symptoms ease. While COVID can be accompanied by gastrointestinal symptoms, it is primarily a respiratory infection and will typically present differently from norovirus. Similarly, influenza A and B can present with a variety of symptoms but typically include some respiratory symptoms. If you have co-occurring severe gastrointestinal symptoms with respiratory symptoms or sore throat, you can check using an at-home test to see if either the flu or COVID is present. Since it is also possible to have co-infections with more than one illness present, it's wise to watch for dehydration and treat yourself with rest, hydration and a bland, easy-to-digest diet. Typically, norovirus treatment is managed at home. The most important treatments are resting when possible and rehydrating with water or oral rehydration fluids like Pedialyte, which should be consumed in very small amounts until vomiting stops. "Drinking electrolyte-rich fluids, like sports drinks or hydration supplements, can help replace lost fluids," says Pinto-Garcia. "There's no antiviral medication for norovirus, but if nausea is severe, your doctor may recommend Zofran (ondansetron) to help. When it comes to diarrhea, check with your provider before taking anti-diarrheal medications -- sometimes, it's better to let your body clear the virus naturally. They may also suggest probiotics or probiotic-rich foods, such as yogurt, kefir or kimchi, to help your gut recover faster." The main risk factor in these illnesses is becoming too dehydrated, but persistent symptoms may indicate a different problem if norovirus weakens your immune system. "In some cases, another illness -- like a bacterial infection that requires antibiotics -- could be to blame. You should also seek medical attention if you notice signs of severe dehydration, including fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, dizziness, extreme fatigue, confusion or trouble thinking clearly," says Pinto-Garcia. "If something feels off or symptoms aren't improving, it's always best to check in with a healthcare professional." Norovirus outbreaks are fought with good hygiene and information. In any setting where a lot of people are in contact with each other, like schools, daycare centers, long-term care facilities and hospitals, it's essential that people wash their hands with soap and water since hand sanitizer is less effective against norovirus. Frequently cleaning surfaces with a bleach solution is also helpful; just remember that bleach products shouldn't be used in combination with other cleaning products, since they can react and produce harmful compounds. Information is the other crucial piece of the puzzle. If someone was in physical proximity to others right before they experienced sudden and severe symptoms that could be norovirus, they should let people know. That way, everyone can redouble their hand-washing and sanitizing efforts. Schools can implement extra cleaning and avoid contact with children with symptoms so that any outbreaks are as contained as possible. It does seem like a tenacious strain of norovirus is moving through the United States this winter, as Pinto-Garcia points out: "The CaliciNet data from the CDC shows that more than 70% of norovirus cases in fall 2024 were caused by a strain called GII.17. It's possible this strain causes more serious illness or spreads more quickly, which could account for why we saw such a high jump." It's wise to exercise extra caution until outbreak numbers drop. Even during a norovirus outbreak, preventing norovirus and managing norovirus symptoms follow the same protocol. Rigorous hand-washing with soap and treating surfaces regularly with CDC-recommended, bleach-based cleaning solution help keep infection at bay. If norovirus does enter your home or school, treating active norovirus symptoms with rest and hydration will offer you the best path through the symptoms and back to health.
