By Francine L. Shaw | Published May 2016
Norovirus is the leading cause of foodborne illnesses and it spreads
rapidly. Anyone can get infected with Norovirus and it’s possible to get it
more than once. The average person will get Norovirus approximately five times
during their lifetime. Peak season for Norovirus is during cooler months:
November to April.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year, Norovirus
causes:
• 19 - 21 million illnesses
• 56,000 - 71,000 hospitalizations
• 570 - 800 deaths
When Norovirus enters food service establishments, the results can be
serious and widespread. In December 2015, a Boston-area Chipotle had a Norovirus
outbreak that sickened over a hundred customers. Then, in March, Chipotle
shuttered a different Massachusetts restaurant amid Norovirus concerns.
When Chipotle learned that four employees at this location were ill, they
decided to close the store for a full sanitation. At the time, it wasn’t known
for certain if the employees had Norovirus, so this closure and full sanitation
was done as a precaution. This closure
cost them a day’s sales, the cost of the sanitation, and more negative press
(that they didn’t deserve). Erring on the side of caution was wise, as at least
one employee was ultimately confirmed to have the virus. As a result of
Chipotle’s actions, no customers were infected. They prevented an outbreak.
Chipotle has received considerable bad press since for months, as the quick
service chain suffered one foodborne illness outbreak after another, including Salmonella, E. coli, and Norovirus. These events hit multiple locations,
sickened hundreds, caused Chipotle’s stocks to plummet, sparked lawsuits, and even
resulted in a criminal investigation by the Department of Justice.
When they suspected Norovirus in early March, they did exactly what they
should’ve done – closed and sanitized this restaurant. Unfortunately, their
actions to prevent yet another foodborne illness outbreak were not reported in
the most positive light.
Norovirus is extremely common. When employees come to work with diarrhea
and vomiting, most facilities don’t close for sanitation. In fact, these
employees are often permitted to work with these very contagious symptoms that
can infect others – and even cause a foodborne illness outbreak.
Norovirus can easily contaminate food because it’s very tiny and
infective. It only takes a very small amount of virus particles (as few as 18)
to make someone sick. Food can get contaminated with Norovirus when:
• Infected people who have feces or
vomit on their hands touch the food.
• Food is placed on counters or
surfaces that have infectious feces or vomit on them.
• Tiny drops of vomit from an infected
person spray through the air and land on the food.
Foods can also be contaminated at their source:
• Oysters that are harvested from
contaminated water
• Fruit and vegetables that are
contaminated during the growing process
At Food Safety
Training Solutions, Inc., we offer food service professionals these tips to
avoid Norovirus-related issues:
• Do not work or allow your employees
to work when ill.
• Avoid preparing food for others
while you’re sick and for at least 48 hours after symptoms
stop. Get a note
from your physician before returning to work.
• Wash your hands carefully and often
with soap and water (at least 100°F). The hand
washing process should take at
least 20 seconds.
• Rinse fruits and vegetables carefully.
• Cook shellfish thoroughly.
• Clean and sanitize kitchen utensils,
counters, and surfaces routinely.
• Wash table linens, napkins, and
other laundry thoroughly and often.
• Have (and implement) a policy for
“Clean-up and Disinfection of Norovirus” as stated in the
2013 Food Code.
Let’s give credit where credit is due. Kudos to Chipotle for doing the
right thing, regardless of what it cost the business. On the day they closed
one location to prevent yet another a foodborne illness outbreak, their stocks
dropped again, and the media headlines were negative. Chipotle is going to
continue to be under the microscope for a long time. They’ve made many mistakes
over the past months, but they appear to be making positive changes in their
foodborne illness protocols, and that should be applauded.
