South Dakota Norovirus Control Procedure
Norovirus is highly contagious. It only takes a few particles to infect a person. When someone with norovirus vomits, virus particles can spread up to 25 feet. To keep others from catching the virus, food service operators must contain the vomit and clean and disinfect the area.  

Section 2-501.11 of the 2017 U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Code requires food establishments to: 
  • Have written procedures for their employees to follow when cleaning up diarrhea and vomit 
  • Include in the written procedures how the food establishment protects customers, employees, food, and surfaces from contamination ​
All food service operators must: 
  • Have a written plan for addressing incidents of vomiting and diarrhea 
  • Restrict or exclude symptomatic employees for 48 hours after the last symptom
  • Restrict or exclude any employee who is diagnosed with norovirus, even if they are asymptomatic (do not have symptoms), since they may carry the virus
  • Make sure that: 
  1. Employees wash hands  
  2. Employees do not handle ready-to-eat foods with bare hands
  3. Ill workers are excluded or restricted  
  4. Any food that was handled by an ill employee is discarded   

Follow These Guidelines in a Written Clean-Up Procedure:

Protect customers  
  • Move guests at least 25 feet away from affected areas
  • Block access to contaminated area
  • Throw away food and single service items that may have been contaminated 

Contain the spill  
  • Use baking soda or other absorbent material designed to contain the spill 

Clean Up
  • Use paper towels for cleanup, and throw them away in a plastic trash or biohazard bag
  • Do not vacuum (vacuuming can spread particles)
  • Use soapy water for:  spill area, surfaces close to spill, frequently touched areas such as faucet handles, doorknobs, counters, and phones
  • Rinse thoroughly
  • Wipe dry with paper towels
Protect employees  ​
  • Require employees who are cleaning up to wear gloves, mask, and apron
  • Throw away or launder items after use 
  • Wash hands thoroughly  
  • Remember: Hand sanitizers may not be effective against norovirus 

Disinfect surfaces after cleaning
  • Use chlorine bleach for everything except fabrics and rugs
  1. For hard surfaces use 1/3 cup bleach (¼ cup if concentrated) + 1 gallon of water 
  2. For porous surfaces use 1-2/3 cup bleach (1 cup if concentrated) + 1 gallon of water
  • Steam clean or use other disinfectants approved for food service facilities for areas that cannot be bleached: 
  1. Phenolic environmental disinfectants at 2-4 times the concentration» EPA registered disinfectants
  • Rinse all food contact surfaces after disinfecting 

Crafting Your Clean Up Kit:

  • Masks
  • Paper towels
  • Plastic Garbage Bags
  • Caution tape
  • Gloves (require employees who are cleaning to wear)
  • Disposable clothes, mask, and apron
  • Baking soda
  • Drop cloth