1. Basic Knowledge

• Norovirus infections occur year-round, but typically begin to increase around November, with peaks in January and February.
• The virus is highly contagious, and even a very small amount can cause illness.
• Effective disinfection methods include "heating at 85-90°C for 90 seconds or more" or "sodium hypochlorite disinfection."
• Alcohol (disinfectant ethanol) is insufficient for norovirus disinfection. Always use appropriate disinfectants such as sodium hypochlorite.

2. Infection Routes

• Food poisoning occurs when bivalve shellfish (e.g., oysters, clams, shijimi) are eaten raw or insufficiently heated.
• The virus spreads from person to person through infected individuals' vomit, feces, contaminated hands, and environments.

3. Food Poisoning Prevention & Countermeasures

• It is advisable to avoid serving raw bivalve shellfish.
• When cooking, it is important to heat the center to 85-90°C for 90 seconds or more.
• To prevent secondary contamination, use disposable gloves and avoid direct hand contact with food.
• If a cook experiences nausea, diarrhea, or fever, they should be removed from food handling duties.

4. Thorough Hand Washing

• Hand washing is the foundation of preventing secondary infection.
• Pay special attention to areas where dirt tends to remain: fingertips, between fingers, around thumbs, wrists, and hand creases.
• While alcohol disinfection after hand washing is helpful, it is not essential for norovirus prevention—sodium hypochlorite disinfection is effective.

5. Vomit and Feces Disposal

When vomit is found in guest rooms, prompt and thorough disposal is necessary.

Disposal Procedure Overview:

1. Keep non-essential personnel away from the contaminated area.
2. Wear gloves, mask, and apron.
3. Gently wipe from the outside to the inside using paper towels.
4. Place vomit and used paper towels in a plastic bag, add 0.1% sodium hypochlorite, and seal.
5. Wipe the contaminated area with paper towels soaked in 0.1% sodium hypochlorite. After a period of time, wipe with water.
6. Place contaminated items and disposal materials in a separate bag and seal for disposal.
7. If clothing is contaminated: Soak in 0.1% sodium hypochlorite for 10 minutes or disinfect with hot water at 85°C for 1 minute or more.

Ensure adequate ventilation after disposal.

6. Disinfectant (Sodium Hypochlorite) Concentration and Preparation

Use commercial bleach (approximately 5% chlorine concentration).

7. Facility Cleaning & Environmental Measures

• Areas frequently touched by hands, such as guest seating, toilets, and doorknobs, require regular disinfection. Clean doorknobs during daily cleaning.
• If vomit disposal and disinfection are inadequate, the virus may dry and become airborne, spreading through the air.
• As a facility, we will establish response manuals and conduct regular reviews.