WWBT NBC 12 reports that the U.S.Centers for Disease Control recently reported that one in five restaurant workers admitted to working while they had symptoms for the highly contagious Norovirus.

That’s one of the reasons labor groups have been protesting, demanding paid sick days for restaurant workers. Most restaurants do not offer paid sick leave to employees.

The CDC also reports that 70 percent of Norovirus cases are caused by food handlers.

The Virginia Department of Health Director of Food & General Environmental Services, Julie Henderson, explained how the Norovirus can be spread by food handlers.  “The virus gets on their hand and can be transferred to the food.”

 VDH prohibits sick restaurant employees from working with food. “Restaurant workers are required to report if they have nausea, diarrhea, any symptoms associated with Norovirus, to report it to the person in charge,” Henderson said.

Henderson believes a high level of compliance has helped Virginia attain a lower rate of Norovirus spread by food handlers.

“I know our latest statistics from 2012 show we had out of 250 outbreaks. Seventeen of them were associated with Norovirus and direct food contact from food handlers, said Henderson.

But Norovirus is one of several illnesses that can be spread.  There are colds, the flu, Salmonella, E. Coli, Shigella, and Hepatitis A, to name a few. 
NBC12 – Richmond, VA News