There is no specific treatment for norovirus.
It's best to let the illness run its course and your body usually fights off the infection within a couple of days. You don't need to see a doctor.
It is important to have plenty to drink and, if you feel the need, paracetamol for any fever or aches and pains.
Try to eat foods that are easy to digest, such as soup, rice, pasta and bread. Babies should continue with their normal feeds.
To reduce the risk of passing the virus on to others, wash your hands regularly and stay at home until you are clear of symptoms for 48 hours.
Avoid dehydration
Drinking plenty of fluids is particularly important for young children and the elderly, as they are more prone to dehydration. They will need urgent medical treatment if they start to show signs of dehydration.
A healthy adult should drink about 1.2 litres (six to eight glasses) of fluid every day to stop getting dehydrated. Someone with norovirus will need to drink more than that to replace the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea.
Suitable drinks include water, squashes and fruit juice. If you are finding it hard to keep down fluids, try to take small sips more frequently to keep yourself hydrated.
Infants and small children should receive frequent sips of water even if they vomit. A small amount of fluid is better than none. Avoid giving fruit juices and carbonated drinks to children under the age of five, as these can worsen diarrhoea.
Read more about treating babies and children with diarrhoea or who are vomiting.
Rehydration drinks
If you are worried that you are becoming dehydrated, your doctor or pharmacist may advise you to take rehydration drinks.
You can buy sachets of rehydration salts from your pharmacy and add them to water. They provide the correct balance of water, salt and sugar for your body.
Not all rehydration drinks are suitable for children. You should check which ones are suitable with your GP or pharmacist. Read more information about treating dehydration.
If your symptoms continue for more than three days or you feel severely dehydrated at any time, get medical help immediately.
Advice for parents
Keep your child away from school or nursery for at least 48 hours after their last episode of diarrhoea or vomiting.
Also, children should not swim in a swimming pool for two weeks following the last episode of diarrhoea.
Read more about preventing norovirus.
