Norovirus Hits the Winter Olympics Again | Episode 156

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In this episode of Don’t Eat Poop!, our hosts Matt and Francine are discussing Francine's favorite virus: Norovirus. 

It's no surprise this foodborne illness made an appearance at the 2026 Winter Olympics, and it's also no surprise that our hosts had a thing or two to say about this super spreader event.

Tune in for some laughs, a shortage of condoms, all you need to know about the super bug that is Norovirus, and more.

In this episode:

0:00:00 Matt's life fostering medically fragile kids

0:07:05 Olympics + free condoms = more Norovirus?

0:14:53 The Poop Cruise: the cruiseship from hell

0:18:26 The science behind the spread of Norovirus 

0:26:37 Francine's Norovirus outbreak care packages

Disclaimer: Episode title and content do not constitute legal or health advice.

Resources from this episode

Watch Trainwreck: Poop Cruise.

Catch up with Episode 152, where we talk about the economics of foodborne illnesses.

Read The Conversation article Matt and Francine refer to in this episode.

Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“ Norovirus is like a super bug, man. It has good survival skills. I gotta hand it to Norovirus. It is a maximum survivalist. So, making sure to thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water is essential.” – Matt Regusci

“ 2,800 athletes were there the first week. Now, they've been handing out these free condoms since 1988, and I wonder if there's a correlation between the close contact and the Norovirus.” – Francine L Shaw

We hope you enjoy this episode!

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