12/03/2026
🤢 Gastro at Camp: Can Spread Faster Than a Bushfire! 🔥
Nobody wants their camp memories to include an express trip to the First Aid post… but gastro bugs love campsites. E. coli, norovirus and their germy mates can hitch a ride on hands, door handles, toilet buttons, light switches and handrails — basically anything you touch. Even tiny amounts of poo germs can make people sick, and a single gram of faeces can contain one trillion germs.
The good news? You CAN stop them.
And the best weapon isn’t fancy or high tech… it’s soap and water!
🧼 Why soap + water beats hand gel:
• Germs from poo (yes, really) are a major source of E. coli and norovirus — and they spread easily if hands aren’t washed properly.
• Handwashing with soap removes germs far more effectively than sanitizer, especially for norovirus, which has a tough outer shell that alcohol gel struggles to break down.
• Norovirus is super contagious and can stay in surfaces or even in your poo for weeks after symptoms stop — so hand hygiene really matters.
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✋ Camp Hygiene Rules (aka “Keep Gastro Away!”)
🧼 1. Wash your hands with soap and water EVERY time you:
• Use the bathrooms, toilets or portaloos
• Handle food or drinks
• Sneeze, blow your nose, or cough into your hands
• Finish activities involving shared equipment
🚽 2. Close the toilet lid before flushing!
Flushing with the lid up can spray germs into the air… and nobody wants that mist landing on their lunch.
(Yes, toilet plume is real.)
🧴 3. Use hand gel in between washes
When it comes to gastro, hand gel is no replacement for soap, but it’s great as a top up:
• Before entering your campsite
• Before going into the kitchen or dining area
• Before eating
• After touching shared items
💦 4. Put hand gel at entrances
Entrances to kitchens, dining shelters and your campsite are perfect “reminder zones.” Easy access = more use.
🧽 5. Keep surfaces clean
Door handles, benches, tables — clean them often. Norovirus especially loves smooth surfaces.
🍽️ 6. Don’t prep food if you’re sick
Anyone recovering from gastro shouldn’t prepare or handle food for 48 hours after symptoms stop — you can still shed norovirus during this time
🏊♂️ 6. No swimming or muddy activities for 48 hours after symptoms stop
Norovirus and other gastro bugs can spread through contaminated water and mud, so skip swimming pools, water activities, and muddy challenges for two full days after symptoms have ended.
❗ Don’t be that person responsible for sending their whole patrol or unit home early!
Do the right thing — keep everyone healthy so camp can keep running.
