Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

11 people on Friday night were sick, and by Saturday night we had about 3/4 of the team down. Oof. We blamed it on food poisoning at first as well, but apparently it's the virus...

We've got Nova yes we do!
We've got Nova how 'bout yooou? =P

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

I feel terrible for all the people that were hit with this virus (especially the few like Wetzel, who were hospitalized). But I think everyone brought up a great point - we've got four more weekends of regionals to go, and we'll just keep spreading this from regional to regional if we don't take proper precautions. Everyone follow the links given, and please PLEASE be as careful as possible.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

We are thinking about handing out 'We Survived VCU' buttons at Nationals.

Here are some good things to remember and do this week at regionals:

-Wash hands before and after eating. Also after you sneeze or other thing like that.
-Use hand sanatizer like crazy.
-Wipe down tools that are used often with alcohol to prevent spreading
-Have human player use hand sanatizer after handeling balls.

I know these things are stupid, but somehow hygene dropps at robotics competitions. :)

Have fun guys. :)

Joseph 'Not Sick Anymore' M.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

The teacher that runs our team called everybody last night after the power came back on and told us not to go to school today. People from our team are still getting sick and we don't want to spread it to the whole school. Some of us haven't even felt any symptoms yet but we are probably still carrying it.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

I was wondering if anyone knows what truck route number the VCU regional was. I was hoping that someone knows what route this is so we can warn the next regional the field goes to, even though its been cleaned once, we still can take precautions.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

Here's an article about the danger of relying on hand santizers: http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/200...runc_sys.shtml

I guess it's a use at your own risk situation. I wonder how much of this was spread by buttons and duckies and trading cards and beads and what not being passed out... hmmm... not sick yet (well, at least not in that sense), so the buttons I handed out were clean...

Heidi

<=========>
I said, "darkness into darkness, all the carnage of my journeys
Makes it harder to be living;" he said, "it's a long road to be forgiven" -Indigo Girls

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

I have buttons from nine teams plus beads from one of those and beads from another. I handled some ducks and other stuff but I still didn't get it.

I'm thinking that it was either spread at the engineering school Thursday night or at the competition Friday morning because it starting hitting most of our team around midnight Friday night. With at least a 12 hour incubation period it couldn't have been at the museum because two of our kids were beginning to feel it at the museum.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

Well, FIRST has made an official statement on the VCU virus. http://www.usfirst.org/robotics/news/VCUstatement.htm

I am not sick yet even though I had a 10 hour bus ride with my team back to GA. All the sick people were put in the back of the bus near to the bathroom (About 15 of them..maybe more by now). My boss told me not to come in to work today. His exact words were, "DO NOT APPROACH THE BUILDING". :) I'll go back in tomorrow since its been 24 hours since I've been in contact with anyone that was sick.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

It was Truck #2, which I know was going to Orlando next, then Peachtree, and I can't remember the rest of the route after that. I think anyone else who gets this truck should be ok; besides the disinfecting, the truck is traveling for several days, the virus will not have a host, so it should die off.

Hope everyone is feeling better!

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

As far as I know, team 435 seems to have escaped the illness. None of our students or mentors got sick at the competition and I don't know of anyone getting sick after returning home. I hope all of you that got sick are feeling better.

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

Hey all,

Well, with respect to our team (#614), we lost (I believe) four students and I know one of my fellow engineers was affected later on Saturday as well. Like many of the teams, it's difficult to lose players without being affected somehow. It's a huge credit to those who remained that they did as well as they did under very difficult circumstances. Very unfortunate and most definitely not pretty (!), but congrats to the those who persevered and especially to those who made it to the finals. Looking forward to Annapolis which, for me, will be a taco-free zone :-)

Good luck to all at the next competition...
NightVisionGuy

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

For the sake of those students, I dearly hope you mean 4 students got sick, and I'm reading too much into "lost"!

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

After hearing the field is coming to UCF i red the FIRST statement and saw they said it was prob the norovirus and i dont want to get sick so i posted this in the ucf regonal thread and decieded to post it in here to

Well while talking about this with Nathan Pell(1083), we looked at the FIRST statement about the virus and they said it was prob the norovirus and so Nathan found a fact sheet about it and hear it is

facts on Norovirus

February 2004
Norovirus Fact Sheet
What are noroviruse?

Norovirus is a virus that causes the “stomach flu,” or vomiting and diarrhea, in people.

What are the symptoms of illness caused by noroviruses?

Norovirus illness usually begins 24 - 48 hours after exposure, but can appear as early as 10 hours after exposure.
Symptoms usually include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping. Sometimes people have a low-grade
fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The illness is usually brief, with symptoms
lasting only 1 or 2 days.

How serious is norovirus disease?

Norovirus disease is usually not serious, but people may feel very sick. Most people get better within 1 or 2 days,
and have no long-term health effects from the illness. Sometimes people are unable to drink enough liquids to
replace what they lose from vomiting and diarrhea, and they can become dehydrated and need to see a doctor. This
problem usually occurs only among the very young, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.

How is norovirus spread?

Noroviruses are very contagious and spread easily from person to person. The virus is found in the stool and vomit
of infected people. People can become infected in several ways, including eating food or drinking liquids that are
contaminated by infected food handlers, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then touching
their mouth before handwashing, or having direct contact with another person who is infected and then touching
their mouth before handwashing. Outbreaks also have occurred from eating undercooked oysters harvested from
contaminated waters - cooking kills the virus. Drinking water contaminated by sewage can also be a source of these
viruses. Persons working in day-care centers or nursing homes should pay special attention to children or residents
who have norovirus illness. This virus can spread quickly in these places.

How long are people contagious?

People infected with norovirus are contagious from the moment they begin feeling ill to at least 3 days after
recovery. Some people may be contagious for as long as 2 weeks after recovery. Therefore, good handwashing is
important. Persons infected with norovirus should not prepare food while they have symptoms and for 3 days after
they recover. Infected people do not become long-term carriers of norovirus.

Who gets norovirus infection?

Anyone can become infected with these viruses. Because there are many different strains of norovirus, norovirus
infection and illness can re-occur throughout a person’s lifetime.

What treatment is available for people with norovirus infection?

Currently, there is no specific medication or vaccine for norovirus. Norovirus infection cannot be treated with
antibiotics. By drinking fluids, such as juice or water, people can reduce their chance of becoming dehydrated.
Sports drinks do not replace the nutrients and minerals lost during this illness.

Do infected people need to be excluded from school, work or daycare?

Since the virus is passed in vomit and stool, children should not go to daycare or school while they have diarrhea or
vomiting. Once illness ends, children can return to daycare, but handwashing must be strictly monitored. Persons
who work in nursing homes, take care of patients, or handle food should stay out of work until at least three days
after symptoms end.

Can norovirus infections be prevented?

You can decrease your chance of coming in contact with noroviruses by:
• Frequent handwashing with warm water and soap
• Promptly disinfecting contaminated surfaces with household chlorine bleach-based cleaners
• Washing soiled clothing and linens
• Avoiding food or water from sources that may be contaminated
• Cooking oysters completely to kill the virus

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

Yes, of course, sick ;)

Lost, as in, out of the competition. Sorry for the dramatics (!)

Re: So, who likes tacos?
 

I believe that I read somewhere that the virus dies out without a carrier within 24 hours, so I don't think the components will be infected. They were thoroughly cleaning the parts, so I think it is more the people that were at VCU that you need to worry about.