As the colder months begin, so too do the higher rates of seasonal infections. At WWL, we know that winter is always the busiest and most demanding time of year for health and care services, but it is also the time when we see the very best of how the Wigan Borough comes together to support our services.
International Infection Prevention Week (19th – 25th October 2025) is a global initiative, celebrated every year during the third week of October. The week provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the critical importance of infection prevention, to educate, reinforce, and promote the essential practices to protect patients, healthcare workers, and the public. This includes hand hygiene, respiratory etiquette (such as ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’), the importance of vaccinations as part of winter preparedness, and the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Across the Borough, we are campaigning to ‘Say No to Norovirus’, one of the most common causes of illness over the winter period, by providing learning opportunities and resources for our staff and visitors on their role in preventing the spread of infection. Norovirus, often called the “winter vomiting bug”, is the leading cause of stomach bugs in the UK and spreads quickly through close contact, contaminated surfaces, and food. However, simple actions can make a big difference.
The single most effective way to prevent norovirus is good hand hygiene. Washing your hands frequently with soap and warm water, especially after using the toilet, before eating, and after contact with someone who is ill, can prevent the spread of the virus. Alcohol hand gels do not kill norovirus, so should not be used on their own.
If you or your loved ones have been sick or had diarrhoea, you can also prevent others from picking up the virus by staying off work or school, or attending social occasions, for at least 48 hours after symptoms stop. This helps protect others and prevents outbreaks in busy places like schools, offices, and, in particular, hospitals, where sick patients can quickly pick up other illnesses.
You should also wash any contaminated clothing or bedding using detergent and at 60°C, and, if possible, wear disposable gloves to handle contaminated items, and disinfect surfaces with bleach-based cleaning products where possible. These steps are especially important in shared spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. Let’s keep Wigan healthy this winter and help to stop spread seasonal bugs.
For additional information visit the NHS Norovirus webpage or the UK Health Security Agency website.