With Thanksgiving preparations underway, the risk of foodborne illness (gastroenteritis) increases due to the sheer volume of food being handled and the complexity of holiday dishes.
Prevention in the home kitchen or at food establishments and/or catering services, begins with meticulous hand hygiene and separating foods to avoid cross-contamination. Before handling any food, and especially after touching raw meat, poultry (like the turkey), or eggs, hands must be washed thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
Dedicated cutting boards should be used—one for raw meats and one for produce or ready-to-eat items—to ensure that harmful bacteria from raw proteins are never transferred to
cooked foods or salads. All utensils, countertops, and sinks must be sanitized regularly during the food preparation process to maintain a clean environment.
The Collective Prevention Services (CPS) department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor, would like all to have a safe thanksgiving on Thursday, November 27, 2025.
Gastroenteritis is the inflammation of the stomach and intestine a.k.a. stomach flu, which is usually due to acute infection by viruses or bacteria resulting in vomiting and diarrhea.
The most common symptoms of gastroenteritis are watery diarrhea and vomiting and repeated episodes of diarrhea (three or more episodes within 24 hours). You might also have stomach pain, cramping, fever, nausea, and a headache.
Viruses and bacteria can be transferred through poor hygiene. They spread through contamination of hands, objects, hard surfaces, or food infected with the aforementioned. The virus enters your body via your mouth, this type of transmission is fecal-oral. Viral gastroenteritis may also be spread through coughing and sneezing.
For example, if someone does not wash their hands after going to the toilet, any viruses or bacteria on their hands will be transferred to whatever they touch, such as glass, kitchen utensil or food. Upon coughing and sneezing without
using proper cough etiquette can spread viruses and bacteria.
To prevent the spread of the infection, wash your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and before eating or preparing food; clean the toilet, including the seat and handle, with disinfectant after each bout of vomiting or diarrhea; don’t share towels, cutlery and utensils with other household members; practice proper cough etiquettes and good hygiene practices and in consultation with your physician, you should not return to work until 48 hours after your last bout of vomiting or diarrhea.
Practicing good personal and food hygiene are essential in preventing gastroenteritis. Good food hygiene entails properly and regularly washing your hands; properly and regularly clean preparation area/surfaces and utensils properly and often with hot, soapy water; never store raw food and cooked foods together; avoid cross contamination of foods which means if you are preparing fish on the cutting table, don’t add chicken to prepare as well on the same cutting board, as it has to be cleaned properly before using it again; make sure that food is correctly refrigerated; always cook your food thoroughly; and never eat food that has expired (past its shelf date or sales date; and check for expiration dates).
Consult your family physician if you have vomiting/diarrhea and/or persisting symptoms so that your physician can refer you to the laboratory for confirmation and typing of the clinical diagnosis.
For more information email surveillance@sintmaartengov.org
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