Is There a Norovirus Vaccine?

During the winter of 2024-2025, cases of a highly contagious stomach bug characterized by sudden vomiting and diarrhea surged. Nicknamed the "Ferrari of viruses" for its rapid spread, norovirus is also known for its ability to quickly infect cruise ships.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cruise ship inspections for illness are on pace to set new records in 2025.

As of July 2025, the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program had reported 18 gastrointestinal illnesses on cruise ships this year, most classified as norovirus.

A University of Surrey–led research team identified cruise ship dining areas as priorities for preventing norovirus outbreaks.

However, according to those who study it, the virus hasn't received the attention it deserves, wrote Kate Schweitzer in an article published by JAMA on July 25, 2025.

From a prevention perspective, scientists have taken several approaches to developing a norovirus vaccine. Unfortunately, no candidate vaccine has been approved yet.

Schweitzer's unedited article is posted at this JAMA link.