You don't say where your alerts are coming from. If they are by e-mail and you are using Outlook Express (which is my main experience) then delete before opening and reading and then delete from the "deleted itmes" folder as well. Never trust an email attachment from a sender that you do not recognise.
If the alerts are coming from virus protection software on your computer then it's doing its job and you should let it clean the infected file. I update my McAfee software weekly and if I forget it prompts me to go on-line to update. I've heard that Norton AntiVirus software is good but that it is intrusive and takes over your interface with the Operating System. I used to use Dr Solomon's but they were pushed out of the way by Network Associates (McAfee).
This is obviously important to you in business; in personal computing with masses of internet access I have seen only one virus in 14 years which was quickly cleansed by Dr Solomon's.
That's not to say there not out there though!
Good Luck! fob