Ebola making a difference in your next cruise?

Remember that the people living with the orginal Dallas case were also confined at home for 21 days.... they were not exhibiting symptoms and.... none of them came down with Ebola.

 

Susan

Don't forget this was also after he had symptoms(contagious).

Unless the person next to you is expelling body fluids (vomit, blood or feces) there is no risk. The person has to be very sick to be contagious and highly unlikely to be watching a show.

Not only those fluids but saliva and aerosolized droplets from a sneeze, etc. Authorities have said it's very improbable, but possible.

Actually, I think I am more afraid of that nut with the hatchet than I am of contracting ebola. And neither of them is going to keep me home.

Susan

Sadly, I fear you are correct.

 

You can explain it to them but you can't comprehend it for them.

 

There's no point in beating your head against the wall.

 

The facts are the facts as stated by Health Authorities.

 

I fear we can't stop some fear mongering.

Bolding mine. Sadly, this is one of the most insightful statements I have read on CC in months.

BTW welcome back. I've been enjoying your P-dam reports. Sorry about your camera :(

Actually, I think I am more afraid of that nut with the hatchet than I am of contracting ebola. And neither of them is going to keep me home.

 

Susan

Bravo! I agree, Susan...life is short...enjoy it.

Not only those fluids but saliva and aerosolized droplets from a sneeze, etc. Authorities have said it's very improbable, but possible.

Also somewhat improbably but possible in our lifetimes is the eruption of the super volcano in Yellowstone. Should we be discussing the various scenarios surrounding that, too? We can add "if" to the start of any speculation, so we aren't stating fact, we can get away with some pretty outrageous speculation.

Sooooo...I am really enjoying this thread...I am flip flopping back and forth but a recurring thought keeps coming up...how many of us have read Stephen king's "the stand"...the original ..and the uncut...I know most of this stuff is not plausible,..but since I am a huge Stephen king fan.... there is no doubt in my mind that stuff can happen..........let's REALLY hope it does not happen now with Ebola...:D:eek:

I read it for the first time in my late teens- you can't tell someone who grew up on The Stand not to worry!

I think the point for the people who have worries is not that one person in the US has it and we haven't been exposed to his bodily fluids. That's clear and no one needs to tell us this yet again. We can read, we know how it's transmitted.

It's that it will get worse. More people will get it. Ebola becoming "aerosolized" is totally NOT on my radar. My concern is that we've got a total of 25 beds at the highest level isolation facilities. Further concern: all medical personnel who have caught it here or brought it back here were quite well aware of how it is transmitted and they still caught it. How are we to believe the endless announcements that it's so difficult to catch? Come again?

We shall see. But- we would do well to respect everyone's personal feelings about this issue. We all know how it is spread.

This thread is clearly of interest and has, until today, been a good one. However this afternoon we had several posts that cast aspersions on other members devolving into a series of verbal attacks. Stating personal opinions is fine, and disagreeing with someone else's opinions is also fine so long as the disagreement is limited to the subject and not the persona of the other member.

These posts have been removed.

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Thanks

Right now I am more worried about ISIS, terrorism and other such things than this.

 

I am not belittling Ebola, but it's been there for years.

 

Ironically, like AIDS which existed for years in Africa, no one worried until it moved to North America. Sad but true.

True, TrueTrue

Welcome back Kazu! I missed your perspective.

I read it for the first time in my late teens- you can't tell someone who grew up on The Stand not to worry!

 

I think the point for the people who have worries is not that one person in the US has it and we haven't been exposed to his bodily fluids. That's clear and no one needs to tell us this yet again. We can read, we know how it's transmitted.

 

It's that it will get worse. More people will get it. Ebola becoming "aerosolized" is totally NOT on my radar. My concern is that we've got a total of 25 beds at the highest level isolation facilities. Further concern: all medical personnel who have caught it here or brought it back here were quite well aware of how it is transmitted and they still caught it. How are we to believe the endless announcements that it's so difficult to catch? Come again?

 

We shall see. But- we would do well to respect everyone's personal feelings about this issue. We all know how it is spread.

At my workplace, we have been taking it very seriously and even have people whose only job is to monitor the status and will jump into action if it happens to become more easily transmittable. As you said, one of my concerns is that some facilities only have a limited number of beds for those getting this virus. What happens if they run out of beds? I know in Africa, they are actively turning away those infected from the hospitals there.

I also agree if those wearing all the personal protective equipment are getting sick, that doesn't reassure me that it isn't as hard to spread as they say it is.

Additionally, I am not letting it keep me from my cruise. I'm more worried about getting Norovirus than Ebola on my cruise.

 

All any of us really can do is decide for ourselves if where we want to go and what we want to do matters enough to us to expose ourselves to whatever risk, danger, discomfort, inconvenience, annoyance etc Is the trip worth it?

 

And the other thing we can do is respect not all others agree with us and show courtesy and not be disagreeable about our disagreement.

Exactly.

Like everything in life, we have to make up our own minds on what is worth it and what is not. Some decide to spend the money and time to get a university education while others go right into work. Everyone has to do their own cost/benefit analysis...whether you know you are doing it or not.

What bugs me is those that earned a wage for 7 years while I went to post secondary education then turning around and saying I have to train them for everything to be equal. They laughed at me and asked why I was living on $15/week when I could be like them. Now they are on welfare as the mill closed down. Everyone makes their own decisions and you have to live with the risk you are comfortable with.

I also agree if those wearing all the personal protective equipment are getting sick, that doesn't reassure me that it isn't as hard to spread as they say it is.

 

From what I heard reported, the staff in Dallas were not following universal precautions and did not have the ankles and wrists of their protective equipment taped off...so that was their portal of entry.

All the protective equipment in the world can't work if it is not used properly. Men no facial hair...every opening has to be taped shut....no hair in the masks where the mask comes in contact with skin. No make up. And change your shoes even if your wear the protective booties as you don't want to transmit anything from a hospital into your car/home!

From what I heard reported, the staff in Dallas were not following universal precautions and did not have the ankles and wrists of their protective equipment taped off...so that was their portal of entry.

 

All the protective equipment in the world can't work if it is not used properly. Men no facial hair...every opening has to be taped shut....no hair in the masks where the mask comes in contact with skin. No make up. And change your shoes even if your wear the protective booties as you don't want to transmit anything from a hospital into your car/home!

I don't disagree with this at all. But I believe it also proves that Ebola is a lot more transmittable than what I believe the government is telling us.

I am so confused....

***Random thoughts and comments to follow*****

Dr. #1 says you can't contract Ebola unless the persons vomits and you touch the vomit and then touch your eyes or mouth.

Then the bowling alley is closed down and sanitized...

Then the pictures of two police officers tossing face masks and gloves in a NY street corner public trash can.

So, Doctors who go to Africa to provide aide are being criticized for not being quarantined?

The President Hugs a recovered Ebola victim and this is suppose to make me feel good? Hey Mr. President, please shake the hand and hug all the volunteers when they return to the US please.

Two dead, four hurt in shooting at Marysville-Pilchuck High School... What are the odds?

Gun Free Canada - 1 shot dead. The Federal Bureau of Investigation warned officials stationed on the 5,525-mile border between the United States and Canada to be on high alert for possible terrorist infiltration Wednesday. The warning came after two attacks in Canada over the past three days.

Most computers have an off button.

So much to worry about.... So much to be thankful for.....

So much keyboard courage displayed here......

By the way... I hope my DW changes her mind and we cruise again soon! (see post #1 in case you forgot what this thread is about)

I was so surprised last night when I suggested we buy airline tickets to FLL for a holiday cruise and not book the ship till the last minute looking for a deal. If the ships were full, that would be fine and we would enjoy Florida sunshine!

 

The surprise was when DW said, I prefer to not travel until we learn more about the Ebola situation.

 

Anyone else amending their travel plans?

I flew for the first time in over two years last week after having two transplants due to leukemia. While I was sick/in treatment I always wore a mask in public (most times a heavier n95).

I asked my Doc if I should wear a mask while flying, he said "No, just wash your hands frequently and don't touch your eyes." He has given the OK to go on a cruise, so we will fly to FLL and board a ship twice in the near future.

I also have a friend who has worked for our department of state for many years and has travelled throughout the world. He feels the western media is making way too much of the situation on our shores, and his current post is not too far away from ground zero.

I'm sure most on this thread know that the flu should be, all things being equal, of much more concern.

Decisions should be based on one's own comfort level, but, for us, the specter of Ebola

will not change our plans one bit.

I flew for the first time in over two years last week after having two transplants due to leukemia. While I was sick/in treatment I always wore a mask in public (most times a heavier n95).

I asked my Doc if I should wear a mask while flying, he said "No, just wash your hands frequently and don't touch your eyes." He has given the OK to go on a cruise, so we will fly to FLL and board a ship twice in the near future.

I also have a friend who has worked for our department of state for many years and has travelled throughout the world. He feels the western media is making way too much of the situation on our shores, and his current post is not too far away from ground zero.

I'm sure most on this thread know that the flu should be, all things being equal, of much more concern.

Decisions should be based on one's own comfort level, but, for us, the specter of Ebola

will not change our plans one bit.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise - you certainly deserve it. I understand some of what you have gone through - a friend's son has also had two transplants for the same reason in the past year. My best wishes to you.:)

I hope you have a wonderful cruise - you certainly deserve it. I understand some of what you have gone through - a friend's son has also had two transplants for the same reason in the past year. My best wishes to you.:)

Thank you for the kind thoughts. It seems there is SO much to worry about in today's environment, I'm willing to bet you could say the same thing 5, 10, or 15 years ago. The internet and the speed of news flow today just magnifies the situation. My wife just read about North Korea supposedly having some miniaturized nuclear warhead nearly ready, my immediate thought was "if this is true (a definite maybe), what can I do about it anyway?" And, if N. Korea would be so reckless as to deliver it, consequences for that nation would not be at all favorable.

I hope everyone enjoys their cruise vacations as much as we will.

Another thing that worries me is that there are other countries that want to see us go away, permanently. I could see them sending some of their "suicide" squad into West Africa, intentionally infecting themselves, then coming into the US and other countries with intention of spreading it. I would think it would be pretty easy to do this too. A few spritzes from a spray bottle onto a door handle or a buffet line and it would be picked up pretty easily. Plus, if you look at this publication (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15588056) from the National Institute of Health website, it states Ebola is a Category A biological weapon.

We would never know what hit us if that happened and the hospitals could be quickly overrun with patients.

Seriously, in all your life no one has ever sneezed or coughed right in your face? Never in an elevator, never while standing in a line or on an airplane, on a tour bus, never? ...... really?

 

 

 

Never. Not even in New York City on packed subways.

Yes, you can always find that one-in-a-gazillion scenario for anything but I am not going to run scared because of that. Because I could get hit by a bus while running scared.

If 2 male strippers in Dallas are doing self quarantine for 21 days since they were are the same flight as the nurse who traveled to Ohio, why can't the medical people do the same thing? It makes one wonder if male strippers have more common sense than the medical people.

Some perspective on this issue: http://www.vox.com/2014/10/24/7057535/the-new-york-ebola-patient-is-a-brave-and-heroic-doctor-stop

I think a doctor that has worked with Ebola is a lot better informed than two strippers. Maybe they used the time to work on new routines. ;)

Not only those fluids but saliva and aerosolized droplets from a sneeze, etc. Authorities have said it's very improbable, but possible.

Which authorities? People like George Will have tried to push that argument using data that the sources have denied comes to the conclusion he is claiming.

Actually, I think I am more afraid of that nut with the hatchet than I am of contracting ebola. And neither of them is going to keep me home.

 

Susan

Bingo! Two trips into Manhattan from Brooklyn today on the subway and crazy person with ax was more on my mind! Nobody sneezed in my face.

I am so confused....

 

 

 

***Random thoughts and comments to follow*****

 

 

 

Dr. #1 says you can't contract Ebola unless the persons vomits and you touch the vomit and then touch your eyes or mouth.

 

 

 

Then the bowling alley is closed down and sanitized...

 

 

 

Then the pictures of two police officers tossing face masks and gloves in a NY street corner public trash can.

Just a few comments: the bowling alley is being sanitized to satisfy the public. He did not get sick there so it is not really needed but they gotta do it. Just saw on TV people wavering about going to get Blue Bottle coffee on the Highline because the doctor bought coffee there. Phuleeeze...

The police discarding masks and gloves in a trash can maybe looks bad but they weren't anywhere near the doctor. They cordoned off the block and handled traffic.

I hope you get to cruise soon. :)

Another thing that worries me is that there are other countries that want to see us go away, permanently. I could see them sending some of their "suicide" squad into West Africa, intentionally infecting themselves, then coming into the US and other countries with intention of spreading it. I would think it would be pretty easy to do this too. A few spritzes from a spray bottle onto a door handle or a buffet line and it would be picked up pretty easily. Plus, if you look at this publication (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15588056) from the National Institute of Health website, it states Ebola is a Category A biological weapon.

 

 

We would never know what hit us if that happened and the hospitals could be quickly overrun with patients.

NCBI is part of the NIH?!

That terrorist threat is also rather far-fetched. Their timing would have to be good to know when they are actually going to get sick and just before that actually happens, enter the country and get sick (not a given). And then when they are deadly sick they have to manage to get up and go get sick in public.

Highly unlikely.

NCBI is part of the NIH?!

Apparently so, they are part of the NIH.gov website, and that is how I found this publication.

That terrorist threat is also rather far-fetched. Their timing would have to be good to know when they are actually going to get sick and just before that actually happens, enter the country and get sick (not a given). And then when they are deadly sick they have to manage to get up and go get sick in public.

 

Highly unlikely.

I don't think it's that far fetched at all. We already know the timing, if they REALLY wanted to get themselves sick, I would imagine it wouldn't be that hard. With dead bodies piling up over there, they would have access to the live virus. If doctors and care givers are getting it wearing full protection, it should be pretty easy for them to pick it up as well. They also would know the incubation period, I mean, we all know it by now. Once they start feeling sick, all they have to do is put some of their bodily fluids in something that would allow for easy disbursement. If they are really set on spreading it, they WILL get up, no matter how sick they are.

I think it is entirely likely it could happen.