Health curious

Is anyone concerned about the health scare and traveling with the Ebola virus out there..and what are your plans to protect your self .? Do you have to fly in?

Do you know what the cruise lines are doing for better over all health protection?

Just curious as when you turn on the TV it is front n centre...It is starting to creep into our minds...:confused:

I heard they canceled all ports in Africa. Too bad fie their economy but its best. I doubt there is any danger in the US.

long thread about it here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2111754

I worry a lot more about Noro or food poisoning (the latter of which i enjoyed on my last cruise)..Ebola...hell no... now if you want to worry think ROGUE WAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Granted it is tragic for those in the middle of it.

Keep in mind news reports are all about having the most drama they can have. It's all about the ratings.

Informing the public is one thing, paralyzing them with fear is another.

Every day in the US more people are accidentally shot and killed in the US than die from Ebola. I figure I am safer on a cruise ship than in the US

Ebola has made no difference in our cruise/travel plans ... but we aren't planning on going to West Africa. ;)

LuLu

I have looked over the replies. And a lot of cruisers fly in from all over the world especially over the Dec. holidays.

We also have the health care worker in Dallas that has come down with Ebola and we really do not know the number of direct contact they had ..

It's a scary thought...😲 It is a unknown at this point?

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Every day in the US more people are accidentally shot and killed in the US than die from Ebola. I figure I am safer on a cruise ship than in the US

For sure this is true, but, neither have anything to do with each other.

Flu/pneumonia kills around 55,000 Americans each year. I'm much, much more likely to die from that than from Ebola.

I, for one, have now gone 5 weeks since being in Africa without having Ebola signs ;)

More Americans will die from the flu this year than all the people that have died from ebola in the history of mankind. Put that in perspective.

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The problem with ebola is the contagious factor...right now, we don't know HOW contagious it might be....since a nurse contracted it while wearing the protective gear...I wouldn't change my plans at this point, but who knows in a week or two... This particular virus IS a killer....yes, influenza can be, too, but for most of us, it's an annoyance. Ebola is NOT as "wishy-washy" as flu! Relatively healthy folks can brush off flu easily....the very young or very old can have complications. Apparently, Ebola doesn't differentiate between young/old, healthy or not...it pretty much kills ALMOST everyone it infects.

There are almost 7 billion people on this planet.

Around 4000 have died from Ebola, 99.9% in Africa.

I do not fear Ebola will ruin my cruise(or any part of my life for that matter).

A greater fear is getting in a car crash on the way to the port.

Could someone explain why it is useful to compare amount of risk....... as they view it? To say more die in car accidents doesn't negate a concern about an infectious, high mortality rate disease?

Just because people die from one thing doesn't take away the risk of another, Does it?

I will still fly domestic and will cruise the Caribbean, Canada and New England and maybe Bermuda if I wanted to cruise those places. I would not cruise Asia or certainly Africa right now. All of that is subject to change.

Could someone explain why it is useful to compare amount of risk....... as they view it? To say more die in car accidents doesn't negate a concern about an infectious, high mortality rate disease?

 

Just because people die from one thing doesn't take away the risk of another, Does it?

It doesn't take away the risk, or even change the risk, but it does (it should) put it into perspective.........To realize that we all take many more risks every day without concern should help one come to accept not being concerned about things that are a much lower risk. There are thousands of things I am at risk for every day, so if I'm going to worry about any of them I have to prioritize them into which ones are more likely to happen. Why worry about having a satellite fall on my head while walking down the street, when I don't even worry about getting electrocuted with a fallen power line or having a heart attack while walking down that same street (both more likely).

Ebola is not easy to catch except for those few who deal with the bodily fluids of those infected. You're not going to catch it from passing someone in the hall or sitting beside someone on a bus. Unless that person vomits all over you, of course.

The problem with ebola is the contagious factor...right now, we don't know HOW contagious it might be....since a nurse contracted it while wearing the protective gear...I wouldn't change my plans at this point, but who knows in a week or two... This particular virus IS a killer....yes, influenza can be, too, but for most of us, it's an annoyance. Ebola is NOT as "wishy-washy" as flu! Relatively healthy folks can brush off flu easily....the very young or very old can have complications. Apparently, Ebola doesn't differentiate between young/old, healthy or not...it pretty much kills ALMOST everyone it infects.

Not true. The current outbreak has a mortality rate of 50-70%, if it's treated early then it's much lower. This is also the rates in 3rd world countries where the level of care is nothing like what you would receive in America. Ebola is not particularly contagious, it's not airborne, does not pass across from surfaces easily, it's passed on by coming into close contact with bodily fluids. Pretty much everyone who has been infected has been a close family member of another victim, or a health worker of one. That's how close you need to be. It's particularly prevalent because of the burial culture of these countries, you often keep the dead body in your house during the mourning period and prepare it for burial yourself. Plus hygiene standards are much lower.

You are also only contagious when you have noticeable symptoms, by that point you are feeling pretty sick and I doubt you would A: board a ship or B: be wandering around the buffet licking everyone.

It's not to say it won't ever happen, some cases of Ebola have turned up in other countries. So far it's been single cases, and it's always been taken care of quickly. It's not like in the movies where one person gets sick and suddenly everyone in infected within a day, if one person happened to get onto a cruise ship with Ebola the chances are one person with Ebola would get back off again.

It doesn't take away the risk, or even change the risk, but it does (it should) put it into perspective.........To realize that we all take many more risks every day without concern should help one come to accept not being concerned about things that are a much lower risk. There are thousands of things I am at risk for every day, so if I'm going to worry about any of them I have to prioritize them into which ones are more likely to happen. Why worry about having a satellite fall on my head while walking down the street, when I don't even worry about getting electrocuted with a fallen power line or having a heart attack while walking down that same street (both more likely).

 

Ebola is not easy to catch except for those few who deal with the bodily fluids of those infected. You're not going to catch it from passing someone in the hall or sitting beside someone on a bus. Unless that person vomits all over you, of course.

I feel very confused by this statement this morning...As a responsible adult I take care of my body if I can by fueling it properly to avoid heart attacks. Some need medical attention it is not contagious .Crossing a street, driving and being hit by a car is just that a accident. ( Unless you are a fool.)And all of your other examples you give are just that or maybe some people call it a power out of there hands...

This as of this morning has another health care worker become ill with ebola.. (this is carelessness) lets just say each health care worker has come in contact with 10 people outside of there work. I also feel we need to control our boarder doctors till this is under control.

I can not say enough how anxious I am for Canada to provide us with anti virus. December can't come soon enough.

I

Puplic washrooms are a scary place.

I feel very confused by this statement this morning...As a responsible adult I take care of my body if I can by fueling it properly to avoid heart attacks. Some need medical attention it is not contagious .Crossing a street, driving and being hit by a car is just that a accident. ( Unless you are a fool.)And all of your other examples you give are just that or maybe some people call it a power out of there hands...

This as of this morning has another health care worker become ill with ebola.. (this is carelessness) lets just say each health care worker has come in contact with 10 people outside of there work. I also feel we need to control our boarder doctors till this is under control.

I can not say enough how anxious I am for Canada to provide us with anti virus. December can't come soon enough.

I

Puplic washrooms are a scary place.

Now I'm confused.......it doesn't matter whether it's an accident, genetics, or contagion, because a risk is a risk is a risk. The risk of contracting Ebola if you are not a close family member or healthcare provider of an ILL person (not just infected, but sick) is very, very low. The risk is considerably higher if you are a close family member or a healthcare worker of a person sick with Ebola, but we're talking about interacting with people in the public and while on vacation, not working in a hospital or caring for someone sick with Ebola.

We have no choice but to fly.

Now we are being told that the second nurse who tested positive for Ebola flew on Monday to Cleveland on Frontier Airlines.

Not true. The current outbreak has a mortality rate of 50-70%, if it's treated early then it's much lower. This is also the rates in 3rd world countries where the level of care is nothing like what you would receive in America. Ebola is not particularly contagious, it's not airborne, does not pass across from surfaces easily, it's passed on by coming into close contact with bodily fluids. Pretty much everyone who has been infected has been a close family member of another victim, or a health worker of one. That's how close you need to be. It's particularly prevalent because of the burial culture of these countries, you often keep the dead body in your house during the mourning period and prepare it for burial yourself. Plus hygiene standards are much lower.

 

You are also only contagious when you have noticeable symptoms, by that point you are feeling pretty sick and I doubt you would A: board a ship or B: be wandering around the buffet licking everyone.

 

It's not to say it won't ever happen, some cases of Ebola have turned up in other countries. So far it's been single cases, and it's always been taken care of quickly. It's not like in the movies where one person gets sick and suddenly everyone in infected within a day, if one person happened to get onto a cruise ship with Ebola the chances are one person with Ebola would get back off again.

Thanks for bringing the voice of REASON to this interchange.:D

We have no choice but to fly.

Now we are being told that the second nurse who tested positive for Ebola flew on Monday to Cleveland on Frontier Airlines.

I read that she flew from Dallas to Cleveland on the 10th and back on the 13th. I pray that everyone on those 2 flights are safe and well, particularly the ones on the 13th. Should 3 weeks pass and all are well, I think that would be a confidence booster for travelers.

When we fly in December, I plan to be very strict with my hand washing and have a mask in my pocket should I feel uneasy with any of my flights. Ebola may not be airborne, but infectious droplets from a nearby passenger who is coughing or sneezing are very airborne. I also want to protect myself from respiratory illness at the start of a 2 week vacation. I would rather be prepared than stressed.

I read that she flew from Dallas to Cleveland on the 10th and back on the 13th. I pray that everyone on those 2 flights are safe and well, particularly the ones on the 13th. Should 3 weeks pass and all are well, I think that would be a confidence booster for travelers.

 

When we fly in December, I plan to be very strict with my hand washing and have a mask in my pocket should I feel uneasy with any of my flights. Ebola may not be airborne, but infectious droplets from a nearby passenger who is coughing or sneezing are very airborne. I also want to protect myself from respiratory illness at the start of a 2 week vacation. I would rather be prepared than stressed.

According to what I've read, in order to become infected someone with Ebola would have to sneeze in your face. Someone sneezing a few seats away from you wouldn't be a threat. But if someone with Ebola did sneeze in your face I doubt that a mask would help, unless it covered your mouth, nose, eyes and ears.

Sneezing and coughing are not common symptoms of ebola.

We have no choice but to fly.

 

Now we are being told that the second nurse who tested positive for Ebola flew on Monday to Cleveland on Frontier Airlines.

Actually, you do have choices other than flying......but they're not fast or efficient (and usually more expensive).

Flying is a low risk for Ebola transmission, since most people who are infectious are too sick to travel, and the percentage of those sick with Ebola who are well enough to be flying is at least less than 0.0001% of passengers.

Sneezing and coughing are not common symptoms of ebola.

While they may not be common symptoms of Ebola that is not to say that someone with Ebola will not ever cough or sneeze. Pepper on their salad and they may sneeze.