Sanitizer

[Alaskanb]

After having a nasty intestinal virus on our first night in Hawaii last April--not on a cruise or group travel--I have been working on trying to stop touching my face. I had no idea how much I did this!!!! I am now also vigilant about using paper towels to open public restroom doors that have handles--my pet peeve is when there is no can for paper towels by the exit door. I had not had a viral infection of this type in about 20 years and it required IV fluids and an antiemetic injection--nothing I want to repeat! One piece of advice I read on CC that I will use in buffet settings is to use one's own table ware to self-serve.

[tennisobo]

I've often wondered: Which is more dangerous...using the stair handrails so I don't fall, or don't use them so I don't get any germs?

:D

[Alaskanb]

I've often wondered: Which is more dangerous...using the stair handrails so I don't fall, or don't use them so I don't get any germs?

:D

Me too!:eek:

[chipmaster]

That IS why you don't get sick. There is the theme that those that are most paranoid are also ones that do the most prevention, could the practice of avoiding the nasties actually be what makes them so sensitive? Of course not everyone has the same robust immune system, but just like exercise makes the body stronger, exposure to more virus/germs will build one's immune system no matter how naturally strong or not.

 

I've been a nurse for more years than I care to admit to. I work in a hospital and have been exposed to every germ there is and have not once gotten sick (except for the occasional common cold) I wash my hands and also use hand sanitizer. I think that if you practice good hand hygiene and use common sense in what you touch (keep your hands away from your face, nose and mouth) you will be fine.

[Happy ks]

I've often wondered: Which is more dangerous...using the stair handrails so I don't fall, or don't use them so I don't get any germs?

:D

 

 

Yeah, then there is that! Do I fall or protect myself from a cold?

 

I walk up/down the stairs ith my arm touching the railing, that way my hand is close to the rail.

 

I just try to avoid the buffets, too many people handling the food/serving utencils. We do go on occasion and it gives me the creeps watching personnel wipe down tables with dirty cloths, then using those same dirty hands to place the table ware.

 

I try to go back to the cabin to use the restroom most of the time. Not always convenient.

 

I do the knuckle/elbow/sanitizer thing, but I realize there is no way I can avoid all germs, so I cross my fingers as well.

 

Wiping down the cabin is all fine and good, but once you exit that environment you are exposed to all the little germies out there that you just sorta killed.

 

Public counter tops creep me out, especially when mom places her babe on top while being waited on. Who knows what can be leaking out of that diaper :eek:

 

Fortunately, 20+ cruises so far and no illness to report, lucky?

[1 HappyCruiser]

 

Public counter tops creep me out, especially when mom places her babe on top while being waited on. Who knows what can be leaking out of that diaper :eek:

 

 

Aren't their laws in some states to deter people from doing that?:confused:

[Hlitner]

This topic comes up every few weeks somewhere on CC and its always interesting to read the comments. We suspect that Germophobia is more common then illness on ships. but that is life. On one of our cruises we met a CDC physician who was onboard the ship training the crew and we had a very enlightening discussion. Here is what we learned. Most illnesses on cruise ships fall into two categories, intestinal illness due to Norovirus and viral illness caused by airborne viruses such as flu and the common cold. In both cases, the use of typical handsantizers (such as Purell) are not very helpful since they do not kill many viruses (they do kill bacteria). In fact, it is very difficult to kill Norovirus which is why cruise lines use very powerful disinfectants (often with Ammonia). The best way to protect yourself from Noro and many other bugs is to simply wash your hands with soap and water for at least 30 seconds. The hand sanitizers are better then nothing, but nearly as good as soap and water and will not kill that nasty Noro. As to the airborne "nasties" DW and I have become a bit paranoid when we travel and try to stay far away from folks who are caughing or sneezing. That being said, there is not much you can do when you happen to be near somebody who does caugh or sneeze.

 

One other thing that CDC doctor told us has changed our behavior. Many folks will wash their hands after going to the bathroom and then touch the door on the way out of the rest room. Knobs and doors in restrooms are often covered with germs and bacteria (according to the doctor). So we now never touch the door with our hands and usually use a paper towel to open the door.

 

Hank

[Alaskanb]

 

One other thing that CDC doctor told us has changed our behavior. Many folks will wash their hands after going to the bathroom and then touch the door on the way out of the rest room. Knobs and doors in restrooms are often covered with germs and bacteria (according to the doctor). So we now never touch the door with our hands and usually use a paper towel to open the door.

 

Hank

I just wish trash cans were provided just outside the door for this very reason. I was a teacher and thought I was immune to it all until the illness I previously referred to in this board. Perhaps aging has something to do with it......:(

[Underwatr]

I recall that one of the demerits the QM2 received on their failed health inspection was that there was no receptacles near the bathroom doors for passengers to drop their paper towels into after opening the door. So someone is thinking about that...

[Hlitner]

I just wish trash cans were provided just outside the door for this very reason. I was a teacher and thought I was immune to it all until the illness I previously referred to in this board. Perhaps aging has something to do with it......:(

 

Many of the cruise lines do a good job. On HA ships (for example) they have real terry towels in public restrooms to dry hands. But they also have a papertowel dispenser near the door and put a trash can right next to the door...making it easy. Unfortunately, not all cruise lines make it this easy as we recently found on the Celebrity Summit.

 

Hank

[scchasgal]

I don't understand the comments regarding don't eat with your hands at the buffet. If YOUR hands have just been washed, what does it matter whether you're using your fingers or silverware?

 

Well did you use the buffet spoons etc to dispense your food on your plate? Everyone else used them as well.

[johneeo]

I hardly ever wash my hands. I touch every bit of every railing on the stairways. I push elevator buttons. If I drop food on the floor, I pick it up and eat it. Same thing for utensils, drop 'em, pick 'em up and use them.

 

I expose myself to every germ possible.

 

However, a good part of my diet is alcohol, tobasco sauce, garlic, and cayenne peppers.

 

I have not nailed it down to anything specific, but I have not had one sick day in the last 40 years.

 

And if I get sick tomorrow, no big deal, as I will get better, or die, whatever.

[Kudos2Fly]

I do standard hand washing, but don't go nuts over it. Plus I don't use hand santizers at all. But what we do is take about 6 grams of Vitamin C a day plus our other supplements. We take these with us on the ships. Vitamin C is a good protection against viruses.

 

We were on one cruise were about 500 people came down with the nuro virus. In fact 3 members of our family got it, but my husband and I were not effected.

 

Since taking that much Vitamin C daily we never get colds at all.

 

And yes I do eat at buffets from time to time and don't worry about it.

[ferfoodle]

It is more than just the restroom door. Think about it, to turn on the faucet one uses their hands. One should turn off the faucet with a paper towel too. But this is a double edged sword - because the longer the faucet is on, the more water that is being wasted (big issue in some areas).

[Keith1010]

My biggest fear about getting back on a cruise ship is the risk of getting sick and missing any precious vacation time.

 

The last cruise there was a big outbreak of the nasties but we were lucky and didn't get it.

 

I now travel with a huge container of disinecting wipes and it is the first order of business when we enter our suite. Every thing right down to the remote control gets a good swipe and hand sanitizer is always carried. Kind of stupid, I know, but it is our one week of pampering and we don't want to spend it being sick.

 

Anybody out there have any little tips to help avoid the nasties during their cruise?:eek:

 

We do the same thing and use them throughout the cruise.

 

We also wash hands thoroughly throughout the day and my wife carries a hand sanitizer with her.

 

All of this is certainly not 100% effective but it helps.

 

Keith

[utwofan]

I believe the reason not to eat with your fingers after going through the buffet line is that you have just used every serving utensil that every other person has used to serve themselves. From some of the precautions I have read about when there is an outbreak on ship, they will limit self serve at the buffet and will have crew dispense the food.

[Kudos2Fly]

I believe the reason not to eat with your fingers after going through the buffet line is that you have just used every serving utensil that every other person has used to serve themselves. From some of the precautions I have read about when there is an outbreak on ship, they will limit self serve at the buffet and will have crew dispense the food.

 

Yup they will do that. I had that happen on one cruise we went on. It was a family cruise. 3 of our family members got it. But my husband and I were not effected by it. We take a LOTS of Vit C which I know helps, not to mention common since precautions.

[kitty9]

I just saw a doctor from the CDC give a talk on viruses, and one thing he said was, those hand sanitizers are useless against the Norovirus. That particular virus has a covering around it that sloughs off the sanitizers, making them useless. The best, and only, way to prevent Noro is soap and water. Sanitizers do a good job for things like cold viruses, but soap and hot water will remove the Noro from your hands.

[MrsPete]

I don’t want to burst your bubble, but your efforts will do very little to kill Noro.

 

Full strength alcohol will kill Noro in about 10 seconds. Purel or the other type of hand goop will take over 30 seconds; the usual dollop will evaporate in less than 10. Full strength bleach will do the trick in about 5 seconds. Your standard wipe is about 50% bleach and is gone almost instantly.

 

Check out the CDC site and do your own research. Wash your hands with soap several times a day.

Actually, wipes -- for example, Clorox or Lysol wipes -- contain no bleach. Read the package. If you don't have a package handy, just ask yourself this: Have you ever seen anyone ruin his or her clothing with a wipe? It won't happen. They contain not one drop of bleach. Disinfectant, yes. Bleach, no.