Norovirus on QM2?

[Jim_P]

I think the elevators are the real culprits. Not everyone even goes to the buffet, but how many times a day does your average passenger use the elevator? Ten times? On a ship like the QM2 that's 26000 times a day people are touching those same few buttons. I never understood why when they go to defcon 5 when there's a covid or gastro outbreak the first thing they do isn't having elevator operators or a team constantly disinfecting them.

[MCC retired]

Wife says many women do not flush and/or walkout without washing.

Not just a man thing.

[exlondoner]

7 minutes ago, MCC retired said:

Wife says many women do not flush and/or walkout without washing.

Not just a man thing.

Pretty rare in my experience. Remember, not everyone goes into a cubicle to use the facilities: it could be some other sort of emergency.

[D&N]

31 minutes ago, Jim_P said:

I think the elevators are the real culprits. Not everyone even goes to the buffet, but how many times a day does your average passenger use the elevator? Ten times? On a ship like the QM2 that's 26000 times a day people are touching those same few buttons. I never understood why when they go to defcon 5 when there's a covid or gastro outbreak the first thing they do isn't having elevator operators or a team constantly disinfecting them.

Ten times per day!

 

In two weeks my wife used a lift three times. I used one four times more because on two occasions she needed something fetched from the cabin and I was slightly quicker using a lift for ten floors each way than running up and down the stairs.

 

At least we might be safe though! 🙂 

 

 

[Jim_P]

18 minutes ago, D&N said:

Ten times per day!

 

Pretty easy to do. If you were to use it for each meal there's six trips on the lift and then you only need to go out twice more during during the day and night. Lots of older people on Cunard who wouldn't use the stairs even for a single floor. 

[D&N]

6 minutes ago, Jim_P said:

Pretty easy to do. If you were to use it for each meal there's six trips on the lift and then you only need to go out twice more during during the day and night. Lots of older people on Cunard who wouldn't use the stairs even for a single floor. 

I did understand.

I know we are unusual in walking down and returning up at least fifty-three floors on each full day on board.

I thought I was supposed to be old!

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, D&N said:

I did understand.

I know we are unusual in walking down and returning up at least fifty-three floors on each full day on board.

I thought I was supposed to be old!

I am a weed and usually use the lift if it is more than two floors. What surprises me is how often I summon a lift and it arrives empty, though clearly not if it is going past the Lido floor at lunch time.

[Pushpit]

7 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Which is why I never use provided utensils and use the cutlery pre wrapped in napkins. I have seen less than hygienic passenger practices but no way am I giving up on my occasional Lido lunch treats.

If you are using the same cutlery throughout, then the concern I would have is that you could unwittingly be moving pathogens from one location to the next. In terms of potential exposure to the customers, that would be a greater risk than using utensils touched by someone else. Now if there was a known incident then as far as I can tell Cunard stop self service anyway, the wait staff put the requested items on the plate for you. But if you were using your own cutlery it would be best to use a new set with every new serving dish. Salmonella would be the particular concern, given the way that bacteria works, the size of it and the number of pathogens needed to cause cause harm ( = 1).

Edited February 27 by Pushpit

[Pushpit]

5 hours ago, Jim_P said:

I think the elevators are the real culprits. Not everyone even goes to the buffet, but how many times a day does your average passenger use the elevator? Ten times? On a ship like the QM2 that's 26000 times a day people are touching those same few buttons. I never understood why when they go to defcon 5 when there's a covid or gastro outbreak the first thing they do isn't having elevator operators or a team constantly disinfecting them.

Elevator buttons don't need to be constantly disinfected, germicides can be effective for 24 hours. If they are cleaned 2 or 3 times a day that should be sufficient, but better still is if all passengers wash their hands regularly during the day with soap and water.

[maggielou362]

2 hours ago, Pushpit said:

... but better still is if all passengers wash their hands regularly during the day with soap and water.

ABSOLUTELY.

As I have mentioned at the beginning of this thread, SOAP AND WATER.

Nothing magic or high tech about it, whatever and wherever the pathogens are, on land and sea. Wash your hands.

(sorry, probably preaching to the converted)

 

Edited February 28 by maggielou362
add

[Victoria2]

8 hours ago, Pushpit said:

If you are using the same cutlery throughout, then the concern I would have is that you could unwittingly be moving pathogens from one location to the next. In terms of potential exposure to the customers, that would be a greater risk than using utensils touched by someone else. Now if there was a known incident then as far as I can tell Cunard stop self service anyway, the wait staff put the requested items on the plate for you. But if you were using your own cutlery it would be best to use a new set with every new serving dish. Salmonella would be the particular concern, given the way that bacteria works, the size of it and the number of pathogens needed to cause cause harm ( = 1).

Good call Batman!

Didn't occur I should qualify my buffet regime as it's obvious one doesn't double dip cutlery but that's more a taste transfer and also meat to fish to salads etc for me than salmonella so thank you for highlighting this in case I set a trend!  😄

[Pushpit]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

Good call Batman!

Didn't occur I should qualify my buffet regime as it's obvious one doesn't double dip cutlery but that's more a taste transfer and also meat to fish to salads etc for me than salmonella so thank you for highlighting this in case I set a trend!  😄

The half way house on this, given how most (but not all) pathogens work, is to separate or sequence cutlery usage. Look at how supermarkets are run, they separate out fish, chilled (part cooked) meals, fully cooked meals. And then the division between white and red meats. You may be familiar with the Charlie Bigham range of ready meals, most of them sit in one cabinet, but about 4 dishes with cooked meats are put into another cabinet since those products have fully cooked chicken in them. So if you worked from salads and sushi up to cooked meats, which how the Lido is laid out, that wouldn't be as risky as going the other way. 

 

That said, I can't see you stuffing your fingers into your mouth / eyes / nose when you are in full on Lido mode - just so long as you wash hands before you do! It's not really the utensils that are risky, it's your fingers.

[Victoria2]

I'm amazed we all dare leave our cabins with all these little beggars out to get us!!!😅

 

Over thinking is just so not me but luckily I'm a washer so will ignore all the dire warnings and carry on as I have been doing for the past decade or so.

 

 

 

 

 

[cook68]

On 2/27/2024 at 2:32 PM, RICHARD@SEA said:

Along w the gross BUFFET BEHAVIOR....on all ships & on land - IT AMAZES ME HOW MANY PEOPLE DO NOT WASH THEIR HANDS AFTER  USING THE REST ROOM!!!

I have seen this many times, and I am using the Ladies! I don't care now I actually call them out with an excuse me you're not really leaving without washing your hands are you.

[exlondoner]

9 hours ago, cook68 said:

I have seen this many times, and I am using the Ladies! I don't care now I actually call them out with an excuse me you're not really leaving without washing your hands are you.

That seems a pretty good and inoffensive form of words. I bet they immediately do so.

[Catchum]

On 2/28/2024 at 8:14 AM, Victoria2 said:

I'm amazed we all dare leave our cabins with all these little beggars out to get us!!!😅

 

Over thinking is just so not me but luckily I'm a washer so will ignore all the dire warnings and carry on as I have been doing for the past decade or so.

 

 

 

 

 

Am washer too, also being brought up with meat safes and a larder to keep cooked food in - the fridge was purely for milk - I have a cast iron stomach. Not recommending it but having been on a number of plague ships over the years I have yet to be afflicted.