Norovirus exposure!

[Host CJSKIDS]

Oh yeah? Come and stand in the men's room.

 

I'd say it's an equal slice of men and boys doing the hands-in-pocket handwash.

 

Besides I think it's pretty much a scientific fact that kids are a petri dish of germs and virii. Ask someone who works at a daycare center. Heck ask any mom. The reason moms are sick half the time is because they have 7 year olds.

 

Mark, I take it you don't have kids, especially considering the fact that you called them brats in one of your earlier posts.

I am a mom so I can ask myself and I've also worked in a day care. All I can tell you that in the woman's room it's mainly the adults that I see walking out without washing their hands. It's also mainly adults that I witness time and time again doing things in the buffet lines that they shouldn't.

Norovirus, just like any other one is so easily spread around when you put a bunch of people in close proximity with one another. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it's not going around this spring when I'm on the Crown.

[bookworm1]

My wife and I were on the 12-16 sailing of the Emerald, and fortunately we did not get the virus. However, 200 and perhaps more people did and most of that was again because people forgot the simple rule of washing your hands everytime you use the bathroom, make sure you wash after putting your hands on the railings. do that and the chances are great that you won't have a problem. Happy sailing.

Michael

[DetroitMark]

I like to keep a little bottle of Purell nearby. That stuff rocks for when you can't get to a sink and you have that "just been cootied" feeling.

[Shoalwater]

Thanks - I agree with you on that one! Unfortunately most of focus seems to be with cruise ships! Just wondering if anyone heard anything unusual.:confused:

 

Cruise ships are the only public conveyance that must repeort norovirus to the CDC. Of course you always hear about it on them. It is very common in the winter in the community, in hospitals, and other pl;aces where people congregate long enough to have them incubate it and show the symptoms.

[Dorset Cruiser]

We have had a massive outbreak of the norovirus in the UK this winter with thousands affected, especially in schools and hospitals. Everyone can help in stopping the spread of this virus by washing their hands thoroughly after using toilet facilities and by using the handgel provided on board. I have often used the public toilet facilities on board ships and seen women leaving without attempting to wash their hands. I have also stood behind a woman on one gangplank who refused to use the handgel as "She was not dirty". It defies belief that people are that unhygienic!!

[DetroitMark]

It doesn't do any good to say anything though. I saw a guy going straight from a stall out the door of a lavatory at a concert venue once, and just mentioned, with a friendly smile, "Gee my mother always told me to wash my hands after the toilet." To which, he tersely replied, "Oh yeah? My dad showed me how not to pee on my hands."

 

I just minded my own business after that. I mean, how do you argue with that?

[Colo Cruiser]

It doesn't do any good to say anything though. I saw a guy going straight from a stall out the door of a lavatory at a concert venue once, and just mentioned, with a friendly smile, "Gee my mother always told me to wash my hands after the toilet." To which, he tersely replied, "Oh yeah? My dad showed me how not to pee on my hands."

 

I just minded my own business after that. I mean, how do you argue with that?

 

 

Saw a guy on the Crown picking the shrimp off the serving area in the HC dipping it in the cocktail sauce and then sticking it in his mouth and repeating this several times. :eek:

Another passenger told him off and how filthy that was and I thought they were going to go to blows right there.

[long cruiser]

the buffets are a great place to pick up the virus.

I was on the star in dec.

we had over 50-100 cases mainly due to the open buffet in the horizon court.

long cruiser

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

I was on the Sun last year when it was infected and on the Emerald for the past two cruises, I have never been ill, talking to crew who have sailed for many years on infected ships they have never been ill, Why because they wash there hands constantly and keep there hands away from there faces. One officer said that when back home folk think it strange how often they wash there hands but it is a habit that they have got into,

 

I was told that most of the ships cruising around the Carb. just now are infected either at a very high level or above normal level only the Emerald was below normal levels. The ship was concerned that it might get brought back onboard from folk meeting others from other ships, would like to know how the folk on the islands deal with all these infected people coming ashore.

 

yours Shogun

[Host CJSKIDS]

There was just an article today in our paper that said an ocean front hotel here in Florida (sorry I forget where) and it said that 84 people have come down with the virus. They had to shut down the kitchen and disinfect and close the hotel to any new visitors.

Just goes to show it can happen anywhere.

[land lover]

Hi There,

 

I was on the Sun last year when it was infected and on the Emerald for the past two cruises, I have never been ill, talking to crew who have sailed for many years on infected ships they have never been ill, Why because they wash there hands constantly and keep there hands away from there faces. One officer said that when back home folk think it strange how often they wash there hands but it is a habit that they have got into,

 

I was told that most of the ships cruising around the Carb. just now are infected either at a very high level or above normal level only the Emerald was below normal levels. The ship was concerned that it might get brought back onboard from folk meeting others from other ships, would like to know how the folk on the islands deal with all these infected people coming ashore.

 

yours Shogun

 

Actually some of us are lucky enough to be immune to it........

[Hlitner]

I like to keep a little bottle of Purell nearby. That stuff rocks for when you can't get to a sink and you have that "just been cootied" feeling.

 

Using Purell gives a false sense of security. Like other alcohol-based products it is nearly worthless against Norovirus and many other viruses. These products are only effective against bacteria. The most effective method of killing Norovirus is simply washing your hands in soap and water. We recently met a cruise-line health consultant (he was doing training for the crew on a RCI ship) who is retired from the CDC and spends full-time consulting to cruise lines, airlines, etc. He told us that Purell (and some of their competitors) have recently developed a new formula (somewhat effective against the Norovirus) that is being tested on some cruise ships, but that this formula is still not available to the general public. He also explained that the problem with the standard alcohol-based products (like Purell) is that dry too fast to effectively deal with the virus. It was an interesting discussion. Its good to know that the cruise lines are hiring highly trained experts to help train their crews in disease prevention.

 

Hank

[Julia’s Journey’s]

We were on the Diamond last year in Alaska on a B2B and there were so many cases but no-one in our group of 12 got it, we washed hands, stayed out of the public restrooms as much as possible and just took extra precautions:D

 

Walking down the corridor to our cabin we saw lots of cleaning and red bags and people wearing masks etc:eek: :eek:

[Shogun]

Hi There,

 

I once asked why they do not have a man on the gang way with a bottle of gell , I was told CDC had advised that people reduced the amount of hand washing if this was done, so hand washing works, the gell does not.

 

yours Shogun

[Sierra Fox]

I know the virus can survive on hard surfaces for a long time but can it survive in pool water or in the jacuzzi's?

 

I'd love to take a dip on the ships pools but I can do my swimming in the ports if it reduces the chances of getting sick. - SF

[cruisingalaska]

I was on the Carnival Paradise this past February and there wasn't
any Purell stations to be found. I asked one of the crew and she
said the Paradise doesn't recommend using it but recommends
washing hands very often. The Paradise uses a clorine based solution
twice per day to clean the hand rails/elevator buttons, door handles
etc. Also she said that people shouldn't use the patch behind the
ear for motion sickness as it dilates pupil and generally makes
things worst.

[PrincessMelody]

[quote name='land lover']Actually some of us are lucky enough to be immune to it........[/quote]

Just curious, how does one become immune to an extremely contagious virus?

[NeurosurgeryNP]

[quote name='Hlitner']Using Purell gives a false sense of security. Like other alcohol-based products it is nearly worthless against Norovirus and many other viruses. These products are only effective against bacteria. The most effective method of killing Norovirus is simply washing your hands in soap and water. We recently met a cruise-line health consultant (he was doing training for the crew on a RCI ship) who is retired from the CDC and spends full-time consulting to cruise lines, airlines, etc. He told us that Purell (and some of their competitors) have recently developed a new formula (somewhat effective against the Norovirus) that is being tested on some cruise ships, but that this formula is still not available to the general public. He also explained that the problem with the standard alcohol-based products (like Purell) is that dry too fast to effectively deal with the virus. It was an interesting discussion. Its good to know that the cruise lines are hiring highly trained experts to help train their crews in disease prevention.

Hank[/quote]

Purell - not entirely true. In fact, Purell is not effective against some bacteria - c. diff to be exact - because of it's spores.

Noro - does not have spores. It is a virus. Purell should be effective.

[Philip217]

How does one become immume to a highly contagious virus?
The CDC tells us that after suffering from NLV, the recovered patient has some immunity to that particular strain of the virus for a short period of time - perhaps a few weeks..

There are also some theories of immunity that are not proven, but seem to hold true. I have worked on cruise ships for over 30 years. During that period of time, I have been exposed to 10s of thousands of passengers who were suffering from this highly contagious virus. I shook their hands, visited their cabins, walked through areas where they had vomited and had diarrhea, and helped wheel them down the gangway at the end of the cruise. Yet I have never once contracted Norwalk Virus. During my CDC Training, some of their experts had theories that constant low level exposure to a virus actually allows some people like me to develop partial immunity to it. When you couple that possible partial immunity with fastidious handwashing, and keeping one's hands out of one's mouth, it is possible to avoid contracting the virus - even with frequent exposure.
I never use hand sanitizers - only hot water and soap.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

[quote name='Sierra Fox']I know the virus can survive on hard surfaces for a long time but can it survive in pool water or in the jacuzzi's?

I'd love to take a dip on the ships pools but I can do my swimming in the ports if it reduces the chances of getting sick. - SF[/quote]
No - chlorine will kill almost anything including noro. The heat in the whirlpool will also affect the virus.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

[quote name='NeurosurgeryNP']Purell - not entirely true. In fact, Purell is not effective against some bacteria - c. diff to be exact - because of it's spores.

Noro - does not have spores. It is a virus. Purell should be effective.[/quote]
However, I would like to add - Purell is not a substitute for hand washing in hot water and soap - just and alternative when you can't get to soap and water.

In our hospital where I work, the rule is for every three times you use Purell, you must wash your hands with soap and water once. Or, use soap and water if visibly contaminated with body fluids, etc.

[NeurosurgeryNP]

[quote name='Philip217']How does one become immume to a highly contagious virus?
The CDC tells us that after suffering from NLV, the recovered patient has some immunity to that particular strain of the virus for a short period of time - perhaps a few weeks..

There are also some theories of immunity that are not proven, but seem to hold true. I have worked on cruise ships for over 30 years. During that period of time, I have been exposed to 10s of thousands of passengers who were suffering from this highly contagious virus. I shook their hands, visited their cabins, walked through areas where they had vomited and had diarrhea, and helped wheel them down the gangway at the end of the cruise. Yet I have never once contracted Norwalk Virus. During my CDC Training, some of their experts had theories that constant low level exposure to a virus actually allows some people like me to develop partial immunity to it. When you couple that possible partial immunity with fastidious handwashing, and keeping one's hands out of one's mouth, it is possible to avoid contracting the virus - even with frequent exposure.
I never use hand sanitizers - only hot water and soap.[/quote]


If you think anout it - this is how vaccines work, i.e. -the flu shot, Hepatitis B vaccines, childhood vaccinations, etc.

You are exposed to a virus, in many vaccines it is not an active virus - it is dead, and although it is dead (or weakened version - called attenuated vaccine) your body mounts a response to this vaccine which in turn helps you body develops immunity against the agent introduced into the body via the vaccine.

[dforeigner]

[quote name='trinity1']Just curious, how does one become immune to an extremely contagious virus?[/quote]

You don't. Just like you do not become immune to the flu, the most contagious virus known.

[OuiOnboard]

[quote name='NeurosurgeryNP']...Noro - does not have spores. It is a virus. Purell should be effective.[/quote]
Purell (as presently available to the public), like other alcohol based sanitizers, must be used in sufficient quantity to allow the hands to be kept wet for 60 seconds or more to be effective against Norovirus.