NOROVIRUS on Carnival Pride

[big_duck]

THANK YOU!!!

 

FINALLY THE TRUTH!!!

 

 

Not even close. You should actually read what the CDC says which is

 

"What about alcohol-based hand sanitizers?

 

• CDC recommends that cruise ship passengers use warm water and soap to wash their

hands. Washing is always best.

• If water and soap are NOT available (perhaps on excursions), use an alcohol-based

hand sanitizer with 62% ethanol based hand-sanitizer, preferably in a gel form."

 

They only recommend the use of hand sanitizer when nothing else is available.

 

Real references from the real world not the Wikipedia answer:

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/vsp/pub/Handwashing/handwashingtips.pdf

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-qa.htm

 

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/norovirus-factsheet.htm

[Frizzle Fry]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH PEOPLE!!!

 

Stop saying it doesn't work!!

 

Your robbing us of our false sense of security!!!

 

I'm sailing tommorrow for gods sake, your contradictions aren't exactly helping my mood about the trip. Thanks alot.

[halos]

All this virus is, is the flu (influenza). ...................... The first thing I would do is go to the doctor and get antibiotics immediately. .

 

 

Problem with this is that viral infections are not cured with antibiotics.

If you have a bacterial infection of some sort it is definitely wise to get on an antibiotic but I'm not sure if that will prevent you form speading your infection to unsuspecting people prior to the antibiotic working enough to eliminate your infection.

 

Noro is viral, so no matter when you take an antibiotic, it won't prevent you for getting Noro.

Antibacterial hand cleanser may make you feel secure, but nothing is going to really help you except washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water AND keeping your hands away from your face.

 

You would be amazed at the amount of bacteria and viruses we encounter on a daily basis. Sometimes we get sick; other times our bodies are able to mount a great defense and nip the problem in the bud.

 

I dont really think there is a sure fire way to completely eradicate a virus.

 

Please enjoy your vacation but please wash, wash, wash your hands. Before you eat wash your hands. Before you leave the restroom was your hands.

 

This is so true. Another good defense against catching something on a vacation is to stay as healthy as possible the weeks prior to going away. I think some of us run ourselves down so much, in preparation to go on vacation, that we leave ourselves open to catching all sorts of stuff. It can't hurt to up your vitamin C and eat healthy and get as much good rest as possible before you go away on a trip. Your chances of fighting off any bacteria/virus are better if you do.

:)

[nothomeonacruise]

Along with hand washing, I've also read that Lysol works well. One person wrote last year that they took along a small spray bottle of Lysol, and they sprayed their room and bathroom, so we did this on our last cruise, too.

I also read to be careful of public bathrooms on cruise ships. If you suspect someone is sick in the bathroom leave immediately.

 

You can't live in a bubble. Be cautious, but go have fun!

[CruiseCtrl]

Yep, doesn't hurt to do both, use the hand sanitizer AND of course WASH, WASH, then WASH again! :) It amazes me how many people don't even wash their hands after using the restroom! ugh.

 

When we were on the Pride in March it was the first time I noticed that all public washrooms have a tissue dispensor as you exit the door. It is provided so that you can take a tissue to open the door handle and not have to touch it. I thought it was a clever idea.

[flowerchild]

I was on a cruise last year that got hit HARD with noro, over 300 cases, between staff and pax.

 

I knew noro had hit when the staff took over serving everything (including drinks) at the buffet on our 2nd day. We received a flyer in our room the next day.

 

They call the first pax that gets noro patient X. I met patient X at the casino, he was visibly ill but continued to go about his usual cruise activities, contaminating many. Later on in the cruise, he confirmed that he indeed was the first to report to the dr on board.

 

The passengers that got sick were quarantined and so were the non-ill pax sharing the stateroom, they could not get off in port, even if they showed no signs of infection. Many ,many people were angry about this policy but it was completely within the rights of the cruise line to do this.

 

I've had a fellow cruiser get Noro before and it was not pretty. Much vomiting, toilet time and dehydration. It lasted about 2 days for him, some experience shorter or even longer time ill. You are contagious throughout, and afterwards, too.

 

If you are sick, please, please stay in your cabin and abide by the rules. Diabetics and people with immune system issues can be hospitalized during a bad bout of noro. From what I read, only 10 pcs of this virus can get u sickened. You can get it anywhere, but only cruise ships have to report breakouts to the CDC. I've gotten one from flying and riding the subway.

 

From what I read, u can use the hand sanitizer, but for every 2 times u use it, you need to wash your hands. NCL had hand sanitizing stations everywhere, and u were asked to use it whenever you were in the buffet or dining room. I was a maniac washing and sanitizing, so much so that my hands cracked and were sore. BUT I did not get sick!

 

After the outbreak, staff was constantly disenfecting everything with stronger cleaning solutions than used before. I felt confident about the levels of cleanliness.

 

What bothered me was people insisting on being right on top of you in a crowd or elevator. I had a confrontation with a woman in the elevator that kept insisting we could move back and let more people in (her friends). We were tight before she started being pushy and I told her that we were tight enough and had she not heard of norovirus? Everyone else on the elevator piped in thier agreement, and off she went, pissy and mad. Oh well. Some people never learn.

 

The bathrooms are not the only place you can pick up noro. How about the menus, the condiments, stair railings, elevator buttons, etc.? I used my sanitizer right before I ate. I think the most important thing is to be aware.

[Frizzle Fry]

Another good defense against catching something on a vacation is to stay as healthy as possible the weeks prior to going away. I think some of us run ourselves down so much, in preparation to go on vacation, that we leave ourselves open to catching all sorts of stuff. It can't hurt to up your vitamin C and eat healthy and get as much good rest as possible before you go away on a trip. Your chances of fighting off any bacteria/virus are better if you do.

:)

 

This is all I wanted!!

To feel better about going on this very ship in discussion tommorrow!!!

 

I don't see any of you leaving on the Pride tommorrow. Plus, this is my first cruise. I've been excited about it for a year and now this.

How would you feel after reading some of these posts??

 

 

I have to go. Put all this out of my head. I have a vacation to enjoy!!

I'm in good shape. I take my vitamins everyday and get lots of sleep. I'm gonna use the sanitizer anyways, it just seems like common sense to me since you don't always have access to a sink.

 

Take care all.

[ash4020]

I've gotten noro. I'm a college student and the first weekend after classes started back this semester, it hit. AND FAST! I suddenly got nauseous. From the time it took me to run to the bathroom I went from feeling GREAT to feeling like I was dying. I spent the next three days lying in the floor outside of my bathroom because my bed was too far away.

 

I am terrified of needles. Absolutely, completely, pass out/have an anxiety attack terrified. I called my mom to come get me and she took me to the ER. I literally CRAWLED to the door of my apartment to let her in!! I could not stand up. I begged them to hook me up to an IV so I could get better. I asked the doctor what it was and he said "Probably Norovirus."

 

His advice was to wash my hands with the hottest water I could stand, use soap, and wash for thirty to sixty seconds. He said that if Noro is around and you're susceptible to it, you are probably going to get it and the best thing to do was to quarantine yourself to stop the spread.

[dan40]

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH PEOPLE!!!

 

Stop saying it doesn't work!!

 

Your robbing us of our false sense of security!!!

 

I'm sailing tommorrow for gods sake, your contradictions aren't exactly helping my mood about the trip. Thanks alot.

 

Sorry, hand sanitizers DO NOT WORK against NOROVIRUS. BUUUTTT, they do work against some viruses and do work well against many bacteria. So use the sanitizers when you see them AND wash your paws well and often. And if you need to relax, you are EIGHT TIMES more likely to contact Noro around your home town than you are on a cruise ship. So cruising is safe, staying home is sickening.:D

 

Dan

[nolaAlive]

I tend to trust my doctor over an Internet board when it comes to medical advice.

 

The ship has sanitizers that kill norovirus and they use them. They try to do a thorough job but since the process involves humans...

 

Not sure how available it is yet, but Purell VF447 is alcohol based and is suppose to be effective against Norovirus.

[nolaAlive]

Another possible winner:

http://dephyz.com/pdf/DepHyze_Hand_Sanitizer_Download.pdf

[dan40]

Another possible winner:

http://dephyz.com/pdf/DepHyze_Hand_Sanitizer_Download.pdf

 

Interesting that you choose to tout an advertisement intended to sell their product as an authority. Even tho they contradict your previous post and slam alcohol based sanitizers as ineffective.

 

This is a totally unsubstantiated ad. Not a shred of proof of any kind. But a load of CLAIMS. And the claim of being as effective as sterilization, 99.999, is a smelly load.

 

Why must you fight the fact that hand sanitizers do little good against NORO, but do work well against many other organism and some viruses. USE the HS AND wash the hands well. Why try to tell anybody a simple squirt of juice will protect them when they need to do more? And the more is simply hand washing too.

 

Dan

[nolaAlive]

People used to believe there was nothing that could be done to prevent smallpox and polio. There probably are a few dinosaurs left that still believe that.

 

There is much research being done in this area and no reason to doubt there is great progress being made.

[flowerchild]

Oh yes, and I also remember reading that certain blood types are more prone to Noro than others.

[crusinpsychRN]

Stop shaking hands!

 

If someone reaches out to shake your hand tell them you're getting over a cold and don't want to spread it. STOP shaking hands!!!

[Ladyvdr]

We were just on the Pride April 6th - 13th. No sign of Norovirus, but DH does now have a sore throat that he developed the day after we got back. He'll get over it. He could have gotten it anywhere.

We just wash our hands as much as possible on cruise ships just as we do at home. Sometimes you just can't avoid getting sick no matter what you do. We certainly don't avoid any type of travel due to the possibility of getting a virus. I work in a high school, and come into contact with hundreds of kids daily, collecting money, paperwork, and textbooks they have touched. I also used to work in the nurse's office at the school. I figure that if I can stay healthy there, I will likely stay healthy anywhere else.

Just be careful and enjoy your cruise.

[Bugman]

[quote name='dreameral']Well as a med technologist, I can attest that hand sanitizers are the recommended method to prevent the spread of Norovirus. I have sat in on many conferences that had studies to prove this. I believe the CDC recommends alcohol based sanitizer but the point made is to wash, wash ,wash your hands.[/quote]

Please, dreameral, you're giving med techs a bad name! As a microbiologist for over 30 years, I have to say that you are wrong. Alcohol based sanatizers has no affect against norovirus. Trust me.

[DqALEX]

The first thing I teach a kid who comes to work for me at Dairy Queen is how to wash there hands. First wash often, when you do wash use soap and sing Happy birthday. The time it takes you to sing that song is the time you should spend washing. Wash also between your fingers.

[MaryF6279]

This is a good discussion and I appreciate the input and reminders about the need to wash hands in warm water with soap and be AWARE and considerate. I sail May 4th and believe I´ll be cautious, and healthy.

Cheers,
swimgal

[KroozNut]

[quote name='crusinpsychRN']Stop shaking hands!

If someone reaches out to shake your hand tell them you're getting over a cold and don't want to spread it. STOP shaking hands!!![/QUOTE]

Including the Captain's at his welcome aboard party? :eek:

[ShedQueen77]

With all these "antibacterial" and "germ erasing" products, it's no wonder that the spread of viruses and bacteria is so rampant these days. The organisms develop stronger strains to "overcome" these "obstacles".

What ever happened to natural immunity? :cool:

(This is from someone with an immune system disorder! ;))

[nolaAlive]

This is an alcohol based hand sanitizer that seems to have efficacy against Norovirus. It does have more than just alcohol as an active ingredient.

[url]http://www.handwashingforlife.com/new_norovirus_alcohol_hand_sanitizer[/url]

As previously mentioned, not sure it is available for the general public.

With or without sanitizer, one should continue to wash hand often and thoroughly.

[DG2004]

my wife is an RN in a CCU

she says just keep your hands washed and you should be fine, then she hands me the bottle of Purrell and says "well it isnt going to hurt"

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='LADYBUG34113'][COLOR=red]All this virus is, is the flu (influenza).[/COLOR] Instead of staying home, where they belong, they board the ship because they don't want to lose their money. Evidently, they did not buy insurance, etc. The first thing I would do is go to the doctor and get antibiotics immediately. I got an upper respiratory infection a few weeks ago. Knowing I was going on a cruise, I went to the doctor right away and "nipped it in the bud". Obviously, sometimes people only think about themselves, and with the addiction to cruising, don't think about spreading their germs.

With that said, remember, we are on a small "city" which has a lot of people in an area and can spread rather quickly. It is not inclusive to cruise ships.

I know when people at work get sick, it usually makes the rounds in the office and here at home. If one of us gets a cold, all of us do.[/quote]


This is wrong! Norovirus is NOT the same as influenza. They are two distinctly different viruses. Influenza (the "flu") is an upper respiratory infection (that might occasionally cause diarrhea, but that is not its hallmark). The danger of influenza is that it can develop into pneumonia.

You are also wrong to advise getting antibiotics for either the flu or norovirus. Antibiotics are useless against viruses.

[nrdsb4]

[quote name='Frizzle Fry']The skin on my hands is constantly dry from all the washing and sanitizing I do on a regular basis.

Obsessive compulsives aren't this vigilant.

[COLOR=red]It's better to have to use alot of lotion for dry skin than to knowingly spread harmful germs unto others.[/COLOR] This world needs more consideration of others.

So, i'm with you on the washing. Hopefully me or my group wont get sick.[/quote]

If your hands get too dry from washing and actually crack, then you are accidentally making yourself even more vulnerable to the germs with which your hands come in contact. Handwashing is good, just don't let your hands get so dry that you actually have a break in the skin.