Another Ship Illness In The News! What's Going On?

[TumFamily]

HI MISS MULAN---------

Just wanted to let you know that sometimes people cough and it is not contagious to others. My two daughters have a disease called Cystic Fibrosis which primarily affects their lungs. Their lungs fill up with mucous and they cannot get it out. So their little bodies cough to break it up. It is not harmful to anyone but them and believe me when they start coughing l am always saying "Are you alright" because for them this could mean a trip into the hospital!!!!!!!!!!! CF Mom (my sons nickname for me)

 

[anlashokna]

I'm calling Monk and ask him to sail with me. :

LOL! You know thats who I feel like sometimes. I'm not the only one in my office building that will grab the extra paper towel to open door with. I guess once you get a gastro bug once you never ever want to get one again.

Now I work with one idiot that thinks if he's sick everyone should share. You'd think at some point he had a mother that taught him to cover his mouth. I've sprayed his area more than once with lysol. Figure it will kill the germs or him! So I agree...people need to straighten up and take this stuff seriously. Or if you want to get sick and miserable go somewhere else.

I thought DCL had implemented something that if you looked or showed symptoms of an illness you had to see a doctor before boarding? Read this somewhere in the literature on DCL Lines.

 

[NancyDVC]

I was on the Magic last September and came down with a norovirus. I may have contracted it before we ever got on the ship but I certainly did not want to spread it around. I went to the Health Center and was quarantined for 48 hours. They did everything the could to keep me happy and safe.
I work in a hospital and wash my hands a seeming endless number of times a day. I hate being in public restrooms and seeing the large numbers of people who never wash their hands! Yuck!
For those who have asked what handwashing does, Washing your hands for a minimum of 30 seconds with both soap and water, scrubbing as you wash the palms an back of the hands and then rinsing with water kills the germs and gets them off your hands.
If you use the toilet, or sneeze/cough into your hand and don't wash then everything you touch is contaminated! There is an excellent demonstration using an 'invisible' fluid that becomes visible under a blacklight. A demonstrator puts some on his hands and then touches things. His hands appaear clean but the blacklight reveals that everything he touches has this stuff in it and anyone who touches the things after him has it transfered to their hands too!
So the answer is Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands!!

 

[bones774]

HI MISS MULAN---------

Just wanted to let you know that sometimes people cough and it is not contagious to others. My two daughters have a disease called Cystic Fibrosis which primarily affects their lungs. Their lungs fill up with mucous and they cannot get it out. So their little bodies cough to break it up. It is not harmful to anyone but them and believe me when they start coughing l am always saying "Are you alright" because for them this could mean a trip into the hospital!!!!!!!!!!! CF Mom (my sons nickname for me)

The CF is not contagious to others but the mucous that they are coughing up is not healthy to others. Have you ever seen healthy mucous?

 

[kshabare]

Target is selling the little bottles of Purell that come in a little rubber holder that can clip onto a key ring or strap. When we sail, we bring them. If the soap is not filled in the bathroom tell someone and grab your Purell. We use it constantly after touching railings and door handles and elevator buttons. Just because you can't see a germ doesn't mean it's not there.

I will still go to the buffet. I'll make sure my party of three takes care of themselves before during and after. Just for the record - my son and husband have caught plain colds twice since before the holiday. If you're sick - stay home and get better. If you can't stay home - wash your hands after you cover your mouth!

Kim

 

[alikat99]

I'm amazed in how many people think that they are "washing" their hands, when all that they do is put their fingertips under the water and call it done. Give me a break!! They probably touched the toilet paper dispenser, the flush handle, the bathroom door handle and the sink handle all after others did before they washed their hands.

I have a 3yo DD who we're trying to teach about washing her hands. Sometimes she'll give us, "I don't want to wash my hands", but we keep trying to explain to her that we ALWAYS wash our hands. I only wish some adults would learn this lesson.

 

[LuvThatMouse]

Someone mentioned that they got rid of the refillable drinks. Is that true? I hope so.
Not only would that help the spread of disease but I can't imagine it would be necessary for everyone to carry mugs with them everywhere they went, which kind of reminds me of the monks from medieval times carrying their silver cup on their belt.

 

[4formickey]

at the drink station a sign is posted telling everyone to get a clean cup for each visit.Everywhere you go it is posted to get clean things and to wash your hands. People don't believe that their germs are bad or nasty.When can we expect people to clean up after themselve? Never!people will be unclean and some will stay that way.

 

[zeke11]

So when is this flu season considered officially "over"??

Kris

 

[4formickey]

When the last sick person go home!

 

[zeke11]

Ha ha!!!

I'm cruising at the end of March and hope that its over by then

Kris

 

[pppiglet]

ok...we don't usually get sick, so what are the symptoms of norovirus? We are going in June, so basically flu season will be over, but germs will always be around!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

In my hospital a couple of years ago the Infection Control department intoduced Purell to the staff. There are dispensers EVERYWHERE and we must sanitize our hands before we enter patient's rooms and afterward (we are being monitored for compliance). It took some getting used to and though it hasn't eliminated hospital aquired infections completely, the numbers are trending downward. Perhaps it's time the cruise ships did the same.

Last year I did mention something to the Dining Officer in Charge on the Wonder. While entering the restaurants they do have wipes but the swinging door on the metal trash can receptacle was filthy, so you wipe your hands then touch the trash can and you've got germs all over your hands again. Has anyone noticed if that problem's been taken care of at all?

I wash and clean my hands constantly but one thing I try to be really aware of is not putting my hands near my face, especially my nose and mouth, and I make sure my hands are freshly washed before I eat any food. I know I've developed immunity over the years but I very rarely get sick. I've taught my kids to do the same and yes, in public bathrooms we don't touch ANYTHING (and try to avoid them altogether whenever possible) and wash our hands turning off the faucet and opening the door with paper towels. Pretty funny seeing two 7 year olds do that. Knock on wood we've all stayed pretty healthy this winter.

On our last cruise DH was in the men's room when a Dad came in with his young daughter who pooped. He wiped her butt, left without washing his hands and went right into the dining room. Nice.

None of this will change until all adopt better habits.

 

[TumFamily]

The CF is not contagious to others but the mucous that they are coughing up is not healthy to others. Have you ever seen healthy mucous?

You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about.

 

[LuvThatMouse]

I was on the Magic last September and came down with a norovirus. I may have contracted it before we ever got on the ship but I certainly did not want to spread it around. I went to the Health Center and was quarantined for 48 hours. They did everything the could to keep me happy and safe.
I work in a hospital and wash my hands a seeming endless number of times a day. I hate being in public restrooms and seeing the large numbers of people who never wash their hands! Yuck!
For those who have asked what handwashing does, Washing your hands for a minimum of 30 seconds with both soap and water, scrubbing as you wash the palms an back of the hands and then rinsing with water kills the germs and gets them off your hands.
If you use the toilet, or sneeze/cough into your hand and don't wash then everything you touch is contaminated! There is an excellent demonstration using an 'invisible' fluid that becomes visible under a blacklight. A demonstrator puts some on his hands and then touches things. His hands appaear clean but the blacklight reveals that everything he touches has this stuff in it and anyone who touches the things after him has it transfered to their hands too!
So the answer is Wash, Wash, Wash Your Hands!!

I cannot believe there are people out there who do not wash their hands. You would think in this day and age people would be smart enough to know a little something about germs. I can't recall ever seeing a woman walk out of the ladies room. As for the men, I couldn't really say but I suspect there are many who don't wash. Sorry guys, but I think some just aren't very conscious of it.
Yes, waiters are instructed to wash their hands. However, what about the waiter who did in fact, wash his hands, only to come back and remove a plate and silver from someone who did not wash their hands, then comes over and serves you your dinner? YUK.

 

[mackymaddyconnorsmom]

My son has asthma and sometimes he coughs alot and some people give him nasty looks , but they can't catch it. I had to tell a women this before

 

[TumFamily]

Thanks for your post. I guess only parents of children with illnesses can really be compassionate about all of the complications that go along with it!!

 

[torontodisney]

Hi everyone. We were in the Dominican during the Chrismas holidays and staied at the RIU hotel where everyone was ill. What a terrible holiday we had. Very hard to not catch this on a cruise if it is present. Cruise ships do the right thing by returing early to clean the ship and offering refunds to those who do not want to sail if there is norovirus present. Our tour company new of the illness in the Dominican and did not warn their customers so we are currently in the process of being compensated for our holiday. I am glad to hear the cruise companies take this more seriously. We are booked on another cruise line (sailed on the Magic last year) in March so I hope this all clears up by then.

 

[LuvThatMouse]

Okay, just out of curiosity, I did a Google search for "Norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships" and came up with the listing from the CDC of all reported outbreaks on cruise ships. They are listed by year, ship name, cruise line and sailing dates.
I did find it interesting that there were no listings for DCL for any year, that I could find. So, either they aren't being reported as an outbreak or there haven't been any outbreaks.
It seemed the cruise lines with the most outbreaks listed were Holland America, Royal Carribean and Princess, although I didn't count specific numbers of outbreaks.

 

[tezb]

Norovirus can typically last from Oct- April each year. However, last year I read about people still having it on the May/early June cruises. It just depends. It is always around but more active during those months.