Attention Germ Phobes.........

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Juts back from a 4 night quick getaway at the Poly.....we planned 24 hours before!
Anyway, I am still amazed at the amount of woman & children that don't wash their hands after using the bathroom...Just YUCK!
 
The thing I hate the most is "stinky rides."

Those handle pads on Splash Mountain and Primeval Whirl are musty and gross. I don't know how anyone touches them. Yuck!

Everything you touch at the parks are covered with germs. From the finger scanner to the merchandise for sale to the turnstyles and seatbelts. You can't avoid touching things, just don't put your hands on your face or eat without washing first.
 
I know there are several threads in the topic of illnesses at Disneyworld, but most of them seem to be discussions of what to do to avoid illness, or mention of illnesses that happened in the past, etc. What I really would like to know is whether anyone personally knows of anyone (themselves, family etc.) who experienced a "stomach bug" or similar illness at WDW since January 6th or so, or if anyone has been at WDW in the past week and witnessed someone being ill in public, or witnessed the aftermath ("protein spill" ;), sudden pool closure ) of someone being sick. Reports from anyone who just got back and DIDN'T see any signs of illness are also helpful.

I have an upcoming trip to WDW :banana: and want to be extra careful because I have been having some health problems lately. There are specific things I plan to do on the trip if there are any recent reports of norovirus or stomach flu. (I don't want to start a debate on the best ways to avoid noroviruses, since there are plenty of those on other threads, so I'm not mentioning here what I plan to do, but I will be happy to tell anyone who emails me and asks.)

Thanks very much in advance!
 
Let me add to the nurses who are not germopobes. We basically bathe in it for 12 hours a day.

Also while we are on the subject of "superbugs" when you are given antibiotics please take them all even after you have feel better. If you leave that bug laying dormant the next time you take that antibiotic it has you all figured out and will be less effective.:sick:
 

that stomach bug is everywhere. I am a 4th grade teacher and during our state test today FOUR children threw up at different times. It was terrible and all over the place. And i got it a few weeks back and almost landed in the hospital...

And I am a majot germophobe. I pack the clorox wipes and clean the bottoms of my shoes when I get back to the hotel room.... I do this at home too but at the parks if I have sandals I actually wash them in the tub:rotfl:
 
Let me add to the nurses who are not germopobes. We basically bathe in it for 12 hours a day.

Also while we are on the subject of "superbugs" when you are given antibiotics please take them all even after you have feel better. If you leave that bug laying dormant the next time you take that antibiotic it has you all figured out and will be less effective.:sick:

I have never, ever met a nurse or doctor who is a germophobe. And I know a fair amount of doctors and nurses.

I guess knowledge is power.
 
I have never, ever met a nurse or doctor who is a germophobe. And I know a fair amount of doctors and nurses.

I guess knowledge is power.

If we were germaphobes we would have a nervous breakdown everyday we went to work.
 
JudyS, we were there last week and on Wednesday my husband became ill with fever, chills and diarrhea that lasted 24 hours. Noone else in our party of 9 became ill. Thank GOD I also did see a pile of saw dust at the TTC right in front of the line for the parking lot tram. I'm positive someone had been sick. Other than that all seemed good.
 
Just back and bug-free, all 18 of my party and friends who met us there!

On the germophobe topic, I am a big fan of hand sanitizer. I too take my sheets with me except to Disney, I couldn't fit them! I normally sleep on beach towels if I can't take my sheets, but alas, no towels/clean beach towels. I never ever walk around barefoot, Lysol-wipe the toilet, and used bottled water all week to take pills/rinse after brushing (mainly because the water pressure in the sinks at Pop was non-existant). I don't mind touching rides/merch/etc, because it's unavoidable, but I will wash my hands before touching my face/eating. Also, I never ever touch the bathroom and stall doors, I always put paper towel between the handle and my hand!
 
I take Wet Ones in the single packages in my backpack with us to the Parks. And I always use the toilet liners in the restrooms.
That's about as far as I go.
Even then, it does not really protect you. I caught a bad flu at Christmas at DisneyLand a couple weeks ago. It was our last day there and so we added one more day, just so I could stay in bed with a 104 temp and aches and sweats and chills...the whole nine yards of the flu. There was no way I could even have gotten on a plane the way I felt and just think how many people I would have exposed at the sickest point of my flu.

So even if you wash, wash, wash, if someone coughs or sneezes on you, you may still get sick. We are so careful about washing with the wet ones after touching anything and always before a meal, we find a restroom and really wash our hands.

Sadly Airborne does nothing for me for the flu or colds, so I just drink lots of fluids and take Tylenol and try to sleep and sweat it out. I was sick for 8 days this time and then at the end of the flu (after we already gotten home from Christmas at DL) I caught a cold. Murphy's Law with me.:confused3
Of course my immune system is not what it should be. I had spine surgery in July after spending the last year in a wheelchair at home and hardly ever getting out and getting exposed to anything.

I remember as kids we got exposed to everything, even ate dirt, (Oh don't tell me you did not eat dirt if you were a child of the 50's or 60's! We ALL tried it once!!!!):rotfl: :lmao: and built our immunity up. Though these days I would not let kids eat dirt...Too many nasty things in it from our changing world. We were not so germaphobic back in the 50's/60's/70's and we got sick with a bug that was going around, built our immunity up and then stayed well for a long time.

I think we overuse the *antibacterial* soaps. They tend to destroy ALL bacteria on our skin, even the good bacteria that defends our body against the bad ones. It is making for more virulrent forms of flu and cold viruses and not really doing anything except leaving us exposed to the germs. A good bar of regular soap is much better than antibacterial cleanser anyday. So say the doctors. I have heard it over and over and over from my own physician and in journals and other places. And the overuse of antibiotics for viruses does nothing but build super germs. Antibiotics will NOT cure a virus, only bacterial infections. Too may doctors still give out antibiotics to placate a worrying parent when their child really just has a viral flu or cold and it is destroying the efficacy of our best weapons against the really bad bacterial infections out there.
The best thing for the flu or a bad cold is rest and fluids and more rest and more fluids! Maybe Tylenol or Aspirin if it can be tolerated or given depending on the age of the patient..AND if it is really bacterial then antibiotics ARE the answer! A cold or flu CAN develop into bacterial bronchitis or pneumonia and once that happpens antibiotics are the course to go.

I ain't fun being sick at Disney. I have been sick three times there. Once was a really bad intestinal flu that had me writhing in pain and I had it coming from both ends with a 105 fever that would NOT break. We called a house call doctor to the Disneyland Hotel at 5AM and he gave me a shot of some antinauseal meds and some pills to take over the next few days. I was in bed for 5 days with that one again a Christmas trip to DL. Always at Christmas, always at the height of the flu season in the Winter....

There really is not much to keep a viral bug from getting you in a Park with hundreds of thousands of other people in various stages of health around, but the wet ones are helpful and washing your hands is a great idea. If you get someone sneezing and coughing on you, not much will help unless you wear a poncho and a face mask...and who wants to do the Parks all wrapped up like they work in a level 4 containment chamber at the CDC?:scared1:
Have fun and try to stay well!
Susan
 
Just a little tidbit for everyone ( since this has come up on other boards)...PLEASE do not take immodium or Pepto if you contract the stomach virus.You are doing more harm than good.A lot of the stomach viruses shed toxins which come out with vomit or diarrhea.By taking something to slow down your intestinal motility, you are keeping the virus and its toxins inside you possibly prolonging your "downtime".Better out than in.
 
Just a little tidbit for everyone ( since this has come up on other boards)...PLEASE do not take immodium or Pepto if you contract the stomach virus.You are doing more harm than good.A lot of the stomach viruses shed toxins which come out with vomit or diarrhea.By taking something to slow down your intestinal motility, you are keeping the virus and its toxins inside you possibly prolonging your "downtime".Better out than in.

Good advice, but remember that when you're losing that much fluid you need to stay hydrated. Much better than water is a sports drink, which helps replenish your lost electrolytes. Even better than a commercial sports drink is the World Health Organization's 'oral rehydration solution,' which is easy to make yourself. Here's the recipe:

http://www.rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm#recipes

David
 
Good advice, but remember that when you're losing that much fluid you need to stay hydrated. Much better than water is a sports drink, which helps replenish your lost electrolytes. Even better than a commercial sports drink is the World Health Organization's 'oral rehydration solution,' which is easy to make yourself. Here's the recipe:

http://www.rehydrate.org/solutions/homemade.htm#recipes

David

Very good point I forgot to add.I have seen to many recommendations lately of people suggesting the imodium and Pepto...not a good idea.But hydration is key.Small sips frequently...if you can't manage more than that.
 
Very good point I forgot to add.I have seen to many recommendations lately of people suggesting the imodium and Pepto...not a good idea.But hydration is key.Small sips frequently...if you can't manage more than that.

Yup... small sips taken occasionally is often better than large gulps or frequent sips. This is because some people will vomit when large amounts of liquids hit their stomachs. Better to get a teaspoon every 15 minutes than none at all.

David
 
I asked whether anyone had been to WDW in the past week and could tell me whether people were getting sick there.

JudyS, we were there last week and on Wednesday my husband became ill with fever, chills and diarrhea that lasted 24 hours. Noone else in our party of 9 became ill. Thank GOD I also did see a pile of saw dust at the TTC right in front of the line for the parking lot tram. I'm positive someone had been sick. Other than that all seemed good.

Just back and bug-free, all 18 of my party and friends who met us there!....

Thanks, Lukenick1 and BarbieGal457 for the information! Lukenick1, sorry your husband was ill!

Anyone else been to WDW in the past week or so? Any signs of people getting "sick to their stomachs" there?
 
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