Heads up for those going in the near future.

[KirstenB]

We were at WDW from 11/13-11/18. I got sick to my stomach for a day and a half. Thank God DH and our girls didn't catch it. I was miserable.

 

[mamaprincess]

We start taking our airborne prior to leaving and every morning and evening during the trip. Works for us!

 

[steelfish535]

There was alot of buzz on the boards back in September when we went on our trip too. We had 8 people on our trip and no one got sick the whole time. We brought lysol for the room and sprayed when we first got there, in case someone was sick previous to us. I also had hand sanitizer I tried to use at points during the trip. Wash your hands! Unfortunately, this is probably a virus, and the lyson and disinfectant won't work as well on this. The big thing? If you're vomiting....DON'T go to the park! Don't infect other people with it! Uck!

 

[lovethattink]

Ok, despite what the Purell Customer service agent said, Purell does kill viruses. Here is the "abstract" (summary) of a recent article on this from the American Journal of Infection Control:
http://*******.com/yxn49j
The virus in this study is similar to a class of viruses (noroviruses) that cause outbreaks of vomiting.

Here is another study that says alcohol-based sanitizers work for some, but not all, viruses: http://*******.com/y38n4h

So, hand sanitizer should help. But, considering the risk of aerosol transmission of the virus, I'd also be wary of eating anyplace where someone had just visably gotten ill (that's a euphemism for "threw up.") If it happens again near me, I'm throwing the food away.

Edited to add: Yikes, it looks like the DISboards don't allow links to Tiny Url.com You can replace the asterisks above with the words Tiny Url (omit the spaces.) Or, just do the search that I did -- go to http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
and search for isopropanol viruses (Purell is actually ethanol, not isopropanol, but if you search on ethanol, you get a lot of irrelevant stuff.)

I checked out those links. From what I read in the 1st link, it looks like ethanol in 70% or 90% forms were effective (99%) in killing the feline calicivirus which is not the human norovirus, but a surrogate, similar to the human norovirus. The 2nd link says efficacy of 60% hasn't been demonstrated in non-enveloped virus. I'm pretty sure the human norovirus is non-enveloped.

The concentration in Purrell is 62% ethyl alcohol (ethanol), perhaps that's why the customer service rep told me what she did.

http://cmr.asm.org/cgi/content/full/17/4/863#Ethanol,_Isopropanol,_and_n-Propanol

http://www.glogerm.com/Strategies_for_Norovirus_COEHA_HDOUT.pdf

We're going again this weekend. I'm sure we will be washing our hands frequently, and I will be bringing my bottle of purell.

 

[seashoreCM]

How many of you who did get sick at Disney could honestly say you did not eat anything that you or another family member touched with bare fingers (edited to add and did not put fingers in mouth, nose, or eyes?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

One time some colleagues and I were trying to decide where to go for a lunch outing. I suggested "a place where the food is customarily eaten using fork and knife, not using fingers or chopsticks.

 

[rmom50]

I never catch any of the stuff going around, so does this mean the sickies will be puking at the resorts while I ride RnR one more time???

yes it absolutely does!
I didn't see sickness - returned yesterday. I did see about 50,000 kids picking their noses. I'd be working on that little issue if I were as worried as some. Also....the Purell works! Have a great time.

 

[tamj]

yes it absolutely does!
I didn't see sickness - returned yesterday. I did see about 50,000 kids picking their noses. I'd be working on that little issue if I were as worried as some. Also....the Purell works! Have a great time.

THANK YOU, rmom!
I really don't need to get sick just thinking about all of this illness going around, so it's nice to read your experiences.

btw, it makes me extra worried because my 92 y/o mil lives here with us and she can NOT afford to get sick.

Prayerfully, we'll all arrive, stay and leave healthy!

 

[joliesmom]

On a different note my DH and I were mesmerized by how many people don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom.

 

[TinLizzy90]

I would say, if it is Caliciviruses (noro) we are up against, our best bet is to wash our hands like crazy, stay away from matter generated by sick people, and never touch our face with our hands (or our food with our hands - that part gets tricky).

We'll hope for the best!

 

[ToTLaugher]

We just came home yesterday after a 9 day stay at POR. We saw no signs of illness running rampant. I guess we hit the right parks on the right days! We have two kids getting stuffy noses, but I blamed it on the airplane rides.

Hopefully, whatever went around is going to leave quickly for you all with upcoming trips!

 

[Jeanne B]

We got back Tuesday afternoon from a cruise on the Wonder and a couple days in the parks and I didn't notice anything unusual while we were at WDW. I can see though how if one family member gets sick, probably the majority of the family would get sick, it's only natural being in such close contact.

 

[MICKEEP]

I spoke to my DS about this the other day. He is a CM working custodial in Epcot. So if anyone has to clean up after the protein spills, it custodial.
He was very surprised to hear that anyone thought there was a problem. He is not aware nor is there any official word of anything out of the ordinary going on right now.

 

[blessedby3]

On a different note my DH and I were mesmerized by how many people don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom.

I agree. That just makes me sick to see people come out of the bathroom stall and head for the exit door!! I can understand (but not agree) with a child not washing (because the parents dont enforce it)- but adults- PLEASE!!!! That is just GROSS!! Makes me want to puke just thinking about what they are going to go touch (ride handle bars, etc.) that I will be touching later