Over the top media reaction?

I don't think this is "over the top media reaction" - I think it's a case of a microbiologist/epidemiologist who takes her knowledge seriously and applies it consistently to her life. Well, somewhat. I mean I would argue that there are a crapload of germs in that movie theatre she took her 5yo too, but I take her point that being 'trapped' on a cruise ship has other significant. So too a long haul flight. Or a train ride. She chooses not to take the risk, but notably says she will take risks in other ways - good for her, to each their own.
 
Just a little over the top. :rolleyes:

So I guess she will home school her child so he doesn't have to spend 7 hours a day in a germ-infested classroom? And I suppose she will never let her 5 year old swim in a public pool? Will she take her child on any vacation where they have to fly on a commercial plane? (Well, she does say she will do that. Where's her essay on the number of germs found on a airplane tray table?) Or heaven forbid, stay in a hotel somewhere because the person in the room before them might have been sick? Or do hundreds of other things that might bring her child in contact with infectious pathogens?
 
I don't think this is "over the top media reaction" - I think it's a case of a microbiologist/epidemiologist who takes her knowledge seriously and applies it consistently to her life. Well, somewhat. I mean I would argue that there are a crapload of germs in that movie theatre she took her 5yo too, but I take her point that being 'trapped' on a cruise ship has other significant. So too a long haul flight. Or a train ride. She chooses not to take the risk, but notably says she will take risks in other ways - good for her, to each their own.
It's over the top when a company like NBC/Universal publishes such hypocritical statements. NBC/Universal must have loved where she starts her rant using a DCL commercial. My opinion.
 
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She’s entitled to her personal and professional opinions, but yes, it seems a little extreme.

I wonder if all epidemiologists refuse to cruise, or if she is an outlier.
 
Actually, some germs build immunity, if you don't have a weakened immune system. My Grandma was very OCD, and my mom and uncle get sick at the drop of a hat. Anecdotal yes, but there has been some science out there that supports it. If you aren't exposed to things, then you might not build an immunity against them. Now, don't take your very young child on a cruise to build their immunity :rolleyes:
 
I'm surprised she would take her ds to the beach, with all those flesh eating parasites and sharks in the water. :PPoor kid, "No Johnny, just look at the water, don't go in it". If you ask my family, they will tell you I am a major germaphobe. I'm constantly washing my hands. As soon as I get in our cabin I start wiping things down with Lysol wipes. That said, I would much rather take my chances with getting sick/injured on a cruise. Only time in the past 30 yrs that I got the flu, was after going to grocery store/work, not on a ship. Guess I have to stop shopping/working.
 
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If we think too long or too deep into wherever we go, even a grocery store, we can scare the crap out of ourselves.
I bring Lysol and spray my cruise cabin and hotel rooms for a little peace of mind. I wipe down an airline seat and snack table when I fly with Clorox wipes, its not full proof, but hopefully it helps.
Disney World has gotten everyone of my family members ill thought the years, but we still go.
 
IMHO she needs to do an extensive micro study of the movie theater she went to. Especially the concession area, the seating area, et.
 
College dorms and nursing homes have been dealing with this forever. Any place where a large group of people are in a confined space illness can spread like wildfire.

With a cruise ship, you add the fact that people are literally coming from around the world and bringing with them a variety of germs from around the world.

It doesn't deter me, but I do wash my hands a lot and use hand sanitizer.

Just a fact of life, not over the top
 
Meh. Germs happen. We wash our hands after using the bathroom and before eating, particularly when travelling, and make sure our kids do the same. Wash with soap and water, that is, not antibacterial wipes. Otherwise we don't make any big issue out of the potential exposure to germs. I don't wipe things down when I travel, don't generally use antibacterial cleaners around my home, very rarely use hand sanitizer (port-a-potties where no running water is available is the only general exception), and I don't worry much about what my kids (or I) have been touching. We rarely get sick. I am aware that it could happen, on vacation or otherwise. When it does, it is unpleasant, and of course I would rather it not happen on a cruise, but I choose not to live my life in fear of the possibility.

JMHO
 
I'm confused by her measles reference. I hope to goodness her child is vaccinated against measles. If so, she has nothing to worry about. If not, she is a lousy microbiologist! I also think it is unfair for her to say she would never go on a Disney cruise she saw a commercial for because of a Carnival cruise inspection report. Disney always gets the highest marks for cleanliness, so she is comparing apples to oranges.

My DH did get noro on our first Disney cruise, but that is totally on him: I washed and sanitized my kids hands everywhere but he refused to on the grounds that I was "paranoid." The "I told you sos" were very unsatisfying though because it meant I had to watch the kids solo pretty much the whole cruise while he was quarantined, and scrub down the cabin each time I brought the kids back. I absolutely do agree with the article writer that you need to be mindful of noro on cruises (just like any other vacation), but good handwashing practices are worth their weight in gold.
 
I'm confused by her measles reference. I hope to goodness her child is vaccinated against measles. If so, she has nothing to worry about. If not, she is a lousy microbiologist! I also think it is unfair for her to say she would never go on a Disney cruise she saw a commercial for because of a Carnival cruise inspection report. Disney always gets the highest marks for cleanliness, so she is comparing apples to oranges.

My DH did get noro on our first Disney cruise, but that is totally on him: I washed and sanitized my kids hands everywhere but he refused to on the grounds that I was "paranoid." The "I told you sos" were very unsatisfying though because it meant I had to watch the kids solo pretty much the whole cruise while he was quarantined, and scrub down the cabin each time I brought the kids back. I absolutely do agree with the article writer that you need to be mindful of noro on cruises (just like any other vacation), but good handwashing practices are worth their weight in gold.

I found the measles reference funny because the ship that had the measles outbreak/quarantine was a Scientology ship and not a regular cruise ship. But you can't really say that as long as her child is vaccinated against measles, there's nothing for her to worry about. No vaccine is 100% effective and herd immunity is important to ensure the disease stays at bay. That's why parents refusing to vaccinate their kids is a problem for parents that do vaccinate.

And I agree with you on the importance of handwashing. I'm religious about it, and have been ingraining that, and the importance of keeping your hands away from your face, in my daughter. Since she finally started washing her hands regularly even when I'm not with her, the number of colds she gets has decreased drastically.
 
The funny thing is if NBC/Universal had cruise ships this article would have never seen the light of day.
 
Germs and illnesses are good for us. Exposure enhances our immune systems and makes us hardier as a species. There is actually a hygiene hypothesis that believes excessive cleanliness, hand sanitizers, antibacterial soap, etc causes the human species to weaken and develop more cases of allergies, asthma, autoimmune disorders and such.
 

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