Please do NOT go to Disney World if you (or your children) are sick

[Chkultr]

and keep your hind parts out of work as well.......

 

[CJBaby]

I'M back! The only thing that sticks out for me to say is that the only RIDICULOUS part of this thread is that I shouldn't have felt the need to post something so obvious. However, coupled with the fact that I've been praying for a 5yo boy fighting for his life on an ECMO after h1n1, and that I read that not everyone is so inclined to cancel their trip when sick (and I'm not even touching the cancer comment,) I thought I'd try and appeal to everyone's good nature. I still encourage those on the fence to take the high/hard road.

Feel free to pm me what I missed. I hate when stuff gets deleted before I can read/respond!

 

[RonPaulaD]

I've been lurking for a while, but this thread is interesting and I have a question. We're traveling to Disney in December. I've read a few trip policies and they seem to need a dr.'s note in order to reimburse. In my community the doctors don't want to see run of the mill flu cases. Bogs down the system and spreads the virus in the waiting room. Thus, no H1N1 test. I probably wouldn't qualify for a refund, right?

 

[badblackpug]

umm NO.
hearing facts wrong.
100 total so far. total. and you have no idea of their health conditions before they got the flu.
the "swine flu" is no more dangerous than any other it just has the media's hype to spread paranoia.

And for the record according to the CDC, 36,000 people die of the flue each YEAR.

THANK YOU!

The media hype and surrounding paranoia about the H1N1 virus is insane. More people die annually of the seasonal flu than have died of H1N1. Treatment recommendations are no different than the seasonal flu. Rest, fluids and tylenol for fever greater than 101. Most places are not even testing for H1N1 unless you are in a high risk group. (pregnant women or people with severe medical compromise) Please do not rush your family to the emergency room if you have flu symptoms. ....and please, please, please DO NOT say that you or your family have H1N1 unless you have specifically tested positive for it. You are just adding to the hype and paranoia. Remember is is seasonal flu season. You could just as easily have a "run of the mill" virus as H1N1.

 

[ShannonMB]

I agree that if someone in the party is obviously actively ill with something more than your average virus, they should at least stay at the room, etc, etc.

I think the bottom line, though, is that we ALL know there are going to be sick (very sick, should be home in bed sick) people at WDW, even if every DISer signs a pact that we won't go when ill. Most likely we will all be exposed to every nasty germ imaginable at some point during our trips. So that puts the burden on us -- do we take our family to the parks during a pandemic flu? Are we prepared to face the consequences if someone in our party gets really sick? If yes, then go. If not, don't. The responsibility is OURS, not the other sick people's. We all know someone can be contagious before they show symptoms, so even if no one in the park had any symptoms, the bugs would still be there.

We are risking it (in 17 days!!). If my DD gets ill, it's my fault for taking her there right now. I accept that.

 

[palavra]

All of the experts in this thread claiming that H1N1 is not serious or severe are spreading the same kind of misinformation as Fox News. The H1N1 can be extremely severe as it takes 5-6 hours from first symptom onset to full on fever. It is often accompanied by pneumonia which is the real killer for most. My Grand Nephew was just released from the hospital after 3 days because the hospital needed the bed. He is still listed as serious but the Visiting Nurses are treating him at home. Don't think this is not serious because the one you hurt the most could be your neighbor, the person on the plane next to you or the next person who takes the elevator you just used.

This is simply not true. I work at a school in Georgia. we've been hit hard with H1N1. There have been several cases at the school. In fact, I have two students out with it right now. Since i was concerned for my safety and that of my daughter, I talked with our doctor, who also happens to be a friend. She said that most cases of H1N1 are less severe than Type A flu and last fewer days.

To the OP, yes, I'm sure there are people who don't care if others get sick on vacation, but how many people do you think go to WDW knowingly contagious? A person is often contagious before symptoms show. Really, it's impossible to avoid contact with sick people unless you stay in your own home and allow no one else in.

 

[Spikekc1]

1000 people have died. 100 of those are children. I think those are decent odds when it comes to children. I certainly don't mean to sound callus, but it doesn't seem to be setting it's eyes out on kids.


Georgia announced today, to the criticism of many, that their h1n1 numbers are slowing down. I'm hoping that here, in the south, we're starting to see the tail end of this. *crosses fingers*

Yo do sound callus, especially to those who have lost a family member. My friend lost her uncle this week to H1N1.

For the record, H1N1 actually does target kids more than adults in regards to the percentage of people getting infected. More than 50% of the kids at my children's school have been infected. To date, none of them have died . . .thank goodness. It infects adults at a lower rate, but that doesn't mean that adults cannot catch it. It is true that the vast majority of people recover.

I agree with the OP. While people could easily be walking around without knowing that they are becoming sick or are contagious, it is common courtesy to stay home - not just from Disney World but anywhere - if you know that you (or your child) is sick or contagious. Health Departments and the CDC are advising people that they really should stay home. Not only is it a risk to others you are infecting, but it is not fair to your child to drag them around when they are not feeling well.

 

[princessmom29]

All of the experts in this thread claiming that H1N1 is not serious or severe are spreading the same kind of misinformation as Fox News. The H1N1 can be extremely severe as it takes 5-6 hours from first symptom onset to full on fever. It is often accompanied by pneumonia which is the real killer for most. My Grand Nephew was just released from the hospital after 3 days because the hospital needed the bed. He is still listed as serious but the Visiting Nurses are treating him at home. Don't think this is not serious because the one you hurt the most could be your neighbor, the person on the plane next to you or the next person who takes the elevator you just used.

I am sorry but you are misinformed. While it is possible to get pneumonia as a complication it is far from typical of H1N1 cases. My sister had pneumonia with a confirmed case but she also has chronic anemia and a suppressed immune system. The typical case in a 3-5 day bout of low grade fever achyness and congestion. Most cases ARE less severe than seasonal flu, and easily managble at home with tylenol and fluids. I have not heard of anything that Fox Broadcasted about H1N1 bieng proved to be a falsehood???

 

[Spikekc1]

Here that HIV people? Chemo recipients? Don't come to Disney cause you're sick!

What? Are you saying that these people are at risk of getting H1N1 because they have lowered immunity. . .or are you saying that they shouldn't come because they are sick.

Certainly, people with specific conditions should take adequate precautions. But if you are comparing H1N1 with HIV and cancer, that would not be an accurate comparison at all. HIV and H1N1 are not infectious airborne illnesses that are easily transmitted.

 

[princessmom29]

What? Are you saying that these people are at risk of getting H1N1 because they have lowered immunity. . .or are you saying that they shouldn't come because they are sick.

Certainly, people with specific conditions should take adequate precautions. But if you are comparing H1N1 with HIV and cancer, that would not be an accurate comparison at all. HIV and H1N1 are not infectious airborne illnesses that are easily transmitted.

That was meant as sarcasm. It was explained in one of the deleted posts. I was to show how silly the entire debate was.

 

[Spikekc1]

If my kids have the flu it typically passes in a couple days and I will be back at the Dis. As long as they are not throwing up. Sorry but I am not canceling a vacation because my kids "might" give it to someone else. All three are in school so our family is usually got some sort of illness from now until they get out next year.

The media freaks everyone out about getting sick and suddenly i have to lock myself up. Give me a break. Thousands die every year from the regular Flu. Stop being paranoid

There is a new item at the Disney gift shops this year for all you paranoid people. It is the Disney Bubble. Now you and your family can walk around in a fashionable plastic bubble all day without the worry of someone even breathing on you. On sale now.

Health Departments and the CDC are advising people to stay home if they are sick. It is the courteous thing to do. I agree that people should not be paranoid and people cannot put their lives on hold, but I do think they should be courteous.

The flu that is going around now does not involve throwing up - but that doesn't mean people are feeling pretty miserable for a few days.

I respectfully disagree with your post. If there is a chance that you could infect someone else with any type of flu, you should keep you or your child home. Nothing to do with paranoia - just common sense and common courtesy. Plus if you take your kids out and they are sick, you are running them down and risking their health as well.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

To be honest i'd go to Disney sick or not(not dealthy sick, regular sick). You can get sick from lots of things. Germs are every where.

Where is the "i seen a person go to the bathroom and didnt wash there hands" thread??

Can we add them people to the do not enter list lol

 

[Spikekc1]

This h1n1 is less severe than the regular flu, yet no one submitted these kind of posts in the years before. So how about if your that scared of getting sick, you lock yourself in the house and not go to WDW! less people there for everyone else.

In most cases, it may be less severe, but it is infecting many people very rapidly. I guess I am shocked at some people's responses because as an employee in a school where we have been hit hard, I don't think people realize have prevalent this flu is.

Not to add to the panic. In most cases, it is mild and people recover within 3-5 days. But in one of our classes, 18 of 20 students were hit with it within a 2 day period. . .16 of 20 in another class. It is very contagious.

It may be mild. . .although my friend lost her uncle to H1N1 complications this week. . .BUT it could sure ruin a vacation.

I think most folks here are not necessarily panic stricken about getting sick, they are just sharing genuine concerns about not getting sick on vacation.

I agree with OP - stay home if you are sick.

 

[jboysen]

Here that HIV people? Chemo recipients? Don't come to Disney cause you're sick!

Umm...actually, I would say the op is telling the people that could give these people the flu/cold/whatever that could =death for them, to to stay home. Not the other way around.

 

[WriteDisney]

To be honest i'd go to Disney sick or not(not dealthy sick, regular sick). You can get sick from lots of things. Germs are every where.

Where is the "i seen a person go to the bathroom and didnt wash there hands" thread??

Can we add them people to the do not enter list lol

Oh how about the grossest thing you've seen in the park thread.. can we add those people to the do not enter list

 

[Not so Dumbo]

Honestly, there will always be people at WDW who are sick, reguardless if I send my $3000 vacation spiraling down the toilet and stay home or not. If someone's going to get sick, they're going to get sick, if not from me then from Joe Blow next to me. Just look at attendance numbers, you can't tell me that out of at least 30,000 people daily, and these germs can live upto 2 days, that you wouldn't come into contact with some type of virus, bacteria, ect. What about CM's? Do you think they call into work everytime they're sick? That's no vacation destination for them, that's their job. They have bills to pay and I would doubt that many of those positions are given paid sick time.
My advice is not to worry about other people, but instead do what you can do to prevent getting ill. Get the H1N1 vaccine, wash hands, eat healthy, exercise, take vitamins, ect. It's out there and even if you do catch it, it doesn't automatically mean a death sentence. I had H1N1 last week and it put me in bed for a day. Certainly not a vacation wrecker by any means.

 

[AmberHeartsDisney]

Oh how about the grossest thing you've seen in the park thread.. can we add those people to the do not enter list

YOU, YOU, and YOU YOUR OTTAAAAAAAAA HERE!

 

[Withacy]

I just want to clarify something - they're saying that the H1N1 is disproportionately hitting children. That is true. Sort of. It's not that more children are getting H1N1 than get a regular seasonal flu, it's that fewer elderly are getting this flu because it is so similar to previous strains of flu that most older people have an immunity to it.

My godson (7) - who is going with me to WDW in December - is home from school right now with H1N1. And he's doing well. His fever spikes a bit at night, but otherwise, he's not that bad (but the school doesn't want him, for obvious reasons). He's on tamiflu, and his mom is a pediatric nurse. She pointed out to me that very, very few children die from this flu. But it does tend to overwelm their immune system, and makes them susceptable to infection, fungus, virus, etc. And it's those OTHER things that land a child in the hospital, or (in some unfortunate cases) kills them.

If your child has H1N1, you want to keep them out of public, not just to keep other people from catching it, but to keep them from being exposed to something their immune system can't handle in addition to the flu.

 

[floydfamily4]

I think you should apply the same logic you would to anything else. Is my child too sick for school? Hockey? A birthday party? Then they're too sick for Disney. Only a little sick, fine for school? I think you can do Disney. In our house too sick for school/activities means: high fever, lethargic, definite flu symptoms, "look sick" (you know when your kids "looks sick"-that whites as a sheet, classy, dark eye circles....), barfing or diarrhea (must not have barfing or diarrhea for 24 hours). To me, no kid should be at Disney with those symptoms, either.

Lots and lots of pixie dust for us October-November-December trippers to stay healthy!!!

My request is would you take your child to a friends house? Someone you know and will see again? Someone you care about? If you wouldn't take your sick child to their house and contaminate them - then please use the same caution and respect for everyone else. I know WDW costs a lot (heck, I have been saving for 3 years to celebrate my twins 5th bday) but if you couldn't live with yourself for making your neighbor or friends kids sick then...

I have a feeling this thread is going to end badly but I just had to share my thoughts and support the OP in the assertion that if you are known to be contagious keep your self at home!

 

[RMulieri]

My request is would you take your child to a friends house? Someone you know and will see again? Someone you care about? If you wouldn't take your sick child to their house and contaminate them - then please use the same caution and respect for everyone else. I know WDW costs a lot (heck, I have been saving for 3 years to celebrate my twins 5th bday) but if you couldn't live with yourself for making your neighbor or friends kids sick then...

I have a feeling this thread is going to end badly but I just had to share my thoughts and support the OP in the assertion that if you are known to be contagious keep your self at home!

I agree with you. I really have to laugh, there are some people that will not go to Gramma's house with fears of getting gramma sick, but they will get on a plane and go to WDW contaminating everything and everyone. It is sad .I know my trip is costly.I know it will KILL me inside to have to cancel.But I refuse to be irresponsible. I guess maybe it is the nurse in me.