Stomach virus going around at Disney

[Alberta bound]

I work in health care and there always seems to be something going around. Wash those hands

 

[Gracie09]

I NEVER eat my meal at a restaurant without a trip to the bathroom to wash my hands after ordering! I think people overlook this as well. I also use my foot to flush the toilets when out and was shocked at the reaction on Cruise critic that got! People were so upset that I was putting the germs from my shoes on the toilet handle. I kept saying, if everyone would wash their hands after going into a stall, my foot flushing wouldn't matter. Not sure why they just were not getting it. LOL!

But, I also think hand sanitizers and antibacterial soaps at all times isn't good either. I run a small daycare here at my house and this winter ran out of antibacterial soap. I did not have time to replenish so, I began washing the kids hands with Dove. We had less colds and overall illnesses pass through! And my hands thanked me! I must wash them 30-40 times a day when the kids are here. But, in public, I wouldn't be comfortable using just Dove. Antibacterial in public is a must.

Couldn't the same things said about your practice? If you are going to wash your hands after using the toilet why use you foot to flush. Whatever germs you may encounter on your hands you wash right off

 

[anniemae]

Couldn't the same things said about your practice? If you are going to wash your hands after using the toilet why use you foot to flush. Whatever germs you may encounter on your hands you wash right off

Also, the bathroom lock is JUST as dirty as the toilet handle. After someone uses the bathroom, they flush, then unlock the door. Personally, I think the door lock is just as bad. If you wash after exiting the stall though, no worries. Just seems silly to use your foot for the toilet flush handle, then your hands for the lock.

 

[nooneshome]

There is ALWAYS a stomach virus going around WDW!

Bingo. Just use common sense, keep your hands clean and stay out of the damn lakes.

A friend at work has gotten sick on three out of her last four trips to WDW. The one trip she didn't was the only one she drove to WDW.

 

[Nancyg56]

Couldn't the same things said about your practice? If you are going to wash your hands after using the toilet why use you foot to flush. Whatever germs you may encounter on your hands you wash right off

Exactly. And honestly if the term thing is so profound, just use a piece of toilet tissue and toss it out. There is no reason to use feet to flush, not one

 

[Disneylover99]

Couldn't the same things said about your practice? If you are going to wash your hands after using the toilet why use you foot to flush. Whatever germs you may encounter on your hands you wash right off

If I tried to use my foot to flush, I'm pretty sure I would lose my balance, fall and end up writhing around on the germy bathroom floor.

 

[kidshop]

Exactly. And honestly if the term thing is so profound, just use a piece of toilet tissue and toss it out. There is no reason to use feet to flush, not one

That is what I do...use toilet paper to flush and open the door. I try to use paper to shut off the water and open to door to the main bathroom if necessary (or available) as well.

 

[BubblyTrip]

Agree!


I know it sounds like over kill but it works. Purel will not kill norovirus...soap and warm water will.

A thousand times this. Gel does not kill Noro, and most of these bugs are Noro. The friction of soap and water washing for 15 seconds works. And after you wash, turn off water with a paper towel and don't touch the door handle.

Googling CDC and Norovirus will get you all the info you need from the CDC's mouth. Also, you are shedding virus after you have been sick, so please be courteous to those around you.

 

[sunshine1]

Poor people and always worst when you are sick on holiday.

 

[rpb718]

Just to recap for folks who are just starting to read this thread without looking at the dates...

1. This is an old thread that started in January 2015.
2. There is not an outbreak going on at WDW at this moment.
3. It's getting to be that time of year when we do start to see various outbreaks, whether in schools, on cruise ships, of at any place where there are large crowds together in a small amount of space.
4. Soap and water is your friend. Purell and various gels, not so much.
5. Don't try to flush the toilet with your foot. Your hands are fine as long as you go straight to the sink to wash with soap and water.

 

[GaryDis]

A thousand times this. Gel does not kill Noro, and most of these bugs are Noro.

Specifically, alcohol-based sanitizers do not kill norovirus. Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC) has potential; the Wikipedia article on hand sanitizers has a link to a journal article that indicates this, but I won't pretend to understand it. I haven't found anything that asserts authoritatively that BAC has been proven effective against norovirus, but it makes me think it wouldn't be a horrible idea. Between contacts and allergies, it's really difficult to avoid touching my face, and going to the bathroom every half hour to wash isn't an option.

 

[LovesTimone]

Here what I do, while it might seem over board to others it has worked for my family. Some type of Clorox wipes I bring several of those travel pack sized ones with us, I go over the room when we arrive and then after house keeping is done, they clean the room but what about if they are sick? I take them into the park to use for the table and chairs especially at QS, sometimes they don't get wiped down as frequently as needed. When our kids were little for the stroller, wipe the whole thing down, in the stroller parking cast member touch them , other guest trying to get their stroller out will grab a the handle of another stroller to move it over. When flying, I wipe the tray table and arm rest down. I basically keep a pack with me at all time when traveling. I keep a pack in DH's bag as he travels a lot, at first he was like I don't need them, now he has gotten in the habit.

I can't say it enough wash wash wash wash wash your hands, with soap and hot water, wash above your wrist, and around your cuticles. Help your kids wash their little hands to, most of the time they are just rinsing not washing.

 

[DisneyFan2013]

This reminds me that I need to bring hand soap (the pump kind) for my hotel room. It always annoys me that there's none in the room and I always end up using the shampoo as hand soap. Luckily I haven't gotten sick during any of my trips!

Another thing I just thought of: I've heard that sniffing alcohol pads helps with nausea. Not sure how well it would work with a stomach bug, but it might be worth a try to pack some. I always have some with me because I clean my glasses with alcohol wipes.

 

[hsmamato2]

Well, this thread is old,and has been repeataed countless times b/c there's always something going around large crowded parks- just wash wash wash your hands frequently- it grosses me out when I see people using the bathroom and the NOT washing, just using their purell gel on the way out...happens all the time and people can be so dumb

 

[anniemae]

Well, this thread is old,and has been repeataed countless times b/c there's always something going around large crowded parks- just wash wash wash your hands frequently- it grosses me out when I see people using the bathroom and the NOT washing, just using their purell gel on the way out...happens all the time and people can be so dumb

I agree, so many people do not wash. They don't think of all the surfaces they are touching, hand rails, ride handles etc. Many will tell you they "don't like the soap" at Disney or it is too drying, or they are allergic to it and they use gel on the way out. And that may be true for some, but I am willing to bet that many of the people just don't wash. they just don't.

FYI, the queue that grosses me out the most? Winnie the Pooh! OMG that swirling touch wall is about enough to make me vomit on the spot. All the little hands touching, tongues licking(yes I have seen kids licking it), sneezing directly on it, smearing everything.

 

[Mousemommy1]

It's called winter...and norovirus...and it's everywhere, every year, not just Disney.

Our trip isn't until April but my whole family of five just battled it all weekend long.

 

[ElenaJane]

Here what I do, while it might seem over board to others it has worked for my family. Some type of Clorox wipes I bring several of those travel pack sized ones with us, I go over the room when we arrive and then after house keeping is done, they clean the room but what about if they are sick? I take them into the park to use for the table and chairs especially at QS, sometimes they don't get wiped down as frequently as needed. When our kids were little for the stroller, wipe the whole thing down, in the stroller parking cast member touch them , other guest trying to get their stroller out will grab a the handle of another stroller to move it over. When flying, I wipe the tray table and arm rest down. I basically keep a pack with me at all time when traveling. I keep a pack in DH's bag as he travels a lot, at first he was like I don't need them, now he has gotten in the habit.

I can't say it enough wash wash wash wash wash your hands, with soap and hot water, wash above your wrist, and around your cuticles. Help your kids wash their little hands to, most of the time they are just rinsing not washing.

I think you and I could enter the germaphob olympics as a team. I definitely got some eye rolls from my DH when I was using the wipes on the plane and the hotel room (and yes, I do it after housekeeping, because I think the cleaning may be just cross-contaminating rooms). I take it to another level and have flesh-colored gloves we use for rides where you have to hold on (roller coasters and "shoot 'em" rides) and for buffets. Of course there is a lot of hand washing. I am pleased to say DH now asks for wipes and the gloves! Muahhhhhhh!

 

[DisneyFan2013]

I think you and I could enter the germaphob olympics as a team. I definitely got some eye rolls from my DH when I was using the wipes on the plane and the hotel room (and yes, I do it after housekeeping, because I think the cleaning may be just cross-contaminating rooms). I take it to another level and have flesh-colored gloves we use for rides where you have to hold on (roller coasters and "shoot 'em" rides) and for buffets. Of course there is a lot of hand washing. I am pleased to say DH now asks for wipes and the gloves! Muahhhhhhh!

Flesh colored gloves?? lol Now that's funny!

 

[anniemae]

I think you and I could enter the germaphob olympics as a team. I definitely got some eye rolls from my DH when I was using the wipes on the plane and the hotel room (and yes, I do it after housekeeping, because I think the cleaning may be just cross-contaminating rooms). I take it to another level and have flesh-colored gloves we use for rides where you have to hold on (roller coasters and "shoot 'em" rides) and for buffets. Of course there is a lot of hand washing. I am pleased to say DH now asks for wipes and the gloves! Muahhhhhhh!

I really thought I was bad! LOL!! I do the wipes on the plane, and I also get lots of eye rolling and snarky comments from DH and kids as I wipe everyones tray, belt buckle, arm rest etc. (as a side note, one flight I saw a toddler do a big messy wet sneeze directly on tray table and smear it in while laughing and coughing. I think the eye rolling stopped then.) I also wipe the room with clorox wipes. I saw a dateline show about hotel rooms and in many 4 and 5 star hotels they found fecal matter, e. coli, and a bunch of other nasty stuff all over the room, on the remote, even the light switches. I won't even tell you what they found splattered on the wall and bed spread. I have never been able to get it out of my head.

But in all my germ-o-phobia-ness, I have NEVER heard of the flesh colored glove! It's genius! I can't tell you how much I cringe on rides like Buzz, TSMM, and the above mentioned Pooh queue. Do you get odd looks when putting them on? When do you put them on? You are brave ElenaJane, you will soon be skewered by non-germophobes telling you that you should live in a bubble, should not leave your house etc. But I think you may start a flesh colored glove craze!

 

[ElenaJane]

Flesh colored gloves?? lol Now that's funny!

Funny....and ingenious I don't believe the "kill germs on contact" part, but at least provides more of a barrier.