Influenza out break on Sirena

We are currently on the Sirena and for the past week, we have been under an elevated cleaning regime. There are a number of crew and passengers that have been diagnosed with influenza.

Only 2 days left for us as we disembark in Lima Peru.

Everything seems to be under control. You can't do anything without someone cleaning after you.

The CDC has been informed of the ships medical status.

Great Cruise, hopefully no more cases develop.

Happy Cruising

I wonder if it is a case of:

1. Worldly travelers not getting their flu shot as recommended; or

2. Wrong flu shots?

Hard to imagine that a line like O doesn’t mandate all its employees get the flu shot. Maybe even a couple.

I do know that it’s been an issue where some passengers refuse to get recommended shots , such as yellow fever shots, before taking cruises. Really have to wonder how much that’s coming into play? A flu shot is cheap, painless, and easy to get.

Stay healthy.

This makes me wonder if the flu strain circulating on board is matched with what is included in US and European vaccines this year and if Oceania requires that its staff receive a flu shot each year.

Given that many Oceania passengers would be considered high-risk for flu complications (given their age and/or underlying health status), and the inherent close contact found on cruise ships, it would seem that they should.

I wonder if it is a case of:

 

1. Worldly travelers not getting their flu shot as recommended; or

 

2. Wrong flu shots?

 

Hard to imagine that a line like O doesn’t mandate all its employees get the flu shot. Maybe even a couple.

 

I do know that it’s been an issue where some passengers refuse to get recommended shots , such as yellow fever shots, before taking cruises. Really have to wonder how much that’s coming into play? A flu shot is cheap, painless, and easy to get.

Jinx! :D

We are currently on the Sirena and for the past week, we have been under an elevated cleaning regime. There are a number of crew and passengers that have been diagnosed with influenza.

 

Only 2 days left for us as we disembark in Lima Peru.

 

Everything seems to be under control. You can't do anything without someone cleaning after you.

 

The CDC has been informed of the ships medical status.

 

Great Cruise, hopefully no more cases develop.

 

Happy Cruising

Sorry to hear about the flu on board. Hope it’s gone by 16th Dec when we get on board!

Can you tell me who the main officers are and who is Captain? They may not be on board by then! How was Sirena? We have been on all the other ships but not Sirena and looking forward to being on her soon.

Elise

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The news is reporting that unfortunately the flu shot may not be as effective this year. It was only 10% effective in Australia which may be a sign as to what the flu season in the Northern Hemisphere is going to be.

The news is reporting that unfortunately the flu shot may not be as effective this year. It was only 10% effective in Australia which may be a sign as to what the flu season in the Northern Hemisphere is going to be.

That is the preliminary estimate and it's very unfortunate.

There are research efforts to create a universal flu vaccine that would protect against all (or almost all) strains and variants without the need for seasonal component changes. Hopefully something will be developed in our lifetimes.

Quick update, there is coughing and hacking everywhere. About half of the passengers have some form of a "cold". It looks like when we disembark tomorrow, a thorough cleaning of the ship will be done. Anyway, everyone's comments about the flu vaccine seem to be true. I told the shot but my husband did not. I am unaffected, he has the sniffles but he gets this a couple of times a year due to his sinuses.

Happy Cruising everyone.

Quick update, there is coughing and hacking everywhere. About half of the passengers have some form of a "cold". It looks like when we disembark tomorrow, a thorough cleaning of the ship will be done. Anyway, everyone's comments about the flu vaccine seem to be true. I told the shot but my husband did not. I am unaffected, he has the sniffles but he gets this a couple of times a year due to his sinuses.

Happy Cruising everyone.

Thanks for the update.

Do you know if they actually confirmed influenza in the affected staff and passengers?

I ask because influenza infection is very different from what is caused by various cold viruses and people often use the word "flu" to describe a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection.

For what it's worth, cleaning the ship is good for optics but not particularly helpful for preventing these kinds of infections.

I also have wondered about how they diagnose "flu" vs. other infections, noro, etc. Seems like there is a lot of guesswork if they don't have the appropriate lab tests available. I worry because I have allergies/asthma and can seem like I am "sick" when I am simply allergic to whatever is in the air that day and can't pass it on to someone else. On the other hand, deep cleaning solvents will make my condition worse. Especially if they try to sanitize our cabin.

Mary

I also have wondered about how they diagnose "flu" vs. other infections, noro, etc. Seems like there is a lot of guesswork if they don't have the appropriate lab tests available. I worry because I have allergies/asthma and can seem like I am "sick" when I am simply allergic to whatever is in the air that day and can't pass it on to someone else. On the other hand, deep cleaning solvents will make my condition worse. Especially if they try to sanitize our cabin.

D

Mary

Lab tests for flu????

Lab tests for flu????

Yes they do. ESP on the first few cases of the season. That’s how they id the actual strain.

I read last week that the southern and northern hemispheres often but not always alternate the strains. They don’t know if it travels north to south or vice versa.

One of the variants is more lethal in the elderly, the other in the younger population. Sorry I don’t remember the specifics. It’s a guessing game. Sometimes they win and sometimes they lose.

I had once over 20 years ago. Was in my late thirties as I had toddler at the time. Was sick all winter with brief respites long enough to buy groceries and do laundry, then back to bed for another week or two. After that we all got the vaccine. ESP imp for husband and son who have asthma. No incidents since then. Maybe just lucky.

At the time we had to pay for it so not many people got it, even though only $20. Shortly after that Ontario began to provide for free. Hard to believe but there are many who still don’t get the vaccine.

Mo

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Thanks for the update.

Do you know if they actually confirmed influenza in the affected staff and passengers?

I ask because influenza infection is very different from what is caused by various cold viruses and people often use the word "flu" to describe a cold or other upper respiratory tract infection.

For what it's worth, cleaning the ship is good for optics but not particularly helpful for preventing these kinds of infections.

Yes, there were enough confirmed infuenza cases for them to HAVE to contact CDC.

We are in Lima now and passengers joining the last leg to San Diego, are having to wait until at least 4:30PM for the sanitation process to be completed.

There are a number of joining guests at the Swissotel where we are staying.

Sorry to hear about the flu on board. Hope it’s gone by 16th Dec when we get on board!

 

Can you tell me who the main officers are and who is Captain? They may not be on board by then! How was Sirena? We have been on all the other ships but not Sirena and looking forward to being on her soon.

Elise

 

 

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What does who the main officers and Captain are have anything to do with the flu outbreak on Sirena?

Are you saying it’s their fault?

I also have wondered about how they diagnose "flu" vs. other infections, noro, etc. Seems like there is a lot of guesswork if they don't have the appropriate lab tests available. I worry because I have allergies/asthma and can seem like I am "sick" when I am simply allergic to whatever is in the air that day and can't pass it on to someone else. On the other hand, deep cleaning solvents will make my condition worse. Especially if they try to sanitize our cabin.

 

Mary

When you cruise, and the ship is being cleaned, does wearing a mouth and nose mask, or a respirator mask help you

A couple of thoughts:

1. Is the government going to allow all these sick peoples to stand around in an airport, then sit on a long flight back to the US, and elsewhere, coughing and hacking and making others sick?

IMO, they should all be quarantined! I’d be really ticked off if I got on a plane with known and identified flyers carrying the flu bug!

2. We have previously had the arguments, on these threads, about getting the necessary and proper shots. To many people claim” I’m too old and frail to get the shots”, while not hesitating to possibly get themselves and others sick! A certain percentage of O cruisers refuse to get the necessary shots.

A couple of thoughts:

 

1. Is the government going to allow all these sick peoples to stand around in an airport, then sit on a long flight back to the US, and elsewhere, coughing and hacking and making others sick?

 

IMO, they should all be quarantined! I’d be really ticked off if I got on a plane with known and identified flyers carrying the flu bug!

 

2. We have previously had the arguments, on these threads, about getting the necessary and proper shots. To many people claim” I’m too old and frail to get the shots”, while not hesitating to possibly get themselves and others sick! A certain percentage of O cruisers refuse to get the necessary shots.

Are you suggesting that those people identified as sick by

a government , not be allowed to stand around in airports and

quarentinned from airplane travel?

And, how about those kind of O PAX refuse to get necessary and proper shots? What would you do with these kind? Tag the sick PAX’s with some kind of symbol or tag to warn others to avoid them?

A couple of thoughts:

 

 

 

1. Is the government going to allow all these sick peoples to stand around in an airport, then sit on a long flight back to the US, and elsewhere, coughing and hacking and making others sick?

 

 

 

IMO, they should all be quarantined! I’d be really ticked off if I got on a plane with known and identified flyers carrying the flu bug!

 

 

 

2. We have previously had the arguments, on these threads, about getting the necessary and proper shots. To many people claim” I’m too old and frail to get the shots”, while not hesitating to possibly get themselves and others sick! A certain percentage of O cruisers refuse to get the necessary shots.

I agree up to a point. Yellow fever shot for seniors is questionable depending on overall health. Talk with the MD before deciding on this one.

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King of cool;

My comments were only directed at those identified as having the flu, and not allowing them to board a plane for a long flight quite likely infecting other. Airplanes, with their tight quarters and super dry air is a breeding ground for germs as is . Subjecting others to those known sick personnel is crappy in my thoughts.

Oddly enough, some researchers feel that even if this year's flu shot is not all that good for this year's flu, it has a long-term cumulative effect. There is some evidence for this. The 1918 flu epidemic killed almost entirely young people. Researchers think one reason might have been that those over about 25 had been exposed to a variant of that flu soon before 1900, and their immunity saved them. So, each year, you get a flu shot, and it gives you some immunity to the strains included, even though they might mutate over the years. Of course, like all medical research, they might "discover" something entirely different next year. We can only do our best, right? But, in an average year, flu kills about 30,000 Americans. Roughly similar to the number of gun deaths (including suicides, etc.) or the number of traffic deaths. I don't know about you, but if I could get a vaccine that might save me from being killed by those two methods, I would take it.

Someone mentioned a quarantine, but that is logistically impossible.

King of cool;

 

My comments were only directed at those identified as having the flu, and not allowing them to board a plane for a long flight quite likely infecting other. Airplanes, with their tight quarters and super dry air is a breeding ground for germs as is . Subjecting others to those known sick personnel is crappy in my thoughts.

So, where would you keep these sick people if they are already at the airport?

King of cool;

 

My comments were only directed at those identified as having the flu, and not allowing them to board a plane for a long flight quite likely infecting other. Airplanes, with their tight quarters and super dry air is a breeding ground for germs as is . Subjecting others to those known sick personnel is crappy in my thoughts.

I don't see how the airlines would have the capacity to monitor everyone's health and deny boarding to those with symptoms. Unfortunately, airlines are relatively unforgiving when it comes to cancellation and change fees so the honor system might work to a point if the airlines relaxed those penalties.

Also, not everyone with a cough has a communicable disease or has a communicable disease in its transmissible period- again, it's beyond the capacity of an airline to determine this.

Just an FYI if you're interested - you're referring to "isolation" when you talk about separating ill individuals from people who aren't sick.

"Quarantine" is the separation of people who are not ill, but potentially exposed, from others who are not exposed or ill in order to break a chain of transmission.

My take on this is that if you really have influenza you would not be able to physically get to the airport or get on the plane. Your travel insurance would pay for any losses incurred as a result of your not being abe to travel. A nasty cold is a different matter.

Jay;

I’ve seen people wheeled in with wheelchairs, hacking, coughing, and spitting. My thoughts have been “please lord, don’t let them be sitting by me!”

Jay;

 

I’ve seen people wheeled in with wheelchairs, hacking, coughing, and spitting. My thoughts have been “please lord, don’t let them be sitting by me!”

Yikes.

I've logged in over 2 million miles in the air and have never seen anything quite like that.

If you see a passenger who is hacking, coughing, and spitting, you could notify a gate agent or other airline employee. They do have some discretion to refuse boarding to people who are that ill and seemingly communicable.