Norovirus

[boscobeans]

1 minute ago, ONECRUISER said:

 Surprisingly my Ex calls me Anal

Anal sounds a little too close to the source of the entire problem.. LOL.  Maybe cautious..

[voyager70]

16 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

As well as contact around your eyes and nose.  

 

I have read, and tend to believe it, that one of the worst things are the black handrails on escalators at malls, subways, airports etc. Supposedly they never get sanitized.

 

Precisely why I never touch those nasty surfaces 👍

[John&LaLa]

Well, I apparently have it.  Probably Karma for posting the puke picture.

[voyager70]

17 minutes ago, boscobeans said:

Anal sounds a little too close to the source of the entire problem.. LOL.  Maybe cautious..

 

LMAO !

 

[voyager70]

2 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Well, I apparently have it.  Probably Karma for posting the puke picture.

 

Damn, that sucks.  Been there, done that. Not fun.

 

 

[dianajo67]

Hand sanitizer does not kill the norovirus.  Cruiselines that don’t push the use of sanitizer actually have fewer outbreaks according to studies.  Theory is that hand sanitizer gives folks a false sense of security so overall handwashing with soap goes down.  I first heard this on a rick Steve’s talk and looked it up for myself.  Now I just constantly wash my hands when I’m on ship.

[Chloesimon]

Was on the Independence of the Seas in December 2017.  There was an outbreak where 300 or so people (passengers and crew) came done with the virus. They had crew members serve you in the Windjammer. I never got it. I washed my hands a lot. However since we were in a suite, we got a 10% discount on our next cruise because one night of the cruise, they did not serve us finger food in the suite lounge. That is a deal. Using my 10% discount this April 2019.

[payitforward]

15 minutes ago, dianajo67 said:

Hand sanitizer does not kill the norovirus.  Cruiselines that don’t push the use of sanitizer actually have fewer outbreaks according to studies.  Theory is that hand sanitizer gives folks a false sense of security so overall handwashing with soap goes down.  I first heard this on a rick Steve’s talk and looked it up for myself.  Now I just constantly wash my hands when I’m on ship.

 

Most hand sanitizers do not kill norovirus. There are some that do. That doesn't mean you shouldn't still wash your hands, but when you can't, Clorox Bleach Free Hand Sanitizer and Purell Advanced both kill noro.

Edited January 10, 2019 by payitforward

[EatonDoolittle]

Well, somebody on board is after their 15 minutes of fame. They’ve called the Orlando NBC affiliate to tell them  all about their ruined vacation.

 

Just saw a promo, story at 11. I believe I will pass on hearing all the drama...

 

 

[payitforward]

2 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

Well, somebody on board is after their 15 minutes of fame. They’ve called the Orlando NBC affiliate to tell them  all about their ruined vacation.

 

Just saw a promo, story at 11. I believe I will pass on hearing all the drama...

 

 

Oh geeze! It's still less than three percent of those on board!

Edited January 10, 2019 by payitforward

[bilyclub]

6 minutes ago, EatonDoolittle said:

Well, somebody on board is after their 15 minutes of fame. They’ve called the Orlando NBC affiliate to tell them  all about their ruined vacation.

 

Just saw a promo, story at 11. I believe I will pass on hearing all the drama...

 

 

 

 

I suppose the next call will be to that ship chasing lawyer in Miami.

[KaliMarie]

https://www.wesh.com/article/more-than-150-passengers-fall-ill-on-cruise-that-left-from-port-canaveral/25837337

 

This must be the news you were talking about? 😒

[gatour]

2 hours ago, vacationlover_mn said:

Purell Advanced is also supposed to help kill norovirus, so we carry that all over the ship, and use it before touching our silverware/glass/food when we eat.

I am not following your chain about how you use the purell.  Do you wipe your hands with the purell before touching the silverware and glassware?  Or do you wipe the silverware and glassware before a first touch with the purell.

How do you handle the chair arms?

 

If it is the former, then if the silver/glassware is coverered with norovirus, you could still be infected.

 

Keep in mind the silver/glassware and although you didn't mention it the plates are run through industrial grade dishwasher.  They have to maintain certain temperatures/detergent levels and are regularly inspected by authorities.  Once the the silverware/glassware and plates are through the dishwasher, they are most likely touched by at the most 4 or 5 people who have been trained in proper sanitation techniques in a restaurant environment.

 

Now to the follow up question. Do you use it to clean the elevator buttons before you touch them?  Or do you use a paper towel to press the buttons.  How do  you handle the lounges when you need to pull back a chair to sit.  I am sure thousands of people have touched that elevator button since it was last cleaned with any type of sanitizing solution.  Who knows about the various chairs you sit in.

[nbsjcruiser]

3 hours ago, cementhands said:

I always try to take zinc and vitamin c prior to cruise and through out cruise. Build up the immune system. We also get flu shot. We’ve been on 40 plus cruises with no sick time onboard. As suggested always try to avoid public restrooms.

 

I go to my Doctor pre-cruise and get the meds for vomiting and diarrhea and bring them with me. If something hits, we're  prepared. People who really get sick usually dehydrate so putting a plug in whatever end necessary as quickly as possible ensures a quick recovery. 

 

In case you're curious, the meds I bring are Lomotil (for the trots) and Histantil for vomiting.  

 

We started bringing these meds after our son picked up Noro on a plane on our way to Florida to take a cruise. Never seen someone so sick tbh and had we had these meds we would have avoided 3 trips to the hospital and $15K in medical bills < - insurance paid this.

[chengkp75]

3 hours ago, PCWalton1 said:

We use this. Not sure if it helps but we have not had noro

https://www.zylast.com/

 

 

2 hours ago, payitforward said:

 

Most hand sanitizers do not kill norovirus. There are some that do. That doesn't mean you shouldn't still wash your hands, but when you can't, Clorox Bleach Free Hand Sanitizer and Purell Advanced both kill noro.

In 2016, the FDA had placed all active ingredients in hand sanitizers in their GRASE (Generally Regarded as Safe and Effective) II category, which means that they need more proof that the ingredient does what is claimed.  They sent out for documentation from manufacturers for clinical studies, but as of this date, I don't believe that any hand sanitizer, despite manufacturers' claims, has been moved to the GRASE I category (proven safe and effective), against noro virus.

 

And, this summer, the FDA is seeking a permanent injunction against zylast for unproven benefits in advertising.

Edited January 10, 2019 by chengkp75

[boscobeans]

6 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

 

In 2016, the FDA had placed all active ingredients in hand sanitizers in their GRASE (Generally Regarded as Safe and Effective) II category, which means that they need more proof that the ingredient does what is claimed.  They sent out for documentation from manufacturers for clinical studies, but as of this date, I don't believe that any hand sanitizer, despite manufacturers' claims, has been moved to the GRASE I category (proven safe and effective), against noro virus.

 

As  I have been posting for years whenever  the situation becomes popular, PERSONAL hygiene, common sense and a good product to help is the way to go.

 

We wash our hands and use sanitizer frequently. We spray our stateroom down (goes for hotel rooms as well) when we first walk in. Only takes a few minutes at the most. All switches, knobs, controllers, door and drawer handles, phones, bathroom surfaces BASICALLY EVERYTHING. We do use a product that DOES kill Noro and leaves behind no residue and once dry is food safe without the need to rinse even on silverware, dishes and glasses. 

 

We also carry it with us in a small spray bottle and since there is nothing in it that we have found to be toxic in any way we use it as a hand sanitizer as well. I would not recommend that as it is our choice and not a recommended use. 

 

Never got sick even when on ships that were in condition red with libraries emptied, no self service anywhere even for coffee or juices, chlorine based sanitizers used all over the ship on stair rails, hallway rails and furniture being sprayed during the night, no handshaking and the entire drill many of us have experienced. 

 

Lucky ??  Could be, but so far so good.

 

Three little bottles is enough to last an entire cruise along with hand washing (the most important) common sense and be careful.

 

[BEENSAILING]

Anyone on board can tell us what the staff is doing? Wonder if ship will be delayed on next sailing for deep cleaning?

 

 

https://www.wesh.com/amp/article/more-than-150-passengers-fall-ill-on-cruise-that-left-from-port-canaveral/25837337

[Ashland]

1 minute ago, BEENSAILING said:

Anyone on board can tell us what the staff is doing? Wonder if ship will be delayed on next sailing for deep cleaning?

 

 

https://www.wesh.com/amp/article/more-than-150-passengers-fall-ill-on-cruise-that-left-from-port-canaveral/25837337

This is nothing new....usually the embarkation is delayed while cleaning is done...that's as much of a delay that happens...we're not talking about days.

[midwife1021]

Just FYI, the CDC has a handy list of cleaning agents effective against norovirus.  https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/list_g_norovirus.pdf

If you get noro, the immunity you develop really doesn't las very long either...about 3 months is all the immunity you'll get from having a case of noro virus.  

[boscobeans]

4 minutes ago, midwife1021 said:

Just FYI, the CDC has a handy list of cleaning agents effective against norovirus.  https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-06/documents/list_g_norovirus.pdf

If you get noro, the immunity you develop really doesn't las very long either...about 3 months is all the immunity you'll get from having a case of noro virus.  

 

I am glad to see the product I have been using and recommending is on the list AND is available without too much trouble...

 

 **73232-1 ALPET D2 **

74559-1 ACCEL TB

74559-8 Accel 5 RTU

74986-4 SELECTROCIDE 2L500 

 

[Raycin]

23 minutes ago, BEENSAILING said:

Anyone on board can tell us what the staff is doing? Wonder if ship will be delayed on next sailing for deep cleaning?

 

 

https://www.wesh.com/amp/article/more-than-150-passengers-fall-ill-on-cruise-that-left-from-port-canaveral/25837337

The staff are doing a great job. Everyone is wearing gloves and sanitizing literally EVERYTHING...arm chairs while people

are still in them, garbage cans, railings, etc. They won’t even let you in shopping stores without sanitizing. Just my opinion but I kind of think it could have been a staff member. Just don’t understand how one person could get this many people sick. Seems more like someone didn’t wash their hands after using restroom and then contaminated a whole lot of food. I guess we’ll never know though 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, boscobeans said:

 

As  I have been posting for years whenever  the situation becomes popular, PERSONAL hygiene, common sense and a good product to help is the way to go.

 

We wash our hands and use sanitizer frequently. We spray our stateroom down (goes for hotel rooms as well) when we first walk in. Only takes a few minutes at the most. All switches, knobs, controllers, door and drawer handles, phones, bathroom surfaces BASICALLY EVERYTHING. We do use a product that DOES kill Noro and leaves behind no residue and once dry is food safe without the need to rinse even on silverware, dishes and glasses. 

 

We also carry it with us in a small spray bottle and since there is nothing in it that we have found to be toxic in any way we use it as a hand sanitizer as well. I would not recommend that as it is our choice and not a recommended use. 

 

Never got sick even when on ships that were in condition red with libraries emptied, no self service anywhere even for coffee or juices, chlorine based sanitizers used all over the ship on stair rails, hallway rails and furniture being sprayed during the night, no handshaking and the entire drill many of us have experienced. 

 

Lucky ??  Could be, but so far so good.

 

Three little bottles is enough to last an entire cruise along with hand washing (the most important) common sense and be careful.

 

 

Yes, I see that Alpet d2 is on the EPA recognized list of agents effective against noro.  I have not investigated the concentrations of the bulk products they sell vs. the consumer products, but I do see that the bulk products are considered hazmat, while the consumer products are not.  But, whether the consumer product is effective or not, if it makes you feel better using it as a surface sanitizer, fine, I'm all for it (BTW I've spent years on ships, without use of any sanitizing agents and never had noro).  I would not recommend using this as a "leave on" hand sanitizer, as quats (the active ingredient, I believe) can cause skin and mucus membrane irritation, affect hormone production, and in the presence of certain chemicals may form carcinogens.  A study in the EU recommends that most quats in "leave on" (hand sanitizer you don't rinse off) applications not be more than 0.5% (and I'm not sure what the concentration in this product is, nor what the contact time, or efficacy of it is in that concentration, maybe you can help).

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, Raycin said:

The staff are doing a great job. Everyone is wearing gloves and sanitizing literally EVERYTHING...arm chairs while people

are still in them, garbage cans, railings, etc. They won’t even let you in shopping stores without sanitizing. Just my opinion but I kind of think it could have been a staff member. Just don’t understand how one person could get this many people sick. Seems more like someone didn’t wash their hands after using restroom and then contaminated a whole lot of food. I guess we’ll never know though 

The CDC, to whom these outbreaks are reported, and who study the epidemiology of the disease, feel that the food borne vector of transmission of noro on cruise ships is very rare, and the majority of cases are from contaminated surfaces.  They also study, more importantly than the raw number of cases, the trend of those cases.  If the number of cases reported each day increases during the cruise, and then starts to reduce, and then increases again after the passengers change out, the most likely cause is passengers bringing it on each cruise.  If the trend stays high during the end of a cruise and into the next, then it is looked at as most likely a crew issue.  The crew are well trained in hand sanitation, and since they live onboard for months at a time, they certainly don't want the disease running around the ship getting them sick, and also one person's hand hygiene doesn't change week to week, so if that crew member contaminated food one week, it would happen again and again over the months he/she was onboard.

 

One very large transmission vector that most people don't think about is eating food with your hands.  Let's say that someone with contaminated hands touches the tongs in the buffet for the burger buns.  You then touch the tongs and contaminate your hands.  Now, you know not to touch your face with your hands, so you think you are safe, but those contaminated hands pick up the burger, now contaminating the bun, and you readily ingest the virus.  If there is noro on the ship (and I've never been on a cruise ship where there hasn't been at least one case of GI illness each week), then don't eat anything with your hands:  burgers, fries, pizza, use that knife and fork.

[boscobeans]

22 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, I see that Alpet d2 is on the EPA recognized list of agents effective against noro.  I have not investigated the concentrations of the bulk products they sell vs. the consumer products, but I do see that the bulk products are considered hazmat, while the consumer products are not.  But, whether the consumer product is effective or not, if it makes you feel better using it as a surface sanitizer, fine, I'm all for it (BTW I've spent years on ships, without use of any sanitizing agents and never had noro).  I would not recommend using this as a "leave on" hand sanitizer, as quats (the active ingredient, I believe) can cause skin and mucus membrane irritation, affect hormone production, and in the presence of certain chemicals may form carcinogens.  A study in the EU recommends that most quats in "leave on" (hand sanitizer you don't rinse off) applications not be more than 0.5% (and I'm not sure what the concentration in this product is, nor what the contact time, or efficacy of it is in that concentration, maybe you can help).

 

 

Isopropyl Alcohol - 58.6000%

 

Octyl Decyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride - 0.0075%
According to the EPA it is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans. Possible rash type symptoms.

 

Didecyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride - 0.0045%
Commonly used as an algaecide in swimming pools

 

Dioctyl Dimethyl Ammonium Chloride - 0.0030%
Another commonly use algaecide

 

Amazingly low concentrations of the quats are needed. Possibly due to the denaturing and cell wall damage from the alcohol added to the internal cellular destructive properties of the quats.

 

OTHER INGREDIENTS: 41.3850%

 

Disinfection This product is recommended for use as a disinfectant on inanimate, precleaned, hard, nonporous surfaces such as chairs, countertops, drawer pulls, carts, baskets, tables, cabinets, telephones, plastic surfaces, glazed ceramic, glazed porcelain, chrome, stainless steel, aluminum, laminated surfaces and other related hard surfaces in hospitals, operating rooms, medical clinics, nursing homes, laboratories, schools, day care centers, funeral homes. Preclean surfaces prior to disinfecting. This product may be used to preclean. To disinfect, apply with a sponge, wipe, mechanical sprayer, or by total immersion. When applied with a mechanical sprayer, spray should be coarse. Surfaces must be sprayed until thoroughly wetted. Treated surfaces must remain wet for 5 minutes.

Kills 99.999% of 9 tested pathogens in 60 seconds on food contact surfaces, including non-porous rubber gloves 10 second kill on non-food contact surfaces, including non-porous rubber footwear

Edited January 10, 2019 by boscobeans

[ONECRUISER]

4 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

Well, I apparently have it.  Probably Karma for posting the puke picture.

So sorry, feel for you...