Avoiding Noro if cabin mate gets sick

[bouhunter]

So, we are heading out on the Allure on Sunday (gulp - hopefully they have the Noro outbreak under control) but just wondering how one would avoid getting sick if one's cabin mate comes down with the virus? Hope I don't have to be faced with that, but I would wonder how some people succeed in not getting sick if their spouse or cabin mate is? Presumably the noro...um particles....would be all over - especially the bathroom? :eek:

 

Do you know anything about Noro? It's highly contagious. If you want to avoid it move out and sleep on a lounger on the deck somewhere..............

[Jasalth]

Do you know anything about Noro? It's highly contagious. If you want to avoid it move out and sleep on a lounger on the deck somewhere..............

 

Hmm odd that many people here (including me...) have had a spouse with Noro at home or on a ship and never got it then.

 

My DH got Noro from a local Deli here. We have a 1 bathroom house for 4 people. No one else in my house got sick other than him. I even went extra steps to ensure things, gloves when I had to clean up anything from his, he only drank bottled water (eating was out of the question for him) and then while it was a slight added expense, I let him only use old towels which when dirty just went into a garbage bag and were thrown out afterwards. We slept in the same bed every night though, basically because for 3 days the only places he went to were bed and the bathroom 10 steps away. The

 

If a cabin mate gets sick, make sure you are being as clean as possible! Also make sure if at all possible not to be in the same area when they vomiting or other fun stuff. While it seem cruel and you might want to help, being in the bathroom with them just ads danger to yourself of catching it. Washing hands with soap in as hot of water you can stand and other general good hygiene practices are what is key. Only strong alcohol based cleaners kill Noro so it doesn't hurt to bring your own and a pack of rubber cleaning gloves if you are really that worried!

[vacation_junkie]

So, we are heading out on the Allure on Sunday (gulp - hopefully they have the Noro outbreak under control) but just wondering how one would avoid getting sick if one's cabin mate comes down with the virus? Hope I don't have to be faced with that, but I would wonder how some people succeed in not getting sick if their spouse or cabin mate is? Presumably the noro...um particles....would be all over - especially the bathroom? :eek:

 

Join our roll call.. we sail on Sunday as well!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1991725

[ehfl]

Make sure you and your cabin mate are on probiotics (starting at least 2 weeks before the trip). They will not prevent you from getting sick, but will greatly reduce the time of illness (and thus reduce the chance for spreading).

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21521545

[ehfl]

Hmm odd that many people here (including me...) have had a spouse with Noro at home or on a ship and never got it then.

 

 

It's not odd at all. You will have immunity for Norovirus for a few months after exposure. Since it's so common, most people have frequent exposure to keep their immunity up. Most people have an immunity, which is why most people on a ship don't get it. The incidents you read about may have a few hundred people get it which is a relatively small percent of the total people on board.

 

You can get the illness if you are exposed to a strain that you have not had recent exposure to, so the best way to not get it on vacation is to try to make sure you have exposure to as many strains as possible.

 

Frequent hand-washing is a good way to avoid exposure, but it's a terrible way to strengthen your immune system. You just have to make a choice and evaluate the risks of letting yourself build up an immunity before a cruise, or avoiding exposure before a cruise and risk a ruined vacation. I don't think there is a one-size-fits all solution.

[Trekker954]

Not sure that's possible. I guess much depends on your immunity. FYI, we are very germ conscious and wipe down entire cabin as soon as we get into it.

Plus my adult daughter is ocd with purell and hand washing long before we started cruising.

 

Last February (noro season) on Disney Dream 3 nighter. 3rd day my daughter fell ill. We had to leave the beach early, she stayed in bed, while I went to see Frozen. When I returned at 4ish, I brought her down to medical (with many others); her cramps were so bad they gave her multiple shots and oral meds and kept her down there about two hours. I felt fine. She was quarantined to the cabin. Wouldn't have mattered she wouldn't have wanted to go anywhere. I ordered dinner to the room and watched TV. She mostly slept. By midnight, I had all of her symptoms. The next morning, she was in better shape for our 3 1/2 hours drive home and I was not. We were both pretty weak for about two days.

 

Don't know if it was because of all the kids on Disney or what. We feel we missed a lot of the ship and hope to try again. Maybe we will avoid the month of January/February.

 

BTW, Disney definitely plays down Noro on their ships.

[vacation_junkie]

 

BTW, Disney definitely plays down Noro on their ships.

 

We loved how on our last Disney Cruise they wouldn't let you into any "Food" venue without taking an anti-bacterial wipe from the cast member at the door and wiping your hands with it.

[BeagleOne]

Having the toilet SEAT up or down isn't going to make too much of a difference as to whether droplets spread around when the toilet is flushed. Having the LID up or down will. If the toilet has a lid.

[Langley Cruisers]

There is not enough probiotics in yoghurt to really make a difference. even in brands such as Activia... It takes approx. 3-4 weeks for a probiotic to balance the proper intestinal microflora. A multi strain probiotic is best to take as well.

 

Well I certainly don't think it could hurt. Gee.

[CruisinQueen2013]

I can say that my husband seems to get it once a year - has happened the last 4 years. Only once was it on a ship (Liberty in 2011) and he was quarantined for 2.5 days. I never got it. It is true that some people in general are more predisposed to getting it/showing symptoms. This is true for other types of viruses as well.

 

There is so much misinformation out there on this and everyone has an experience that seems to contradict someone else's. Regardless, the best advice is to ask your doctor (I have asked my immunologist in the past (I see him because of asthma issues) but I've also gotten good advice/information on such matters from my primary care doc as well) or seek out a fact-based website (i.e. CDC, Mayo Clinic, etc.).

 

Definitely don't just do a Google search - you'll never want to leave your house again. :)

[donaldsc]

OP, I have read that eating yogurt daily is beneficial for your gut health; yogurt is available on cruises so have a cup at breakfast, and practice good hygiene. This will, at least, help your chances to not get it if roomie does.

 

Where did you read this? Can you provide a refereed study that proves this or was it from some sort of health magazine? I basically believe that most of the "eat this and it will make you healthier" stuff is totally unverified.

 

DON

[Langley Cruisers]

Where did you read this?

 

Google it, Don. It's all online. I never said yogurt will prevent Noro, but it can certainly help with gut health in general.

[SteveH2508]

It's not odd at all. You will have immunity for Norovirus for a few months after exposure. Since it's so common, most people have frequent exposure to keep their immunity up. Most people have an immunity, which is why most people on a ship don't get it. The incidents you read about may have a few hundred people get it which is a relatively small percent of the total people on board.

 

You can get the illness if you are exposed to a strain that you have not had recent exposure to, so the best way to not get it on vacation is to try to make sure you have exposure to as many strains as possible.

 

Frequent hand-washing is a good way to avoid exposure, but it's a terrible way to strengthen your immune system. You just have to make a choice and evaluate the risks of letting yourself build up an immunity before a cruise, or avoiding exposure before a cruise and risk a ruined vacation. I don't think there is a one-size-fits all solution.

 

Non-medic thought - I wonder if there is any information about those who go down with Noro compared with whether they live in a city or the country? I fight through the crowds on the London underground every day and work in a college with 'germy' students:rolleyes:.

 

I tend not to get many lurgies and have never caught NV. Maybe my immune system is more robust than someone who lives with a lot less contact with the mass of humanity? Just speculating...

[Noni]

While on the Caribbean Princess out of Texas a year ago, my DH contracted the virus. I never did get it. I was just extra careful and as mentioned, not everyone gets it if around it. That ship came into port early under false pretenses of fog...thought that was kind of funny!

[vacation_junkie]

Well I certainly don't think it could hurt. Gee.

 

I'm not saying not to eat it.. all I'm saying is not to rely on it and it makes little difference!

 

Being a physician I have had many patients come in and think that they can eat Activia and have it do the same job as multi strain probiotic capsules. They are incorrect.