Is Oceania too "lax-ed" about hand sanitization regime?

[JimandStan]

Now, now, we mustn't be intolerant of our fellow passengers!

The Beauty of some is apparant...

With others, it takes a little digging-

 

:eek: Was that too catty??

[Cahpek]

Now, now, we mustn't be intolerant of our fellow passengers!

The Beauty of some is apparant...

With others, it takes a little digging-

 

:eek: Was that too catty??

 

 

You are right. I must write a thousand lines, "I must behave myself and be more tolerant of our fellow passengers" !!! Sorry. Gulp!!

Edited September 28, 2016 by Cahpek

[LHT28]

No doubt you have. One thing I have to take my hat off for you is you seem to be quite informative about Oceania from top to bottom - almost to the smallest detail, am I right?

 

Well I do read the fine print of just about everything & I do read the Currents daily from back to front

not sure what you are implying though :confused:

[LHT28]

. Won't surprise me that you could be quite well-connected to those people at the top of Oceania!

 

Not sure what you are are getting at

I am a detail type person

[Cahpek]

Now, now, we mustn't be intolerant of our fellow passengers!

The Beauty of some is apparant...

With others, it takes a little digging-

 

:eek: Was that too catty??

 

 

Was that too catty, you asked? Maybe a wee bit, but it's alright, you are nice and I know you mean well ! It's not just the Cruise Director who is allowed to have a little sense of humour, is it?

 

Besides, I think you are right.....uh, somewhat. What is this thing you said about taking a "little digging"???!!! Hope it is just a little digging and not an excavation that it takes!!!! Lol.

 

Oh, and I just love the link photo you sent - that just made my day!!!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Edited September 28, 2016 by Cahpek

[DrHemlock]

The solution to this problem isn't difficult if one stops worrying about what "other people" do and simply takes control of one's own destiny.

 

No one, not O management or CC posters, can ever possibly enforce 100% hygiene compliance for every soul on board the vessel. Even with LHT28's AK47-toting enforcers in every public restroom and watching every stateroom toilet, it's not gonna happen. All they (and we) can do is keep the information flowing and encourage responsible behavior.

 

However, if that's not enough to ensure some people's feeling of health and well-being, then the answer is to protect yourself!

 

Your local pharmacy has boxes of inexpensive medical-exam quality Latex Gloves for only a few bucks; the same ones your doctor uses for checking...well...this and that.

 

So buy one or more boxes. Bring them along on your cruise. Put on a pair whenever venturing out of your cabin. Maybe wear them even inside your cabin since, after all, the cabin stewardess was in there earlier and who knows what his/her standard of hygiene might be.

 

Wearing latex gloves guarantees that you won't touch anything that someone else with potentially infectious hands has touched. Of course, having ventured forth and touched anything at all while wearing your gloves, it then goes without saying that you shouldn't touch anywhere on your face because germs now lurking on your gloves may be waiting for just the right opportunity to launch onto -- and into -- your person.

 

Be sure to bring a second, fresh pair into the dining venues because you'll be picking up more germs while reading the menu which other diners have handled, so you'll want to change gloves before eating. Not only that, but your silverware and glassware have been handled by dining room staff, and who knows what their standards of hygiene might be.

 

So it might be necessary to use one pair of gloves for handling previously-handled knife, fork, spoon and glasses, and to switch those gloves back and forth with a separate "food only" pair for handling finger foods such as sandwiches, spareribs or (whatever) to avoid contamination from the first set. Lots of glove-changing during every meal but, hey, we're talking self-preservation here.

 

Luckily, these gloves weigh virtually nothing and scrunch up easily after use until such time as a trash receptacle can be accessed, so it's not like you'll be leaving a latex trail or schlepping around with a bulge in your previously-sanitized pocket or purse.

 

Not minimizing the problem or denigrating the concern; just trying to be realistic without hand-wringing. (But with plenty of hand-washing, of course.)

 

We could also talk about shaking all those hands at the Captain's reception. I dunno......maybe we should just do fist-bumps and leave it at that.

Edited September 28, 2016 by DrHemlock

[Paulchili]

I think a far simpler solution is to carry your own little bottle of gel in your pocket/purse and use it just before actually eating (after having handled the menu, etc). This, of course, is in addition to hand washing after using BR and using gel before entering a dining venue.

Very simple and fairly effective (though not Noro proof)

[DrHemlock]

I totally agree, Paulchili. Just got on a roll there thinking of the possibilities.

 

As you point out, gel won't protect against Nono. And while its effectiveness against bacteria is diminishing as the little critters develop immunity, any effectiveness it does have is worth the effort.

[tropicalkerry2002]

PLEASE buy NON-LATEX gloves!!!

Too many people allergic to latex nowadays...even hospitals are latex free!

[DrHemlock]

Oops! Didn't know that. Thanks for the update. (Clearly, I'm not a real doctor....)

 

As Roseanne Roseannadanna used to say nearly every week: "Never mind!"

Edited September 29, 2016 by DrHemlock

[mmssnb]

Clorox bleach free hand sanitizer spray may work against noro some studies show... As a nurse we practice hand washing , and gel in /gel out of every room. If everyone did that we would all help reduce the risks.its everyone's responsibility to help prevent the spread of disease.

[LHT28]

i was at the hospital this morning for a test & some lady (I use the term loosely) left the w/c without washing her hands :eek:

 

I can tell you I washed with soap & water & gelled up on my way back to the waiting area

It is not like they do not have soap & water plus gel dispensers there

[ORV]

My opinion is that if the ship is being extra vigilant about the enforcement and really stressing hand washing practices then I suspect there is a problem.

 

The time I felt this way most strongly I was 100% correct.

 

There is definitely a video running on one of the TV channels about hand washing. It's been on the last 4 Oceania cruises I've been on.

 

I don't share your need for them to stress it more than they do. But I do agree there are some passengers whose behavior does put the rest of us more at risk.

[Kiran]

....if I may also add, as a suggestion, to encourage a hand-washing culture, Oceania could even make hand-washing FUN !!!

 

Perhaps, every day, there could be a competition where passengers can take part - their hands could be tested, and the passenger with the "cleanest" hands of the day would win a prize!

http://www.glogerm.com/

 

Allows a way to test how effective one's handwashing technique actually is.

 

P.S. Bet I would win!

Edited September 30, 2016 by Kiran
addition to post

[Travelcat2]

There are so many new products on the market (mostly peroxide based) that are now used in hospitals to prevent norovirus. Here is one of them https://smile.amazon.com/Saalfeld-Hydrogen-Disinfectant-Norovirus-Rotavirus/dp/B00BFFGJ6S/ref=sr_1_fkmr1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1475350827&sr=8-1-fkmr1&keywords=wipes+that+prevent+norovirus (you can also get them in individual packaged wipes ).

 

People are worried about germs around the food areas but anywhere on the ship where a person's hands go (railings, etc.) can harbor norovirus. If you touch a surface and then your eyes/nose/mouth, you may transmit it to yourself. Serving food at the buffet has pretty much proven to be ineffective (based on the number of cases of norovirus on Oceania vs. their sister cruise lines where passengers help themselves).

 

We can't monitor others but we certainly can take precautions ourselves. We wipe down the trays, armrests and controls on airplanes, places in cabins that may be missed (television remote, phones, light switches for instance). We always wipe down the keyboards in the computer room (mouse too). While we are not germophobes, we are ultra cautious when onboard a ship.

[vaitape]

We have the peroxide wipes in the large container. Put a bunch of them in a zip lock and used them on our flight to France and then in the hotel rooms. Where did you find the individual packages?

[Mura]

I had the same huge container so I put a number of them in a ziplock.

 

Unfortunately, our cabin stewardess had to leave some extra ice cubes (outside of the ice bucket) in our room. She saw the ziplock and figured it would be a good insulation for the ice cubes. Unfortunately, she drowned the peroxide wipes ...

 

Oh well, she didn't know.

 

Mura

[jsbultimar]

I found this link useful:

As has been said, all gels do NOT kill the norovirus.

 

http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/Home/which-hand-sanitizers-kill-stomach-flu-viruses

[Travelcat2]

We have the peroxide wipes in the large container. Put a bunch of them in a zip lock and used them on our flight to France and then in the hotel rooms. Where did you find the individual packages?

 

Wish that this were an easy to answer question. First, here is a link to a Clorox site that posters may find helpful as it shows how long the product must be on a surface in order to kill norovirus but does not offer individual wipes: https://www.cloroxprofessional.com/products/clorox-healthcare-hydrogen-peroxide-cleaner-disinfectants/at-a-glance/

 

Then there is what we purchase that does not give specific information but, as I recall does kill norovirus: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001GEY0P0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This product is not recommended for use on hands but I have used it with no consequences. Hope this helps.

[yuccaman]

I am allergic to the chemicals in gel hand sanitizers and avoid those stations always. What those criticizing others do not know is that I (and many) am obsessive about hand washing, not touching doors knobs, railings, elevator call buttons. My baggies of Clorox wipes get a work out upon arrival in my beautiful Oceania cabin.

Latest reports about hand sanitizer gel is not effective and good old fashion hot water and soap is the first line of defense.

 

Please wash your hands and do it often!

 

Same here, and thank you!

[vaitape]

YES, wash your hand often with soap, water, and friction while by singing the Birthday Song twice.

 

However, please....hand sanitizers DO work against many bacteria, not Noro which is a VIRUS.

 

Peroxide is effective against Noro from what I've read. Cannot find individual packet Peroxide wipes though.

 

Please direct us to your source so we can purchase them.

[kitty9]

I have been on ships where there were outbreaks of gastrointestinal virus and the cruise line did have attendants in the bathrooms telling people to wash their hands. Rather sad that some need nanny to tell them this.

[zoncom]

Kitty, thats what it takes to make them wash.Sounds like Celebrity.I have seen them really enforcing the sanitizers at MDR entrance too. Almost saw a fight once. Os attitude is too laisez-faire .They could take lessons from X.

[donaldsc]

Unfortunately very true. I have witnessed this many times in public bathrooms on the ship and everywhere else. Surprising how many men walk out from the BR without washing their hands (even from stalls!).

I am afraid that "firm reminders prominently displayed in the bathrooms" won't do it - they would be ignored by those that are prone to ignore such things. Short of a BR attendant enforcing the rule that everyone washes their hands - not a likely scenario - little will change even with reminders.

 

I was on I believe a Celebrity cruise that was suffering from a Noro outbreak. They actually had people stationed in the rest rooms. Nobody walked out of them w/o washing.

 

DON

[Paulchili]

I was on I believe a Celebrity cruise that was suffering from a Noro outbreak. They actually had people stationed in the rest rooms. Nobody walked out of them w/o washing.

 

DON

 

That is very commendable and it surely helped further spread of Noro.

However, it's a bit like closing the barn door after the horses are out - though still very helpful.

Also, and more importantly, is Celebrity doing this now and all the time, even when Noro is not an issue?

I don't think so. It might be a good idea but unrealistic as staffing would be a major problem for any cruise line.