Disinfecting

[cb at sea]

If you've just washed your hands, why disinfect?  Perhaps, they don't enjoy the smell of the disinfectant while they're eating.

 

Personally, I think they should serve you...no passengers handling the tongs or spoons or food at all!  I would be quite fine with NO buffets at all!

 

[robtulipe]

11 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

That member of the crew always nods and smiles when I say, "Just washed my hands in the ladies' room".

Yes, that is normally the case for us as I always tell them that I had just washed my hands in the men's room but that one wouldn't accept that and like I stated actually tried to block me from entering the WJ.

I suspect he was new on this job.

Edited September 30, 2019 by robtulipe

[Drock20J]

22 minutes ago, cb at sea said:

Personally, I think they should serve you...no passengers handling the tongs or spoons or food at all!  I would be quite fine with NO buffets at all!

After being on a cruise that had to do this due to an outbreak, it is not ideal.

 

The actors from Cats, Aqua, and Ice Skating had to serve everyone. Lifeguards were supplying food, and every station had someone cleaning every 2 minutes.

[willtr03]

Yes, everyone should be required to do it, even if it doesn't protect against all things it still helps. Just because there are some people in this thread who wash their hands "right before" doesn't mean others don't. It's there to protect everyone. For every person who washes properly there is an equal number who don't, so that is what requiring everyone to sanitize helps with. There are PLENTY of cruisers that don't unfortunately, ruining it for all. Someone telling them they just washed their hands doesn't help because half the time they probably didn't and the other half they probably already touched something that could have been infected. 

Edited September 30, 2019 by willtr03

[Joseph2017China]

People who get sick most in my office are those that use hand santizer all day long.   Those that don't seldom get sick.  Germs are everywhere and on everything. 

[ladytaekwondo]

As a auto-immune disease sufferer, I appreciate when people use hand sanitizers and wash hands!  Everyone little bit helps!  So thank you all!

[Frankmac]

Every gents toilet on Oasis had a sign suggesting you use a tissue to open the door on the way out.

[Merion_Mom]

1 hour ago, robtulipe said:

Yes, that is normally the case for us as I always tell them that I had just washed my hands in the men's room but that one wouldn't accept that and like I stated actually tried to block me from entering the WJ.

I suspect he was new on this job.

 

😮

[chengkp75]

45 minutes ago, willtr03 said:

Yes, everyone should be required to do it, even if it doesn't protect against all things it still helps. Just because there are some people in this thread who wash their hands "right before" doesn't mean others don't. It's there to protect everyone. For every person who washes properly there is an equal number who don't, so that is what requiring everyone to sanitize helps with. There are PLENTY of cruisers that don't unfortunately, ruining it for all. Someone telling them they just washed their hands doesn't help because half the time they probably didn't and the other half they probably already touched something that could have been infected. 

So, should all restaurants in your state require hand sanitizer before entering?

[voyager70]

7 minutes ago, Frankmac said:

Every gents toilet on Oasis had a sign suggesting you use a tissue to open the door on the way out.

 

I see this on pretty much every ship I've been on.  I always use a tissue to open the door in any public toilet.

 

[molly361]

I think all land based restaurants should require you to sanitize your hands before entering😇

[molly361]

Just now, molly361 said:

I think all land based restaurants should require you to sanitize your hands before entering😇

OOPS  did not read far enough to read the Chiefs post

[Frankmac]

8 minutes ago, voyager70 said:

 

I see this on pretty much every ship I've been on.  I always use a tissue to open the door in any public toilet.

 

Me too cos I've seen enough not to trust my fellow users. The same way I don't trust those who say they've washed their hands in the bathroom, when refusing the sanitiser.

[willtr03]

19 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

So, should all restaurants in your state require hand sanitizer before entering?

If it's a buffet I think it would probably be a great idea! I certainly would be thankful for it, especially after seeing how nasty people are leaving the bathroom without washing their hands.  But we are talking about cruise ships which I believe is a different level. 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, robtulipe said:

Yes, that is normally the case for us as I always tell them that I had just washed my hands in the men's room but that one wouldn't accept that and like I stated actually tried to block me from entering the WJ.

I suspect he was new on this job.

Even though you did the right thing and washed your hands in the restroom many people touch the door handles when they haven't washed their hands and when you touch the door handle their germs etc are transferred to your hands.

[grapau27]

58 minutes ago, ladytaekwondo said:

As a auto-immune disease sufferer, I appreciate when people use hand sanitizers and wash hands!  Everyone little bit helps!  So thank you all!

You raise a very good point and a very good extra reason everyone should wash their hands regularly.

We always bring Dettol Antibacterial wipes for our cabin and wipe all surfaces like door handles,light switches,phone,TV remote etc after our cabin steward has cleaned our cabin.

[chengkp75]

17 minutes ago, willtr03 said:

If it's a buffet I think it would probably be a great idea! I certainly would be thankful for it, especially after seeing how nasty people are leaving the bathroom without washing their hands.  But we are talking about cruise ships which I believe is a different level. 

What makes a cruise ship "a different level" than a restaurant or buffet on land?

[5xGrandma]

7 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

 

We always bring Dettol Antibacterial wipes for our cabin and wipe all surfaces like door handles,light switches,phone,TV remote etc after our cabin steward has cleaned our cabin.

You are losing your ability to fight off bugs if you constantly use anti-antibiotic sprays and wipes constantly. 

 

[AmazedByCruising]

53 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

So, should all restaurants in your state require hand sanitizer before entering?

 

That's not a fair comparison, IMHO. The chance of contracting Noro on a ship is much bigger than in a restaurant on land for many reasons, one of them being that the chance of someone else contracting Noro is much bigger on a ship than in a restaurant on land. 

 

For work I visited an institute for special needs people, that did have an outbreak of Noro. Signs were everywhere, not saying "washy washy" but "there is an outbreak!" and detailed instructions on how to wash your hands. And they DID force staff and visitors to wash their hands before entering the cafeteria.

 

In case of a serious outbreak, I think it's reasonable for the Captain to take such a simple measurement. It's a bit similar to muster drill. You have to do it, even if you think it's childish and know everything. Not sure about the effectiveness, but if 2500 people washing their hands properly three times a day saves 200 from being confined to their cabin I think people wouldn't mind the "trouble", if they didn't wash their hands already.

Edited September 30, 2019 by AmazedByCruising

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, 5xGrandma said:

You are losing your ability to fight off bugs if you constantly use anti-antibiotic sprays and wipes constantly. 

 

That's true but the Cabin Stewards wear latex gloves and are cleaning toilets in several cabins then touching everything else wearing the same latex gloves for each cabin.

[chengkp75]

8 minutes ago, AmazedByCruising said:

 

That's not a fair comparison, IMHO. The chance of contracting Noro on a ship is much bigger than in a restaurant on land for many reasons, one of them being that the chance of someone else contracting Noro is much bigger on a ship than in a restaurant on land. 

 

For work I visited an institute for special needs people, that did have an outbreak of Noro. Signs were everywhere, not saying "washy washy" but "there is an outbreak!" and detailed instructions on how to wash your hands. And they DID force staff and visitors to wash their hands before entering the cafeteria.

 

In case of a serious outbreak, I think it's reasonable for the Captain to take such a simple measurement. It's a bit similar to muster drill. You have to do it, even if you think it's childish and know everything. Not sure about the effectiveness, but if 2500 people washing their hands properly three times a day saves 200 from being confined to their cabin I think people wouldn't mind the "trouble", if they didn't wash their hands already.

I'd like to know the reasons that the chance of contracting noro on a ship are bigger than on land.  And, how is the chance that someone else will contract noro on a ship greater than in a land restaurant?  What is different between a cruise ship and a restaurant in a mall, where you walk around in public areas outside the restaurant just like you do on a ship?

[chengkp75]

6 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

That's true but the Cabin Stewards wear latex gloves and are cleaning toilets in several cabins then touching everything else wearing the same latex gloves for each cabin.

The stewards are not supposed to wear the gloves when "touching everything".  They are trained differently.  They may wear the same gloves between cabins, but only when doing the same job in those cabins, like cleaning the toilets or emptying the trash.  USPH runs exercises in training on how to organize cabin cleaning so that there is no cross-contamination, yet a minimum amount of glove exchange is needed.  

[grapau27]

59 minutes ago, voyager70 said:

 

I see this on pretty much every ship I've been on.  I always use a tissue to open the door in any public toilet.

 

We do too.

[cujosmom]

Call me crazy, but I have started bringing white/clear latex gloves on cruises and putting a pair on as I walk into the buffet.  Only after I have filled my plate, gotten my drink and finally seated, do the gloves come off.  I may look a little weird, but since doing this I have come home from the cruise, feeling well instead of sick. And, no, I don't use the same pair for the whole cruise, I bring a zip lock bag full (they squish down) so when going to buffet, I always have a fresh pair.

[grapau27]

10 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

The stewards are not supposed to wear the gloves when "touching everything".  They are trained differently.  They may wear the same gloves between cabins, but only when doing the same job in those cabins, like cleaning the toilets or emptying the trash.  USPH runs exercises in training on how to organize cabin cleaning so that there is no cross-contamination, yet a minimum amount of glove exchange is needed.  

Once when we disembarked our cabin steward saw us in the corridor and came to us and while wearing his gloves shook our hands as he was obviously pleased with his tip we had given him the previous night.

We went to the nearest restroom to wash our hands but unfortunately several hours later Pauline was struck down with the Noro Virus which lasted a few days.

Graham.

Edited September 30, 2019 by grapau27