Get rid of the buffets already!...

[lenquixote66]

8 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Just wear the hazmat suit.

 

The things people come up with. If a policeman stops you, are you going to say, "I will not roll down my window unless you wear a face shield and a face mask."?

I no longer drive but if I did and I was stopped by a police officer I would take from my wallet an ID card with my name on it from the Twin Peaks Sherriffs Association.

[lenquixote66]

7 hours ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

Sounds like new on board protocols at re-start...which with the spiking and after this weekend I wouldn't expect to see until sometime in 2021.

Nothing will be normal until the year 2525.

[lenquixote66]

7 hours ago, Hlitner said:

That is a great question.  Ask me when we get back :).  Actually a friend of ours (who is meeting us in SC) did do a little research and found that the rest stops where all open in both North and South Carolina.  I am not sure about fast food restaurants, and since States are changing their rules on a daily basis, we will just have to "hold it in" and see.   Or course gas stations are open.  My assumption would always be that no rest room is properly sanitized.  But that is not an issue as one simply makes sure not to touch their face until after they have washed their hands (a good rule anytime).

 

I do understand that the rules vary from State to State.  But along the East Coast States most things are open including restaurants for both indoor (sometimes limited), outdoor, and take-out dining.   In South Carolina at the sea resorts, everything is open (including restaurants for indoor dining) but with some social distancing restrictions.  DW had no problem getting reservations in all of our normal haunts.

 

Hank

I hope all goes well for you,I am looking forward to hearing about your adventure when you return.Could you possibly be considering a re-location to SC ? One of my friends who was working in NYC retired several years ago and moved to SC.

[c-boy]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

Nothing will be normal until the year 2525.

[ontheweb]

4 hours ago, clo said:

It's probably way past time to lose the word "buffet" and say self-serve. The venue would still be there.

Has anyone seen any study that shows that self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?????

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

I no longer drive but if I did and I was stopped by a police officer I would take from my wallet an ID card with my name on it from the Twin Peaks Sherriffs Association.

That will surely impress them. NOT

[slidergirl]

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We will soon be driving to South Carolina to spend a few weeks at a couple of beach destinations.  At one, there is an excellent churrasco steak house that has a terrific buffet that supplements all the meat (and a few sides) served at the tables.  We recently heard how they are managing to keep the huge buffet.  Folks go through an entrance area and are given gloves (and should also be wearing masks).  They then go through the normal buffet and fill their plates.  When they get back to their table they remove their gloves which are then picked-up and disposed of by the wait staff.  Sounds like a pretty good system.

 

Hank

Stay safe down there!  Myrtle Beach is like a petri dish right now.  I've had 5 of my relatives move down to the Beaufort/Charleston area the past 2 months - they aren't going anywhere...

[Ride-The-Waves]

4 hours ago, clo said:

It's probably way past time to lose the word "buffet" and say self-serve. The venue would still be there.

"Food Court" work?

[Hlitner]

Just now, slidergirl said:

Stay safe down there!  Myrtle Beach is like a petri dish right now.  I've had 5 of my relatives move down to the Beaufort/Charleston area the past 2 months - they aren't going anywhere...

:(.  We hear you.  We stay in the northern part of the city and generally avoid the boardwalk, downtown and bars.  But there is no denying that going out to restaurants does come with some risk.  That being said, I am of the mind that this virus is going to be with us for at least several years and ever having a safe/effective vaccine is still a dream rather than reality.  While some folks are willing to isolate themselves for years, that is just not our style.  At this point we do follow the basic rules of masks, washing hands, and doing our best at social distancing.  Is that enough?  Don't know.

 

Hank

[lenquixote66]

52 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

That will surely impress them. NOT

What if I hold my Twin Peaks Sheriffs mug in my other hand ?I also have my ID card showing that I resided in Twin Peaks.

[Ride-The-Waves]

45 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

:(.  We hear you.  We stay in the northern part of the city and generally avoid the boardwalk, downtown and bars.  But there is no denying that going out to restaurants does come with some risk.  That being said, I am of the mind that this virus is going to be with us for at least several years and ever having a safe/effective vaccine is still a dream rather than reality.  While some folks are willing to isolate themselves for years, that is just not our style.  At this point we do follow the basic rules of masks, washing hands, and doing our best at social distancing.  Is that enough?  Don't know.

 

Hank

Agree.  This is the "new normal" for at least several years.  COVID-19 will not magically disappear.  A "magic" cure will not be found, and when the scientists do find a vaccine, it could take years to get everyone appropriately vaccinated.  And the virus has mutated at least once making itself easier to transmit.  Expect that to be the new normal, as well.  

 

Not sure "isolating...for years" is the answer.  Humanity is a social system.  We need to interact to develop.  What to will require is new protocols and procedures, especially if any of us are going to sea again.  Figure out how we can cruise, be it in smaller ships (smaller total complement) with designed in "social distancing," and we will have found the answer for engagement ashore.  What is for sure is that we are in a new era across the globe, a new era of societal and societies intermingling.  The limits placed on citizens of selected countries to limit travel to their regions is the case in point.  That will also become the new normal and is something American are not used to dealing with...

[ilikeanswers]

5 hours ago, Me by the Sea said:

2) the Kooty Key eliminates the need for multiple pairs of gloves. I keep mine in a plastic snack bag and pull it out to open doors, throw locks, press elevator buttons etc. 

 

I had never heard of this before, very interesting🤗. This must be a very good year for the company😂

[Aquahound]

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

:(.  We hear you.  We stay in the northern part of the city and generally avoid the boardwalk, downtown and bars.  But there is no denying that going out to restaurants does come with some risk.  That being said, I am of the mind that this virus is going to be with us for at least several years and ever having a safe/effective vaccine is still a dream rather than reality.  While some folks are willing to isolate themselves for years, that is just not our style.  At this point we do follow the basic rules of masks, washing hands, and doing our best at social distancing.  Is that enough?  Don't know.

 

Hank

 

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

...  While some folks are willing to isolate themselves for years, that is just not our style.  At this point we do follow the basic rules of masks, washing hands, and doing our best at social distancing.  Is that enough?  Don't know.

 

Hank

Nobody is likely to need to “...isolate themselves for years...”.  The problem we are having now is the result of a lot of Yabos who thought that three months was the outer limit - and went into dense, unprotected mob scenes around Memorial Day - three months was too long for their attention spans.  They have INITIATED a major surge across the South - the extent and duration of which is yet to be seen.

 

There IS a middle ground between total close down and total contagion - some self discipline and common sense is required to be there;  sadly those are assets apparently in short supply.

 

To be on topic with these threads - I do not believe cruising will be a reasonable activity until effective vaccine and cures are available,  given the mindset (or lack thereof) of so many.

[clo]

2 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I had never heard of this before, very interesting🤗. This must be a very good year for the company😂

I've seen a bunch of ads online for them.

[ontheweb]

13 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

What if I hold my Twin Peaks Sheriffs mug in my other hand ?I also have my ID card showing that I resided in Twin Peaks.

If what you want is to avoid a ticket and instead being taken away in a straight jacket for a mental evaluation, then I guess that works.

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

 

Nobody is likely to need to “...isolate themselves for years...”.  The problem we are having now is the result of a lot of Yabos who thought that three months was the outer limit - and went into dense, unprotected mob scenes around Memorial Day - three months was too long for their attention spans.  They have INITIATED a major surge across the South - the extent and duration of which is yet to be seen.

 

There IS a middle ground between total close down and total contagion - some self discipline and common sense is required to be there;  sadly those are assets apparently in short supply.

 

To be on topic with these threads - I do not believe cruising will be a reasonable activity until effective vaccine and cures are available,  given the mindset (or lack thereof) of so many.

Too many Americans lack any sort of self discipline. I was in a store yesterday (when you need, liquid plumber, you need it) and masks are required. So I saw someone wearing a mask while shopping but without it covering his nose. But even that was too much for him to do, so by the time he was in the checkout line (without social distancing), his mask now only covered his chin. I guess that protected others from droplets from his whiskers. (I was glad I chose the other checkout line.)

 

So to bring it back to cruise ships, if they require masks will crew members say anything to passengers technically following the rules by wearing a mask but having it basically covering nothing?

[ontheweb]

14 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Has anyone seen any study that shows that self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?????

I will ask once more, has anyone seen any study that shows self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?

 

Now, I can see where ships with outbreaks of noro have switched to this and would agree that it is a good idea as a preventative for noro,  but I still see no ties to the present virus which seems to be transmitted by airborne particles. 

[AF-1]

ontheweb;  since all cruises have been halted; I don't think the cruise lines have been able to test out self serve to see what the difference would be.  Most buffet places where I live have closed or gone out of business. 

[navybankerteacher]

38 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

I will ask once more, has anyone seen any study that shows self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?

 

Now, I can see where ships with outbreaks of noro have switched to this and would agree that it is a good idea as a preventative for noro,  but I still see no ties to the present virus which seems to be transmitted by airborne particles. 

While COVID probably is not likely to be transmitted by self-service dining options - just as Noro is not likely to be transmitted by proximity to other people’s exhaling - both are transmitted by careless ignoring of reasonable methods.   The cruising public, in large part, have collectively shown thenselves to be careless when it comes to abiding by precautions.

 

 The same sort of self-absorbed schlub who contributed to the spread of Noro by failing to wash hands and then touching utensils, etc.  can be expected on cruise ships in the future refusing to wear masks or comply with social distancing.   Now that the stakes are higher, thinking people are likely to not want to hang out with them.  

 

Get on on a cruise ship under present conditions?   I don’t think so.

[Me by the Sea]

1 hour ago, ontheweb said:

I will ask once more, has anyone seen any study that shows self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?

 

Now, I can see where ships with outbreaks of noro have switched to this and would agree that it is a good idea as a preventative for noro,  but I still see no ties to the present virus which seems to be transmitted by airborne particles. 

.

i just went and did a search at the National Library of Medicine (pubmed) which publishes abstracts and studies of global research studies.  There are no Covid specific studies regarding self- served food.

 

There were two studies regarding virus transmission via self-served food venues and it was a surprise.  Patrons did not spread the virus. FOOD PREPARERS SPREAD THE DISEASE BY CONTAMINATING THE FOOD!  That was a huge surprise to me.  So thank-you Ontheweb for your post.

 

.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Me by the Sea

[clo]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I will ask once more, has anyone seen any study that shows self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?

 

Now, I can see where ships with outbreaks of noro have switched to this and would agree that it is a good idea as a preventative for noro,  but I still see no ties to the present virus which seems to be transmitted by airborne particles. 

Let's say someone has it on their hand(s) and uses a utensil. While it's not going to be actively infectious for a long time, it will be for a short time. So the person(s) behind that infected person uses the same utensil and then touches their face. I also think they should have long since done away with self-serve for noro-type cooties also.

[ilikeanswers]

3 hours ago, ontheweb said:

I will ask once more, has anyone seen any study that shows self serve buffets contribute in any way to the spread of Covid 19?

 

Now, I can see where ships with outbreaks of noro have switched to this and would agree that it is a good idea as a preventative for noro,  but I still see no ties to the present virus which seems to be transmitted by airborne particles. 

 

Specific to COVID 19 no but there was a small experiment in Japan that demonstrated how easily and wide reaching germs can spread in a buffet setting. However from what I have read it seems COVID 19 is not as easily spread from touching surfaces but more from human to human contact. Turning that around again there is still a risk if less for surface to human transmission and considering the reprecussion a COVID 19 infection would have on the cruise ship industry I am guessing they would want to minimise the chances as much as they can and amending buffets is much easier than trying to apply social distancing on a cruise ship.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

While COVID probably is not likely to be transmitted by self-service dining options - just as Noro is not likely to be transmitted by proximity to other people’s exhaling - both are transmitted by careless ignoring of reasonable methods.   The cruising public, in large part, have collectively shown thenselves to be careless when it comes to abiding by precautions.

 

 The same sort of self-absorbed schlub who contributed to the spread of Noro by failing to wash hands and then touching utensils, etc.  can be expected on cruise ships in the future refusing to wear masks or comply with social distancing.   Now that the stakes are higher, thinking people are likely to not want to hang out with them.  

 

Get on on a cruise ship under present conditions?   I don’t think so.

So if I read you correctly, it is not the self serve buffet that is the problem, but it is human behavior. And especially human behavior of those of us who are either the most careless or have the most I don't give a damn attitude.

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Me by the Sea said:

.

i just went and did a search at the National Library of Medicine (pubmed) which publishes abstracts and studies of global research studies.  There are no Covid specific studies regarding self- served food.

 

There were two studies regarding virus transmission via self-served food venues and it was a surprise.  Patrons did not spread the virus. FOOD PREPARERS SPREAD THE DISEASE BY CONTAMINATING THE FOOD!  That was a huge surprise to me.  So thank-you Ontheweb for your post.

 

.

 

And a thank you right back at you for actually doing research as opposed to well I think so.