Hand Sanitizers And Hand Washing

[ksuds]

We have been on several RCL ships over the last year and was completely shocked when I was on Sovereign last weekend. As usual, they placed a hand sanitizer outside the buffet. It was shoved over to the side and a majority of people walked right without using it. There were none by the main dining rooms.

Now I am not a clean freak, but with all the outbreaks of the Norwalk (don't know the spelling) virus, why aren't people being more conscious? I've even watched women get out of their bathroom stall and walk out of the bathroom without even looking at a sink.

What is going on????????? I'm sure the same people ignoring the sink and sanitizers will be the first one complaining to the cruise lines if they get sick.

[Merion_Mom]

Unfortunately, they cannot post a guard at each public bathroom (not to mention the cabin bathrooms) who will guarantee that everyone who uses the toilet then washes his or her hands.

 

And assiduous handwashing is the primary way to prevent the spread of Norovirus, NOT the so-called hand sanitizers at the entrance to the Windjammer. It doesn't kill viruses. It kills bacteria.

[FitzLA]

I am buying some purell tonight before our cruise tomorrow. I am so not getting sick! I will sanitize AND WASH until my hands fall off.

 

QE2 was on the news last night. The latest victim of noro virus. She docked to San Francisco to clean her. 300 people were sick. The news actually said that even though the water on ships is presumed to be among the cleanest, they would not recommend drinking it with all the outbreaks. They suggested only drinking bottled water for now.

[erin_cruisers]

...The news actually said that even though the water on ships is presumed to be among the cleanest, they would not recommend drinking it with all the outbreaks. They suggested only drinking bottled water for now....

Now THAT part of the story I think is nonsense. The virus is spread person to person, not out of the water supply.

 

Handwashing and that purell stuff IS important.

And that post above about seeing people use the washroom and then just leave without washing - yeah, YUCK!! , I want to say something every time I see that. :rolleyes:

 

Here is another link to that QE2 story... http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070125%2fnorovirus_070125&feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True

[StormGoddess]

All I can say is wash wash wash, and sanitize till your eyes turn purple. (make sure your sanizier is at least 60% alcohol base for effective virus destruction), and rest assured that you are doing everything YOU can to protect YOURSELF from getting sick. Some people are just gross!

[FitzLA]

Now THAT part of the story I think is nonsense. The virus is spread person to person, not out of the water supply.

 

Handwashing and that purell stuff IS important.

And that post above about seeing people use the washroom and then just leave without washing - yeah, YUCK!! , I want to say something every time I see that. :rolleyes:

 

Here is another link to that QE2 story... http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070125%2fnorovirus_070125&feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True

 

There is a person at my work who always leave the bathroom with washing hands. Makes me sick. I want to say something but I can't. Really gross!!!

[Loyal Royals NY]

We are going on the Jewel on 2/24/07 and not only do I have hand sanitizers, I will be bringing a small container of Clorox wipes in my luggage as well. I am a bit of a germaphobe and will be wiping everything in our stateroom, especially the remote, phone, door knobs and giving the bathroom a good onceover. I am slo going to be taking airborne for the first few days as well.

Overkill? Probably, but if I get a cold, it always turns into pheumonia or bronchitis. I am not taking any chances!

People that don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom are disgusting!

 

Judy

[mgkdk]

Now for a real euuuuu!!!! I read that only 20% of people wash their hands after using the restroom.....ISH !!!

 

Sometimes, just watch people and what they touch, handrails, chair backs, door knobs, and those buttons on the elevator ?!?

 

I know....but ya gotta protect yourself. Alot of time and money went into this vacation, you have to be a little obsessive about hand washing.

 

I take a very small spray bottle, and about 2 tbsp clorox with me and some sanitizing wipes. I spray and wipe that room down top to bottom And yes, the bleach will be packed securly in my checked luggage.

[SheltieLady]

They had hand santizers outside as we board the ship from our various ports, they did not start this until we reach Antigua had several up in the windjammer and requested that you use them. We were on the Jewel of the Seas.

 

Christine

[erin_cruisers]

...

I take a very small spray bottle, and about 2 tbsp clorox with me and some sanitizing wipes. I spray and wipe that room down top to bottom And yes, the bleach will be packed securly in my checked luggage.

 

Here we see DW decked out in 'anti-germ' suit as we head to Windjammer for Breakfast.

Honestly folks, its the only way :D

[cb at sea]

Try not to touch your eyes, nose, mouth of any part of your face--ever!!!! It's hard not to do, and it takes practice, but that is how the virus gets transferred to your body!

Eat in the dining room--not the buffet! (Buffets are just plain gross, IMO!)

And I, too, bring the Clorox wipes and wipe down my room--especially the remote and phone-- the remote is the most germ-laden item in your room!!!!!

Now, after all that, the odds are in your favor that you WON'T get sick, so enjoy your vacation!!!!!

[jadnyc]

The apron is a great touch!

 

Just some mythbusting:

 

1) Technically, the water can become contaminated (if the village well water got contaminated) but these modern ships have good aseptic water systems. I doubt the water will be a source of infection any time soon. I'd worry about those aforementioned bathroom violators.

 

2) Sanitizers DO work. Scientific studies have been conducted. 60% ethanol (I prefer Vodka) or isopropanol (rubbing) alcohol do the trick. When you get a shot, they wipe your arm with rubbing alcohol, right?

 

3) Bleach is always great for surfaces.

 

4) Time is a factor. Whether you use soap and water or alcohol sanitizer rub your hands together for as long as you can muster. If you wash surfaces, leave them wet for a bit.

 

 

Hope that helps!

[jadnyc]

BTW I just read somewhere that you can sterilize sponges and wash cloths by soaking them in water and then microwaving them for at least 2 minutes!

 

Not so helpful for the cruise, but still...:o

[Merion_Mom]

(I prefer Vodka)

Love this!

[bob c]

 

We have been on several RCL ships over the last year and was completely shocked when I was on Sovereign last weekend. As usual, they placed a hand sanitizer outside the buffet. It was shoved over to the side and a majority of people walked right without using it. There were none by the main dining rooms.

 

Now I am not a clean freak, but with all the outbreaks of the Norwalk (don't know the spelling) virus, why aren't people being more conscious? I've even watched women get out of their bathroom stall and walk out of the bathroom without even looking at a sink.

 

What is going on????????? I'm sure the same people ignoring the sink and sanitizers will be the first one complaining to the cruise lines if they get sick.

I was on the Sovereign last April, and felt the same way, I hardly even saw any hand sanitizers. I was on the Norwegian Majesty 2 years ago and they had hand sanitizers everywhere you went. I am going on the Radiance a week from Saturday Feb.3rd and hope they have the hand sanitizers, but just in case I am bringing two bottles of the Purell hand sanitizer.

[cruiselovers]

As an avid RCCL cruiser and a distributor for Soaptronic, which provides the hand sanitizers to RCCL, Princess, Holland, NCL and other cruise lines, these Germcontrol sanitizers DO kill the Norovirus and we have the lab tests to prove it.

 

Not a commercial...just a fact. The reason there are still outbreaks is because people don't wash their hands or use the sanitizers supplied to the cruise lines.

[erin_cruisers]

BTW I just read somewhere that you can sterilize sponges and wash cloths by soaking them in water and then microwaving them for at least 2 minutes!

 

Not so helpful for the cruise, but still...:o

What! You don't bring a Microwave?? :eek:

How do you cook your popcorn? :D

[flagger]

Here we see DW decked out in 'anti-germ' suit as we head to Windjammer for Breakfast.

Honestly folks, its the only way :D

I wore that same outfit when I was changing DD's first diapers.

[audome78]

There is a person at my work who always leave the bathroom with washing hands. Makes me sick. I want to say something but I can't. Really gross!!!

 

Fitz...

 

I had the same issue on our office. I "googled" images of "wash hands" and then printed out 7 or 8 of the "Employees must wash hands..." signs in every imaginable language and taped them on the back of each bathroom stall door, over each of the urinals, at eye level, and the back of the door, and a small on right above the doorknob. That stopped the problem.

[crisndeefromde]

Use your knuckles to hit the elevator buttons and use the handicap button to open the bathroom doors if one available. I started using a papertowel to open the door to leave the bathroom and hitting the trashcan elsewhere to dispose of it. Even had one guest get on another ladies case in the casion bathroom for not washing her hands before she left. Not sure the lady spoke nor understood english. she just looked puzzle and I told the guest giving her the what for...you go girl. she told me that she wasn't getting sick on the cruise because of ignorant people like her. I just laughed and said right on. Also, everyone bringing the wipes, don't forget the handles on the balcony doors too. I even wipe the drawers out too. Maybe I watch too much deal or no deal and have become a howie phoebic? Too much of this crap going around in the schools now. Stay healthy and have a great cruise.

[threeofus]

As an avid RCCL cruiser and a distributor for Soaptronic, which provides the hand sanitizers to RCCL, Princess, Holland, NCL and other cruise lines, these Germcontrol sanitizers DO kill the Norovirus and we have the lab tests to prove it.

 

Not a commercial...just a fact. The reason there are still outbreaks is because people don't wash their hands or use the sanitizers supplied to the cruise lines.

 

When we sailed with princess there was no outbreak...but they had hand sanitizers at the entrance to every buffet. There was someone at each station reminding people to sanitize as they entered....Nobody said no...everyone was happy to comply and it made the buffet more appetizing.

They also handed you a wipe as you boarded from each port.

Why doesn't RCL do this??????

Why do they wait for an outbreak?

[khm1]

I take a very small spray bottle, and about 2 tbsp clorox with me and some sanitizing wipes. I spray and wipe that room down top to bottom And yes, the bleach will be packed securly in my checked luggage.

I do the same exact thing!!!! DH thinks that I am crazy, but we have never been sick on a vacation.;)

[melsdt]

I just wanted to correct three pieces of misinformation that I see a lot of on here regarding norovirus. I am public health consultant, and have taken several courses in environmental health and food safety.

 

1. Alcohol based hand sanitizers are very effective in killing viruses as well as bacteria.

2. Norovirus is not only spread through contaminated surfaces like handrails, etc., but also can be transmitted through food or water if those supplies become tainted by an infected worker. So, it is possible to create an outbreak by having, for example, a chef who has norovirus.

3. I often see on here people complaining about the cruise ship getting bad publicity because they are required to report cases when other institutions do not. ALL U.S institutions not just cruises are required to report more than 2 cases that occur in the same place.

[golfer1966]

 

We have been on several RCL ships over the last year and was completely shocked when I was on Sovereign last weekend. As usual, they placed a hand sanitizer outside the buffet. It was shoved over to the side and a majority of people walked right without using it. There were none by the main dining rooms.

 

Now I am not a clean freak, but with all the outbreaks of the Norwalk (don't know the spelling) virus, why aren't people being more conscious? I've even watched women get out of their bathroom stall and walk out of the bathroom without even looking at a sink.

 

What is going on????????? I'm sure the same people ignoring the sink and sanitizers will be the first one complaining to the cruise lines if they get sick.

 

Why dont people care about cleanliness.??? When I see people not wash their hands I usually call them on it..." Hey are you forgetting something" they either go.." Oh yeah...." or just give me a dirty look and walk...but I will say something. Hey I dont want their germs on the stairway railings....

My DW keeps a bottle of Purrell hand sanitizer in her purse at all times.

[threeofus]

Yes I wipe down the cabin as well with chlorox wipes.....DH also snickers..

These are the worst offenders:

 

Remote control

telephone

door handles - especially on the INSIDE of the bathroom - yuck

sink, faucet, hot and cold dials

 

 

better to be safe than sorry.