Stupid question on Noro

[wernew2cruising]

Sorry to ask such a stupid question but...exactly how do you get the norovirus, what is it, and how do you know you have it before you board? Does someone have to have it when they board and then it just spreads like wildfire?

[BecciBoo]

http://www.righthealth.com/search?t=vhealth.all&out=msn-ads-sb&lid=msn-ads-sb&q=norovirus&o=classic&v=Health

 

Go here for the symptoms and treatment.

[Cruising89143]

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvrd/revb/gastro/noro-qa.pdf

[Sue L]

Noro, is basically what they used to call the stomach bug, flu, 24 hr bug, etc. It is spread anywhere not just cruise ships, but spreads so quickly on ships because of the closed environment. It is spread like any other virus. Wash your hands constantly and avoid touching a lot of things like railings, and such

[BecciBoo]

I agree with Sue. It used to be called a tummy ache in my day, you stayed home a day or two and that was that. It was considered a hazard of....LIFE. Something we all put up with in some form or other. :cool:

[Karlee106]

Does anyone know if it's something you can build an immunity to? When I began teaching kindergarten, the first 2 years I had several REALLY bad bouts of stomach flu....I haven't had it again it quite awhile. Just wondering??

[wernew2cruising]

Great links...thanks!

 

Makes the buffet sound kind of off limits now!

 

The most discouraging thing about it is you don't build up any type of immunity, at least according to the links.

 

Sounds like you can do as much as possible yourself, pray everyone else is doing their part, and hope for the best.

[Nliedel]

I wipe my eyes, touch the elevator button. You touch the button, wipe your eyes and WHAMMO! You're viewing your cruise through a balcony, if your lucky, or a mirror, if you're inside. 72 hours later, they spring you from your cabin.

 

The buffet is fine. Most of the people onboard don't have Noro. Most cruisers don't get it. I had it this winter. Thank you Ann Arbor Public Schools! You can get it anywhere. Just wash your hands. A lot. You'll be fine. Even in a big outbreak, it's pretty limited. Also, when it gets on the ship, they have the staff place your food on your plate in the buffets.

[cb at sea]

Try to NEVER touch your face! Eyes, nose and mouth are the entry points! Wash your hands frequently. Use the hand sanitizers, if only to make those watching you feel better! We eat most meals in the dining room, where only staff has access to the food. It's no guarantee, but better than the buffet where folks DON'T wash their hands and touch the serving utensils!!! Ick!(Plus, it's much easier to be waited on, than do it yourself!)

[threeofus]

100 people will all touch the handrail....some will touch their faces but not everyone will get sick.....some immune systems are stronger than others...lots of reasons why.

 

Do the best you can....wash often...touch as little as possible...be positive.. excessive worrying causes stress and stress weakens our body and mind....so be positive.

Have fun!!!

[exarche02]

Does anyone know if it's something you can build an immunity to? When I began teaching kindergarten, the first 2 years I had several REALLY bad bouts of stomach flu....I haven't had it again it quite awhile. Just wondering??

 

I wonder about this too...my DH ALWAYS is chewing on his nails and touching his face with absolutely dirty hands and has NEVER gotten the stomach flu. I teach school and get it usually once every couple of years, while sanitizing everything I touch. Has he built an immunity to it?

[charlies_mom]

The thing that makes me nervous is my 14 month old son. I will wash his hands like crazy, but he doesn't really understand me if I tell him to not to touch his face. I mean, his pointer finger is his favorite chew toy right now. Argh!

[Sally Forth]

I agree with Sue. It used to be called a tummy ache in my day, you stayed home a day or two and that was that. It was considered a hazard of....LIFE. Something we all put up with in some form or other. :cool:

.... major TMI grossness alert....

Noro is to "tummy flu" what pneumonia is to the sniffles. My undereyes were black and blue from the force of vomiting. I projectile vomited almost 4 feet at one point.

 

That said, I wouldn't cancel a cruise because of it. You can get sick anywhere. Just be smart about handwashing.

 

Something interesting... look at the proportion of passengers to crew getting it. I wonder if the fact that so many of the crew members come from places with bad water systems might have given them a bit of immunity? I remember reading a study years ago about Canadians in Mexico getting turista. People on city water with chlorine got it at a much higher rate than those with well water. It was hypothesized that people on well water develop immunity due to exposure to various bacteria, whereas people on city water don't.

 

Viv

[Jim_Iain]

MSNBC has a really good article on Noro - at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16229064/

 

The even have some quotes from Cruise Critics.

 

"Norovirus is not a "cruise ship" virus, nor does it limit itself to sea-going vessels. Norovirus spreads swiftly wherever there are many people in a small area, including nursing homes, restaurants, hotels, dormitories ... and cruise ships The common cold is the only illness more common, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta estimates that there are 23 million cases of Norovirus annually."

 

Q: What are the symptoms?

A: Though generally moderate, symptoms are often flu-like (in fact, Norovirus is often called the "stomach flu," even though it is not related to influenza). Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal cramps; children often vomit more than adults. A low-grade fever and headache are also possible.

 

 

 

Q: What preventative measures should I take to avoid coming down with Norovirus?

A: First and foremost, wash your hands often with hot water and soap; the CDC recommends hitting the sink before and after eating and smoking, after touching your face, after using the restroom, and whenever your hands are dirty. Limit person-to-person contact as much as possible (we're not saying you absolutely must refuse the captain a handshake at his cocktail party ... just use your judgment throughout the cruise).

Cruise Critic members advise packing extra soap, a supply of Lysol, alcohol-based sanitizers like Purell and a bottle of Pepto-Bismol (just in case).

Beyond that, avoid uncooked food as much as possible. Stick to bottled water, and don't share drinking glasses and eating utensils.

[Nliedel]

The thing that makes me nervous is my 14 month old son. I will wash his hands like crazy, but he doesn't really understand me if I tell him to not to touch his face. I mean, his pointer finger is his favorite chew toy right now. Argh!

 

the thing to remember is that kids are programmed to eat dirt, get sick and heal. They are much less sick as adults and have fewer alergies if they expose themselves to nasty gunk as little ones. I was very vigilant with my eldest. I'm now on number four and not as vigilant and he's sick the least of all of them.

 

Noro is awful, but we all had it this winter, because of school. They're going to get sick. You don't want to expose them unduly, but you can't always keep them in a bubble, either.

 

Advice from an old mommy, with little kids :)

[zotzer]

The thing that makes me nervous is my 14 month old son. I will wash his hands like crazy, but he doesn't really understand me if I tell him to not to touch his face. I mean, his pointer finger is his favorite chew toy right now. Argh!

 

But he's also not touching 90% of the stuff that you are.....

 

Serving utensils on the buffet, the vinyl billfold they bring a bar tab in, the pen you sign it with, the seapass that you hand to a guy who has touched 100 other seapasses that day, elevator buttons, door handles, etc.... You get the picture.

 

T

[Grumm]

.... I projectile vomited almost 4 feet at one point.

 

Viv

 

Well done Viv! Can we assume that you won the competition and got shipshape dollars and a keychain?:o

 

Alan

 

PS Whoever was measuring the event deserves a wage rise

[nrdsb4]

I wonder about this too...my DH ALWAYS is chewing on his nails and touching his face with absolutely dirty hands and has NEVER gotten the stomach flu. I teach school and get it usually once every couple of years, while sanitizing everything I touch. Has he built an immunity to it?

 

 

No, he's just been lucky.