Healthy Cruises...

[aliaschief]

On one of our last cruises I witnessed a Crows Nest bartender washing his hands and it was like watching a surgeon prepping for surgery.

 

Wash your hands and use the provided towel to open the door and don't shake hands for at least the first couple of days. Purel Purel and more.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I hope you can read the book "Achoo" to make sure you are worried about the right things. What we think are the obvious transmission routes, in fact are not. It is the inadvertent things we do to ourselves that gets most of those bugs into ourown bodies.

 

Main thing is do not touch your mouth, nose or eyes with your hands and wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands. We were recently on a ship that had a lot of upper respiratory coughing and we really watched what we were doing with our fingertips and what we were touching.

 

Both of us came through fine and the air was always filled with coughing. We were not so lucky the last time we were on this same ship which had the exact same problem,s so this time we made sure we watched where we were putting our fingers.

 

If one worries about rare transmission routes while overlooking the obvious -- self-innoculation -- then it can make for an unhappy result on all counts - worrying when one does not need to and ignoring where one can make the most difference.

 

This book "Achoo" tells it straight and lets you know the high level of research that has been going on in this area ...right under our noses.

 

I have taught myself to be very careful about that. Until you start paying attention, you don't realize how many times a day you touch your face.

[sail7seas]

Some bacteria are spread by airborne means and some by touch and some by both.

 

The only way to avoid airborne germs is to stop breathing.

 

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

Some bacteria are spread by airborne means and some by touch and some by both.

 

The only way to avoid airborne germs is to stop breathing.

 

 

 

Or walk around with a surgical mask like Michael Jackson used to do. :eek:

[innlady1]

Or walk around with a surgical mask like Michael Jackson used to do. :eek:

 

Good point! I can see it now....

[sail7seas]

I keep a few in my carryon and next time there is a cougher/sneezer seated beside us on an airplane, we will wear our masks. :eek: I'd rather that than be sick three days later.

 

 

(I never believe the sneezer/wheezer who assures us it's allergies. :D )

[SwissMyst]

Some bacteria are spread by airborne means and some by touch and some by both.

 

The only way to avoid airborne germs is to stop breathing.

 

 

 

The book "Achoo" tells you about the ongoing studies that put this transmission route into an entirely different perspective. It is a good read and helps target one's best efforts to stay well and tells you which ones really don't make a difference. http://www.amazon.com/Achoo-Interesting-Youll-About-Mysterious/dp/1553374517

[bcd2010]

Keep in mind there is still the missing part in this contamination equation. Even if one touches a carelessly contaminated surface, one still has to stick their own fingers into their own nose, mouth and/or eyes.

 

The whole chain of contamination needs attention because the bugs on the stair falling or the bathroom door cannot walk up your fingers and into your own nasal passages, mouth or eyes.

 

Only you can put these bugs from the stair railing (etc) into your own eyes, nose or mouth. Watch what your own hands are doing more than what someone is doing or not doing with their elbows.

 

I've been under the impression that if you put food in your mouth (i.e., not actually your fingers, but a piece of food like a dinner roll, sandwich, cookie, etc.) and the virus is on your fingers, you can also pick it up that way.

 

It's hard to go from your cabin, where you've concientiously washed your hands every time you were there, and to a dining venue without touching anything - a wall or stair rail, elevator button, etc.

[sail7seas]

..... or a menu. :eek:

[ariawoman]

Even worse is when someone covers their mouth with their had when they cough/sneeze. :eek: :eek: :eek: Then everything they touch (until they finally wash their hands) is contaminated. Good grief people, sneeze into your shoulder or the inside of your elbow. These are parts of your body that don't normally come into contact with other people or things they touch.

 

I've been trying to teach my boyfriend this. I should mention he's in his 50s. LOL.

 

I'm trying!

 

Too many moms taught "cover your mouth" and didn't teach it properly....

 

As for staying healthy - i think you really need to pay attention to your health PRE travel as well as during. If you get run down right before vacation, you're going to be more prone to sickness.

[innlady1]

..... or a menu. :eek:

 

We always use Purell after perusing a menu.

[SwissMyst]

Bugs don't necessarily like to live on inanimate surfaces. They can, but do prefer moister environments if they are to proliferate and become an infection threat. Keeping in mind one needs to be watchful about two different kinds of bugs: respiratory and intestinal. Two different transmission routes and two different contamination prevention challenges.

 

Only using your knife, spoon and fork does keep any possibly contaminated fingers away from your mouth for the entry of intestinal bugs, even if you managed to pick up some intestinal bugs left behind that are still possibly active from the menu.

 

"Eating" respiratory bugs that you may pick up off a menu, will not cause respiratory problems because they go into your stomach and not into your respiratory system. Again, to avoid the respiratory bug contaminations, you would have to take those possible menu bugs from your now contaminated fingers, and still put them into your own nose, mouth or eyes for them get into your respiratory system.

 

So if this remains a concern, do skip the rolls or any other finger food so you don't risk any possible intestinal cross-contamination. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

[JJPacer]

We take all the precautions mentioned. The point I would like to make, is that life is short. Take all reasonable precautions, but if you want to travel, gooooo! I'd rather do the things I want to do, than to sit in a chair when I'm no longer physically able to travel and say "Geee, I should have gone here and done that while I could. I don't want to think...I wish I had of........" I want to say "I'm glad I did!"

 

I'm realistic, I know people get sick while traveling, and people get sick while at home. In all our cruises and land trips, we've never gotten sick. I know that can change on our next trip. We've been lucky. We are going to keep going until we can't go anymore!

[Viesczy]

The overuse of many "sanitizers"/anti-bacterials gels is doing two things, lowering your immunity when you get a bug and developing super bugs. I know that this isn't going to go over well with some folks, but lack of exposure to "bugs" is what causes you to be run over roughshod.

 

Most sanitizers dry before they've actually had enough time to make an impact on any bacteria or virus and the antibacterials are not delivered in a level enough to wipeout the bacteria so that bacteria grows resistant to said anti-bacterial (develops its own immunity!). There have been many studies over the "effectiveness" of the claims and the developing superbugs. Look @ how the common staph infection has become a virtual monster.

 

Like we've been told since childhood by our mothers, washing your hands is the best medicine.

 

Derek

[sail7seas]

The overuse of many "sanitizers"/anti-bacterials gels is doing two things, lowering your immunity when you get a bug and developing super bugs. I know that this isn't going to go over well with some folks, but lack of exposure to "bugs" is what causes you to be run over roughshod.

 

Most sanitizers dry before they've actually had enough time to make an impact on any bacteria or virus and the antibacterials are not delivered in a level enough to wipeout the bacteria so that bacteria grows resistant to said anti-bacterial (develops its own immunity!). There have been many studies over the "effectiveness" of the claims and the developing superbugs. Look @ how the common staph infection has become a virtual monster.

 

Like we've been told since childhood by our mothers, washing your hands is the best medicine.

 

Derek

 

 

You're right.

 

I never have antibacterial soap pump bottles in our home. We use bars of soap.

 

I have never been 'sold' on making our lives germ free and the kids today are so antiseptic, you wonder how they will build any resistance or immunity. It's okay for kids to get dirty and play in the mud. IMO

 

The only time I use those wipes is when we travel.

I hate the feel of the bottled purell on my hands. They never feel clean when I use them entering the MDR etc and much prefer the hand wipes..... but only for use when traveling or the odd time at home I'll take one from my purse if there is no soap and water available.

 

[Riana]

I like the individually wrapped hand wipes better than the bottles. The outside of the bottles get dirty and after cleaning your hands, your left holding the dirty bottle. I always tuck a handful of the wipes in my purse.

 

I also have the larger size wipes I use on airplanes. I wipe our arm rests and the controls for the tv's and tray tables.

 

 

I agree.

[SwissMyst]

Most liquid sanitizers need contact time to do their work. Mere swipes physically remove potential contamination but do not add much additional chemical sanitation, which is why hand sanitizing remains only one part of the equation: one still needs to keep finger-tips away from eyes, nose and mouth.