Noro On Equinox

[MoYerclan]

Sadly, you are correct. The best you can do is to follow all of the admonitions, and utilize surgical masks when you are in an area with a lot of people. I suppose that this may be one advantage to dinner and breakfast in Blu, since there are fewer folks who might infect you.

 

A surgical mask won't help you if you pick up something on your hands and transfer it to your face in some fashion while taking said mask on and off. Or a hundred other ways and places you can be exposed to the virus. Something as easily overlooked as touching the serving tools in the buffet after someone with poor hygiene touched them, then breaking your bread and eating it can transfer cooties in to you. You used the alcohol foam walking into the buffet but did they? Did you re-clean your hands after going through the food lines??

[wwcruisers]

Most surgical masks are not designed to be worn for longer periods of time. Saw an article last week that they can do more harm than good especially if worn outside a sealed in environment. Something about germs incubated better around the mask

 

Everyone is being very cautious onboard, if you are overly concerned, please extend your caution to your flight to the cruise as many believe onboard a plane is more risky than onboard a ship

 

Very true. When you think about it, surgical masks were originally designed to keep the wearer's germs IN, not everyone else's OUT.

And, speaking from personal experience, I've come off airplanes much sicker than I ever have on a cruise ship. :eek:

[jackdiamond]

If, as one poster has mentioned, Friday's embarkation of the Equinox is delayed, what method does Celebrity use to notify those who are one their way to the ship? Do they put anything on their website or do you just show up at the pier and find out you can't board until later? I have no problem coming to the pier later in the afternoon if I know in advance.

I recall that on one of our cruises a few years ago, there was a delay in boarding of about two hours due to the clean up after a noro outbreak. I can't recall which line; and, we had no prior warning. However, since we drive from S. Ft. Myers, it may have been on our computer when we were in transit.

[yankee 7]

A surgical mask won't help you if you pick up something on your hands and transfer it to your face in some fashion while taking said mask on and off. Or a hundred other ways and places you can be exposed to the virus. Something as easily overlooked as touching the serving tools in the buffet after someone with poor hygiene touched them, then breaking your bread and eating it can transfer cooties in to you. You used the alcohol foam walking into the buffet but did they? Did you re-clean your hands after going through the food lines??

 

I recently read that the foams / antibacterials do not work against it. You must wash w/soap & water.

[yankee 7]

I recently read that the foams / antibacterials do not work against it. You must wash w/soap & water.

 

Clarification:

 

Practice proper hand hygiene

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water....Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used in addition to hand washing. But, they should not be used as a substitute for washing with soap and water.

[MoYerclan]

I recently read that the foams / antibacterials do not work against it. You must wash w/soap & water.

 

yeah, I read that too. Alcohol foams also don't work against C.difficile which also can be spread easily and is a growing serious problem in hospitals, nursing homes, etc.

[kitty9]

Noro is NOT airborne. It's a virus mainly in the intestinal tract and is spread via fecal contamination. That's why you must wash your hands in soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom. Antibacterial products do not kill noro as they are anti- bacterial and not antiviral. The only topical solution is bleach.

[ronews]

Noro is NOT airborne. It's a virus mainly in the intestinal tract and is spread via fecal contamination. That's why you must wash your hands in soap and water for at least 20 seconds after using the bathroom. Antibacterial products do not kill noro as they are anti- bacterial and not antiviral. The only topical solution is bleach.

 

 

You are right about the bleach. That's why you smell bleach on the ship after a Noro outbreak or deep cleansing. I have researched a hand chlorine based (bleach) hand sanitizer. They have done alot of work on this at U of N.Carolina The one I found and use is called Soapopular. Doesn't dry your hands like the alchohol based sanitizers. The stuff I ordered on line says made in Canada but I have seen it in Walgreens in the States. I live in Canada and it only took 2 days to arrive.

 

Bill

[ronews]

You are right about the bleach. That's why you smell bleach on the ship after a Noro outbreak or deep cleansing. I have researched a hand chlorine based (bleach) hand sanitizer. They have done alot of work on this at U of N.Carolina The one I found and use is called Soapopular. Doesn't dry your hands like the alchohol based sanitizers. The stuff I ordered on line says made in Canada but I have seen it in Walgreens in the States. I live in Canada and it only took 2 days to arrive.

 

Bill

 

 

Sorry forgot to mention that what you are looking for is a hand sanitzer that has a Benzalkonium chloride base. I'm sure there are others out there if you can't find Soappoular.

[Miss SeaBee]

I believe Wet Ones hand wipes are Benzalkonium chloride. I read that a couple of years back on CC, and I always take some onboard, just in case.

 

And Kitty9 is right, a surgical mask won't protect you from noro, it is spread by the fecal-oral route. Also, I think the paper-type surgical masks are only effective for 45 minutes, anyway, due to the moisture of your exhaled breath. Hand washing is your best defense, and even then it is partly luck, because you just can't clean your hands every 5 seconds. On a week-long cruise you're bound to touch some surface and then touch your face once or twice without realizing it.

 

Does anyone remember an old Saturday Night Live skit where they had on "fecal vision" glasses that allowed them to see fecal material. It was in a setting like a business interview and the person with the glasses on could see fecal material everywhere, all over the other person's pants, hands, face, on the furniture. I always think about that when I think about noro.

[Tampa Jim]

I believe Wet Ones hand wipes are Benzalkonium chloride. I read that a couple of years back on CC, and I always take some onboard, just in case.

 

Nope ... ethanol according to the MSDS database.

[gold1953]

I am cruising next week and plan on using a napkin to handle all serving utensils.. making sure I don't reverse it!!:eek: Last cruise I watched a guy lick cream off his hand and then pick up a serving spoon!!! Easy to see how this stuff spreads

Just thinking I can take disposable gloves. When a vacation is only a week there is no time to be sick!!!

[jackdiamond]

I am cruising next week and plan on using a napkin to handle all serving utensils.. making sure I don't reverse it!!:eek: Last cruise I watched a guy lick cream off his hand and then pick up a serving spoon!!! Easy to see how this stuff spreads

Just thinking I can take disposable gloves. When a vacation is only a week there is no time to be sick!!!

The gloves sound like a good idea in areas where you are serving yourself, provided that you dispose of same.

[ronews]

Clarification:

 

Practice proper hand hygiene

Wash your hands carefully with soap and water....Alcohol-based hand sanitizers can be used in addition to hand washing. But, they should not be used as a substitute for washing with soap and water.

 

Hand washing is great for YOUR personal hygene but in order to kill the Noro vrus the water has to be at least 150 degress F. OUCH! Now we are talking about scalding. Once again the only thing that will kill Noro on your hands is a chlorine based sanitizer.

[MoYerclan]

Hand washing is great for YOUR personal hygene but in order to kill the Noro vrus the water has to be at least 150 degress F. OUCH! Now we are talking about scalding. Once again the only thing that will kill Noro on your hands is a chlorine based sanitizer.

 

The accepted consensus is that the mechanical action of washing, along with the water and surfactant properties of soap will clean your hands adequately, even without hot water. We don't need to worry about killing the cooties as they drop into the sink, we just need to take caution to get them off our hands.

[Luvtoeat]

We will be driving to Ft. Lauderdale this Thursday and staying overnight at a hotel for Friday's sailing of the Equinox. Does anyone who has previosly had to deal with a delay in boarding due to the virus remember how far behind it put the boarding process? Do you remember how you were advised as to the delay and what the new boarding time was to be. Check out at the hotel is at noon so I'm just trying to plan ahead assumimg that there will be a delay. Any comments will be greatly appreciated.

[bighairtexan]

I was on the sailing of the Solstice who had an outside company come in to disinfect as it was in week 5 or noro problems. As stated previously in this thread they notified us by email, some got phone calls, and there were signs when we got to the pier asking us to return later. Boarding was delayed by at least 2 hours or so.

 

I'm also on the 2/1 Equinox.

[purrlinda]

I never thought I'd read the word "fecal" so many times on a vacation forum... ;)

 

I have been lucky on cruises and have never had Noro. Thinking of how it is actually spread gives me the ickies.

 

My friend was on a river cruise recently where there was a major outbreak, and the ship only had 130 passengers, very small. Her roommate got it, but she did not. They were sanitizing everything even in the bedroom numerous times per day.

 

I am looking forward to my cruise next month and will think happy positive healthy thoughts that I am able to escape it. I will definitely be more mindful with what I touch with bare hands now.

[prim8keeper]

Hand washing is great for YOUR personal hygene but in order to kill the Noro vrus the water has to be at least 150 degress F. OUCH! Now we are talking about scalding. Once again the only thing that will kill Noro on your hands is a chlorine based sanitizer.

 

That is not true. Washing your hands for at least 20 seconds and scrubbing with soap will kill norovirus. It is also the general consensus that the temperature of the water does not matter (CDC Key Facts on Norovirus - preventing #1 is washing your hands in hot or cold water)

 

Water at 150 degrees would cause third degree burns in about one to two seconds.

 

Hot Water Causes Third Degree Burns…

…in 1 second at 156º

…in 2 seconds at 149º

…in 5 seconds at 140º

…in 15 seconds at 133º.

 

Source: The Burn Foundation

[kitty9]

I'm hoping the amount of alcohol I'm drinking will kill any virus in my body. It's worked so far, knock on a bottle of gin.

[mathgeek1978]

I am cruising next week and plan on using a napkin to handle all serving utensils.. making sure I don't reverse it!!:eek: Last cruise I watched a guy lick cream off his hand and then pick up a serving spoon!!! Easy to see how this stuff spreads

Just thinking I can take disposable gloves. When a vacation is only a week there is no time to be sick!!!

 

If it's Code Red you won't even be able to serve yourself at the buffet, hence you (and everybody else) won't be touching any utensils -- which is a good thing to minimize contamination.

[Oville]

I love Cruise Critic and have learned so much about cruising here that I thank everyone who participates.

 

Having said that, alerting people on the next cruise that there may be a delay because some folks are sick on the current cruise seems a bit of a reach, though I understand the OP is trying to be helpful. Perhaps a delay will happen but I bet it has put a bit of a damper for those about to embark who have read this thread.

 

Maybe I'm being a bit too sensitive or cynical. I was booked on a b2b on the Constellation earlier this month and there were some really negative reviews of the December sailings. This was only compounded by those who just knew this ship was going to be a disaster doing the shorter itineraries. Well we had a wonderful 9 days on Connie and leave this coming Monday for another 5 days.

 

To those cruising on the next Equinox cruise, have a great time.

[buchhalm]

I just hope that there will be charge to your account when you have to use the services of the clinic because of such an occurance...

:confused:

[wales4ever]

Its high time cruise ships stopped self sevice in food areas anyway.

Plus insisting on hand gel when entering any food area - no hand gel no enter..

 

Plus do all the toilet/lavatory/rest room (depending on where your from) door open outwards? So you do not have to pull - thus touch the door when you leave and maybe touch the door after some has not washed their hands??

 

Or place bins OUTSIDE every toilet/lavatory/rest room so you can open the door with a paper towel in your hand and put this in the bin when your outside the door?

 

Plus I have been in hotels in sunny places where at the end of the day, staff clean all of the sunbeds.. I have watched them do this with 2 people, a bucket of disinfectant and a hose pipe. Cleaning a hundred or so beds in an hour.

 

People lie on the beds all day in the sun, sweating on them, eating food on them, putting sun cream on them, etc,etc...then they leave in the afternoon, for someone else to lie down on them...

[MoYerclan]

I just hope that there will be charge to your account when you have to use the services of the clinic because of such an occurance...

:confused:

 

Did you mean "no charge to your account..." ?

You can pick up noro ANY place... that other people are. Such as shopping malls, airports, schools, restaurants, etc. How can you blame the ship if you come down with it? It is VERY common but only garners news and press coverage on ships it seems.