Sanitation Problems on Silver Whisper

[duct tape]

I got a staph infection in the pool of the Fontainebleu in Miami. You never know! You can get sick anywhere.

[oregon50]

 

I find this to be an odd post given the "teasing and leading" and broad nature of the title as well as the fact that the OP isn't very specific in regard to which Whisper cruise, what year, where travelled etc. I wonder what the motivation of this post is???

 

Suggest you read the first paragraph of original post. It's a legitimate topic that could use some publicity. I did not read it as taking a swipe at SS.

[Seafairer]

I suspect that one reason cruise lines get the brunt of bad publicity on these outbreaks is that passengers are all living in close quarters for so many days that it's easy to target "the ship" as the source, even if the infection was picked up on shore. When people travel in planes and hotels, they disperse fairly quickly, and it's unlikely that the source of a contagion that affects dozens of travelers on the move will be identified. But when a few passengers fall ill on a ship, then share the same common areas for many days and spread the illness to others, I guess it would look as if the ship is "at fault" when dozens more end up getting sick. But, really, it's just that everyone stays put for so long.

 

I gave up on shaking hands several years ago. A peck on the cheek is, however, a welcome alternative.

[5waldos]

Perhaps Americans are too clean....It always seems that Noro and other diseases happen only to Americans.

 

I think there may be something to this. Children brought up on farms with all the germs and dirty there are much healthier as adults. The folks I know who are sick most often are those who are literally obsessive about hand washing and in fact often wear face masks.

[Older Party]

I think there may be something to this. Children brought up on farms with all the germs and dirty there are much healthier as adults. The folks I know who are sick most often are those who are literally obsessive about hand washing and in fact often wear face masks.

 

Face masks are supposed to be worn only by those who are already sick. It is a courtesy to keep their sickness from spreading to others. Wearing a mask to prevent sickness is not effective as the eyes are a receptor for all sorts of germs.

[RachelG]

I think there may be something to this. Children brought up on farms with all the germs and dirty there are much healthier as adults. The folks I know who are sick most often are those who are literally obsessive about hand washing and in fact often wear face masks.

 

Totally agree. I have an outstanding immune system, very rarely if ever sick, and it is because I am exposed to viruses and bacteria daily. And I don't take antibiotics unless realty severely ill, never in the past 40 years.

[Keith1010]

Yes, we all need some germs to build up resistance, but the reality is that we can do some things to minimize getting sick when we are on vacation/holiday. And there are some people who just don't get sick. For those who can say that, you are very lucky but most people cannot say the same thing.

 

I recommend some very simple things and some of them I have already touched on:

 

-Wash your hands thoroughly, frequently and with warm to moderately hot water.

-When you do shake hands (which I would avoid) wash your hands sooner rather than later.

 

-And this one is key. Do not touch your face, nose or mouth or eyes. Just avoid doing that.

-I would avoid hugging, kissing fellow guests and avoid shaking hands. I know some people feel you are being rude. I would just tell them you are avoiding getting sick.

 

-We do use hand sanitizer. Where or not that is helpful I don't really know. To me its like vitamins. I have read the pros and the cons and have come to the conclusion that vitamins on top of eating healthy can't be bad and hopefully has upsize. Likewise, using sanitizer on top of washing often to me has upside.

 

-We avoid elevators. I realize that is not possible for everyone but for those of you who can avoid I would. I say this because you are in close proximity with others in a very closed environment.

 

-When we use the fitness center I do not rely on other to clean the machines well. So, I scrub them down before each use.

 

-It is a known fact that germs are more apt to stay on things such as door nobs for a longer period of time so again when you use one try to clean your hands sooner rather than later.

 

-We do try to get to buffets earlier well before people have served themselves for extended periods of time.

 

-When we attend shows, lectures and the like we try to sit further away and try to get end seats or seats even in a back row.

 

-We ensure that we get proper vitamins mainly through our eating choices. After extensive reading I do NOT believe in overloading on say Vitamin C as I believe the negatives are far greater than the benefits.

 

Now the odds are greater when you travel of getting sick no matter what you do. You waiter or stewardess could be sick and they don't even know it at the time and are already spreading germs.

 

With that said we have take several extended cruises and the first couple of years we did get sick a couple of times. At that time we put the emphasis on washing hands often but didn't do most of these other items. After getting sick multiple times we decided to change things up. We also had a travel medical doctor on board who was one of the lecturers and spoke about this very topic and touched on several of these items. For us, taking these stops have worked very well and has significantly reduced our occurrences of getting sick.

 

If I could offer the top few things to do it is to wash, wash, wash and to avoid touching your face, nose, eyes and mouth.

 

Each of us can do our part. I certainly expect the cruise line to clean as much as possible and if members of the crew are sick for them to be given time off until they are well. The latter is not often done but should be. And we each can take extra steps too. When we cruise I have seen the best of hygiene practiced and I have also seen the worst.

 

Happy Cruising and stay Healthy and Wise.

 

Keith

[KirkNC]

Wash you hands and don't touch you eyes, nose or mouth will significantly reduce the chance of getting ill.

[Seafairer]

Given the poor sanitary habits of people in general, I'm beginning to think it would be a good idea to include a 'sanitation segment' in the lifeboat drill - to reinforce what can (and does) happen on ships, how passengers are affected when something starts to spread, and the preventive measures we all have to take seriously in this social, very communal environment.

 

Since we're pretty much captive at the drills, it's one way to guarantee that everyone hears a strong message from people in charge.

[Seafairer]

I came down with a nasty bronchial infection a couple of years ago - it seems that several passengers on the previous cruise were sick, spread it to the staff, and stayed on for our cruise. I had to see the ship's doctor and got a good piece of advice: stay on the ship for 48 hours, just relax and stay quiet, because your resistance is down and you can easily pick up a secondary infection if you're walking around the port or mixing in close quarters with other passengers.

 

When I was still working, I always stayed home for 3 days when I caught a cold, and it went away quickly. Whereas friends and co-workers who went to work sick often seemed to spend the entire winter sick, tired, feeling terrible, with one infection after another.

 

Thanks, Doc!

[wripro]

Seafairer,

 

I love your idea. The likelihood of getting sick on a ship is much greater than having to use the life boats.

[wripro]

Keith,

 

Another tip is to spray sanitizer on the keyboard if you are using a ship's computer.

[Keith1010]

Henry, I agree.

 

I actually try to avoid the computer rooms except when I have to print something out. At a minimum, I sanitize my hands before and after my use of them.

 

Keith

[Travelcat2]

Agree with mostly all posts. We do sanitize as much as we can when on the plane (arm rests, trays, etc.) When we get in the suite we do the same with the telephone, remote control, door knobs, light switches and anything else that others touch. We use Lysol spray when we can ..... also regular Clorox wipes and special bleach wipes.

 

The latest thing brought to my attention in every day life is menus and salt and pepper shakers. I'm sounding like a germaphobe...... actually, we are more diligent when traveling and during the winter when people in markets, restaurants, etc. can be ill.

[Keith1010]

TC, when it comes to menus we have a routine. We order our food and after the waiter takes the menus we sanitize our hands. I prefer when the waiter takes care of pepper for us and I don't use salt but if I did they could do that for me too.

 

Your post reminded me of something else and that is nuts. I don't eat them but the thought of people sharing the nuts in bowls really bothers me.

 

And I am not Tony Randall of the Odd Couple but in retrospect maybe he was right.

 

Keith

[seabreezer]

Seems to me that if you cannot wash your hands as often as you'd like the back-up is to never touch your face with your hands or eat with your hands. You should then be able to shake hands, touch door-knobs, elevator buttons, etc., without getting sick. My husband and I wash hands and don't touch our faces and hardly ever get colds.

[Keith1010]

That's the key. You really have to think about this each day because most people touch their faces, nose, etc. hundred of times a day.

 

Just watch those who you see. It is amazing.

 

Keith

[RachelG]

Sorry to say, but all this germophobia actually makes you more susceptible to disease. For a person with a normally functioning immune system (not someone compromised by chronic disease, cancer, immunosuppression, etc), regular exposure to bacteria and viruses is healthy and stimulates a normal immune response.

My husband is way more concerned by germs than either myself or either of our sons, and guess who gets sick the most--him. Because he is killing off the normal healthy bacteria which help us fight off pathogens. We have to have a bacteria on our bodies all the time. If you kill off the good ones, the bad take up residence. That is why just normal washing with soap and water is best.

Edited July 3, 2013 by RachelG

[Travelcat2]

Oh no....... now I'm going to be watching people touch their faces when I'm onboard:-) I would think that not touching your face is something you would have to get used to. I've been trying not to touch my face for the past five minutes an my nose keeps itching!

[Keith1010]

Oh no....... now I'm going to be watching people touch their faces when I'm onboard:-) I would think that not touching your face is something you would have to get used to. I've been trying not to touch my face for the past five minutes an my nose keeps itching!

 

That's why they make things like tissues. You just have to think about it.

 

Keith

[Keith1010]

Sorry to say, but all this germophobia actually makes you more susceptible to disease. For a person with a normally functioning immune system (not someone compromised by chronic disease, cancer, immunosuppression, etc), regular exposure to bacteria and viruses is healthy and stimulates a normal immune response.

My husband is way more concerned by germs than either myself or either of our sons, and guess who gets sick the most--him. Because he is killing off the normal healthy bacteria which help us fight off pathogens. We have to have a bacteria on our bodies all the time. If you kill off the good ones, the bad take up residence. That is why just normal washing with soap and water is best.

 

Rachel, in the perfect world yes, you would just wash hands often and you still should. And yes, one has to have bacteria. However, when you are out and about (cruise or somewhere else) it is not always practical to run to the rest room each and every time to wash up such as after you have gotten out of a taxi or been through that buffet line so given a choice of doing nothing we use the hand sanitizer.

 

There is not one solution that addresses everything. So even if you just wash your hands but if you constantly hug and kiss others as I know some people do you increase your odds of getting sick.

 

Anyway, like most things in life each person should be informed and then figure out what works best for them.

 

For us, we do a combination of things. Even still, we know when we sail with others or take an airplane or just come into contact with others that we will get sick at times and hopefully when it does happen it will build up our immunity for the next time around.

 

But we will still wash hands often and thoroughly, avoid touching face, mouth and eyes, avoid the hugging and such, and we will use that hand sanitizer. :D

[wripro]

If only people in hospitals were as germ conscious as those on ships!

[Rally]

Just for interest from the CDC website - section entitled - Keeping Your Hands Clean on a Cruise:

 

The main problem with hand sanitizers is that the amount of ethanol in them is often not high enough to be effective against norovirus (contrasted with proper soap and water hand washing).

 

From a FL DOH summary on Norovirus I've found useful:

 

A full minute of contact time with 70% ethanol is required to

inactive Norovirus. ]

 

As a point of reference, Everclear is 95% ethanol, Bacardi 151 is 75.5% ethanol. A standard vodka is 40% ethanol.

 

So Bacardi 151 would work fine then?

[ededmd]

So Bacardi 151 would work fine then?

 

Yes.

And thank you.

[WesW]

Dr. Rachel, thanks for your sage counsel and tell George to listen to his wife, also let him know look forward to seeing him on the full prominade deck in May 2015 :)