Wash Your Hands, often and with hot water and soap!

[kangforpres]

http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/30/cruise-ship-outbreaks-blame/?iid=SF_F_River

 

Article explaining how passengers are the problem, but we already knew that. Getting people to change behavior is nearly impossible.

 

-Paul

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link to the article.

My biggest problem on ships -- you can not get HOT water in the public restrooms no matter how long you let it run.

[Aruba]

...and contained environments like cruise ships are perfect incubators for diseases like norovirus.

[frankc98376]

Indeed Noro can survive up to 140 degrees- likely our hands wouldn't under temperatures that high (140 degrees for about 5 seconds will be a third degree burn). Washing thoroughly ("happy birthday" song twice) with plenty of soap and warm water will flush the virus down the drain where it can be sanitized. If you sing the song out loud you will get some interesting looks from people :D

 

I couldn't couldn't count how many times I've seen people just walk out of the bathroom and past sinks. Or rinse their hands under cold water for a second and grab a paper towel.

 

Noro would be so easy to stop if everyone just used common sense.

Edited January 30, 2014 by frankc98376

[cruisetrail]

Thank you for the link to the article.

 

My biggest problem on ships -- you can not get HOT water in the public restrooms no matter how long you let it run.

 

Proper hand wash requires warm water.

[startwin]

Soap and hot water are imperative when travelling in close confines, and with passengers who do not self-quarantine when they have been infected. Or actually board when you are knowingly infected.

[frankc98376]

We always have "Wet Ones" wipes in our pockets. Use them on the plane, in hotels, and our hands. Evidently Wet Ones do kill Noro.

[startwin]

We always have "Wet Ones" wipes in our pockets. Use them on the plane, in hotels, and our hands. Evidently Wet Ones do kill Noro.

 

That's the ones I always use - and I believe someone here on the board said they are ineffective against noro. But I figure anything is better than nothing, in conjunction with frequent hand-washing.

[frankc98376]

That's the ones I always use - and I believe someone here on the board said they are ineffective against noro. But I figure anything is better than nothing, in conjunction with frequent hand-washing.

 

Supposedly if wipes contain Benzethonium Chloride they will kill the virus- alcohol just spreads it on your hands. I know chlorine (bleach) kills it).

Sounds like we will get to meet when we board in San Diego on May 6. Hopefully we are all healthy and happy!

Edited January 30, 2014 by frankc98376

[startwin]

Supposedly if wipes contain Benzethonium Chloride they will kill the virus- alcohol just spreads it on your hands. I know chlorine (bleach) kills it).

Sounds like we will get to meet when we board in San Diego on May 6. Hopefully we are all healthy and happy!

 

Think positively - and of course we will be.:D We'll keep the ship in good shape for you - we board in FLL.

[cbr663]

Supposedly if wipes contain Benzethonium Chloride they will kill the virus- alcohol just spreads it on your hands. I know chlorine (bleach) kills it).

Sounds like we will get to meet when we board in San Diego on May 6. Hopefully we are all healthy and happy!

 

Sorry, benzethonium chloride has been tested and it does not kill norovirus. There is a related compound known as benzalkonium chloride (often found in foaming hand sanitizers) that has been shown in one research paper to kill norovirus, but it apparently requires that you leave it on the surface for at least 2 hours. Also, my research shows that the company that makes Wet Ones have never tested them against the norovirus.

[ravinblue]

 

I couldn't couldn't count how many times I've seen people just walk out of the bathroom and past sinks. Or rinse their hands under cold water for a second and grab a paper towel.

 

Noro would be so easy to stop if everyone just used common sense.

 

Here is some common sense - you can't get norovirus from touching yourself. For a guy, it is possible in many bathrooms to empty their bladder without touching any surfaces that someone else has touched. When that has been accomplished, you have a larger risk of contracting a disease by touching the faucets, towel dispenser, etc., that you have just walking out.

I certainly agree that if you need to touch anything in the bathroom, then the hot water and long hand washing is the way to go. And, of course, if you are doing anything that requires "sitting", then you need the hand washing to protect others as well as yourself, in case you have, or are incubating, an intestinal germ.

 

Frank, MD

[SilvertoGold]

Soap and water: this is why it bugs me no end that on some HAL ships I have to almost beg for more than one bar of soap in the cabin! We each like to use our own bar of soap and don't like to use the tiny pieces left after a week or so.

[donswife]

Here is some common sense - you can't get norovirus from touching yourself. For a guy, it is possible in many bathrooms to empty their bladder without touching any surfaces that someone else has touched. When that has been accomplished, you have a larger risk of contracting a disease by touching the faucets, towel dispenser, etc., that you have just walking out.

I certainly agree that if you need to touch anything in the bathroom, then the hot water and long hand washing is the way to go. And, of course, if you are doing anything that requires "sitting", then you need the hand washing to protect others as well as yourself, in case you have, or are incubating, an intestinal germ.

 

Frank, MD

 

Well, you still touched the door knob to get into the bathroom (use a paper towel to open it on the way out) and you possibly flushed, not to mention that after touching yourself you will be touching things other people, whom you can infect, will touch. So please wash your hands after using public restrooms.

[ravinblue]

Well, you still touched the door knob to get into the bathroom (use a paper towel to open it on the way out) and you possibly flushed, not to mention that after touching yourself you will be touching things other people, whom you can infect, will touch. So please wash your hands after using public restrooms.

 

Not to be argumentative, but..... many bathrooms are designed without doors (e.g. airports where there are two offset entrances so no one can see inside) or have swinging doors that you can push with your hip. Most modern men's urinals are self flushing. The only germs living on a man's genitalia would be the "normal" skin bacteria that are on hands, face, etc., and are not removed by hand washing. There are no diseases transmitted the way you are describe. It may make others feel better if they see someone washing their hands but it will not reduce transmission of norovirus in this specific set of circumstances.

 

My personal peeve about germ transmission is hand railings. I guess it is better to use them if the alternative is falling and breaking your hip, but I have travelled on many tours all over the world without getting sick by avoiding hand railings when many fellow passengers got the respiratory virus that was brought on by one fellow passenger at the start. No one washes heir hands before getting up from their seat on the tour bus - I wish they would.

[PatsyAnne]

Note to self - QUIT rubbing your eyes!

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Proper hand wash requires warm water.

 

 

Having sailed on many HAL ships -- you rarely even get WARM water in the restrooms.

[Typhoon1]

Wash your hands with hot water and soap each time you return to your cabin.

[magandab]

Wash your hands with hot water and soap each time you return to your cabin.

 

Typhoon beat me to this one. I think we all have a feeling of safety once we cross the threshold into our own cabin. Well, that safety doesn't exist if you've carried a germ in with you.

[frankc98376]

Per the EPA- Hydrogen Peroxide products kill Noro Virus. Clorox makes Peroxide wipes that claim to kill the virus quickly. Just need to see if they are ok on skin too- don't see why not- just mild Peroxide. I saw them for sale at the "big" web store

 

http://www.cloroxprofessional.com/products/clorox-healthcare-hydrogen-peroxide-cleaner-disinfectants/at-a-glance/?gclid=CIz28IPlp7wCFaU5Qgodg24Arw

Edited January 31, 2014 by frankc98376