Use of Hand Sanitizer

[IPlayWithString]

We've never really used it but then again..all 3 of us kind of have immune systems that could survive pretty much anything you throw at it.

 

[climbs up on soapbox]

 

I also believe that handwashing is pretty much good enough for almost any germ you might happen to pick up. It's my personal belief that overuse of hand sanitizers and this weird concept that you have to SANITIZE ALL THE THINGS! all the time is not good for our immune systems. All this bleach and sanitizer is causing our immune systems to go freaking haywire, which is why (again, IMO) there are so many people who allergic to everything but air and water. Our immune systems were built to take care of germs and we're not giving them to do that properly because we have to sanitize everything with bleach all the freaking time. It's gotten a little ridiculous, if you ask me. Soap, water and (at least in my house) white vinegar are all that's necessary for cleaning things. I realize that onboard ship it's a little different as they have certain standards they must adhere to. But using hand sanitizer every hour or every two hours or however often you use it (whether in real life or onboard ship) is just overkill.

 

[steps off soapbox]

Edited November 1, 2015 by IPlayWithString

[ScottsSweetie]

I agree with lots of the points that others of you have made.

 

DH & I wash our hands after every restroom use. We wash our hands right before heading to lido for breakfast or lunch, and the dining room for dinner. We routinely do not touch handrails, elevator buttons (we avoid elevators), always use the tissue papers provided for doorknobs.

 

I do have a small bottle of hand sanitizer attached to my beach bag, which we carry to the sun deck and on excursions. When soap and water is not available, we will gladly use the sanitizer.

 

I absolutely HATE being accosted on that cruiseline that will chase you down if you do not accept their hand sanitizer. (And that's exactly how I feel about it.)

Edited November 1, 2015 by ScottsSweetie

[BeagleOne]

\

 

I have a question about hand sanitizers, and this is a sincere question. I don't know the answer to it. Are they only supposedly effective on germs already on your hands at the time you use it, or do they also supposedly guard against germs you touch after you've used it?

 

No, by the time your hands have dried, it's not effective.

[moniquet]

Nevertheless I have seen many people sat in bars and just pick up their drink and enter the restaurant :rolleyes:

[Towel Critter]

No, by the time your hands have dried, it's not effective.

 

Thanks. That is what I suspected. I also suspect some folks think they are protected in this way from hand sanitizer when they are not.

[jimbo5544]

99% of statistics are made up ;)

 

That is one of your funnier lines ;)

[Raven Days]

The only time I use hand sanitzer is when I am not near soap and water. Old fashioned soap and water do more to clean hands than any brand of hand sanitizers out there.

 

The stuff drys out my hands and makes them itch. So again, I only use it when nothing else is available....so don't judge others by your perceptions.

[BeachChik]

Nevertheless I have seen many people sat in bars and just pick up their drink and enter the restaurant :rolleyes:

 

Should everyone wear a sign when they have washed their hands?

 

Seriously people obsess about this too much. Do what you can for yourself and don't worry about it. Every time you leave your house you are exposed to germs and bacteria. You can't live in a bubble. You can't sanitize the world. And the people that sanitize everything they come in contact with are no healthier than anyone else.

 

Funny thing, most people take their cell phone everywhere. How many people clean the phone? Most are probably covered in all kinds if germs.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Should everyone wear a sign when they have washed their hands?

 

Funny thing, most people take their cell phone everywhere. How many people clean the phone? Most are probably covered in all kinds if germs.

 

 

A sign, I love that!!

 

 

Not only cell phone but the person....

 

who made the table and touched everything! :eek:

 

who fills the water glass.........:eek:

 

who made the bread basket..............:eek:

 

who filled the butter tray.....:eek:

 

who rolled the silverware & the napkins............. :eek:

 

AND EVERYONE touching those germish chairs we all sit in................:eek:

 

Could go on and on and on, people with bad habits are not going to change, wash your hands and do what YOU can control......

Edited November 1, 2015 by RaiderFaninNM

[Raxter54]

A sign, I love that!!

 

 

Not only cell phone but the person....

 

who made the table and touched everything!

 

who fills the water glass.........

 

who made the bread basket..............

 

who filled the butter tray.....

 

who rolled the silverware & the napkins.............

 

AND EVERYONE touching those germish chairs we all sit in................

 

Could go on and on and on, people with bad habits are not going to change, wash your hands and do what YOU can control......

 

And that silverware you are using has been in someone else's MOUTH!!!:eek::eek::eek:

[IPlayWithString]

Unless of course you bring your own silverware from home or you bring on plastic silverware that you swiped from a fast food place that's already prewrapped for safety.:D

[Shipbound]

Dateline did a show about the germs on cruise ships and where they are found in the greatest numbers it was as follows Handles on the scoops in the buffet lines, hand rails and elevator buttons. I just got back from a cruise and brought home a cold. So the next time I cruise I'm going to bring disposable gloves(right hand) with me to use on the buffet lines. I will not use the hand rails and will not use the elevators. I know this sounds crazy but I'm tired of getting sick on a cruise ship. The last thing do not shake hands because think of it you are not just shaking hands with the one person but how many hands did he/she shake before your hand was shook.

 

Gary

[jinglesmountjoy]

We just got off the Conquest and were amazed by the lack of the use of hand sanitizer by nearly everyone. Most evenings we were the only ones using it going into the MDR. Rarely saw anyone using it at breakfast either. We were also surprised that none of the crew encouraged anyone to use it. This was our first Carnival cruise in two or three years. We've been on a couple of other lines lately and the sanitizer was practically shoved down our throat-or at least deposited on our hands. Is this the new normal for Carnival?

Hand sanitizer should only be used in rare situations where soap and water are not available. The use of sanitizers kill our natural defense mechanisms. We need to be exposed to bacteria in order for our bodies to build up natural defenses.

[jma624]

And that silverware you are using has been in someone else's MOUTH!!!:eek::eek::eek:

 

And don't make me think about where those dollar bills have been.

[jimbo5544]

Dateline did a show about the germs on cruise ships and where they are found in the greatest numbers it was as follows Handles on the scoops in the buffet lines, hand rails and elevator buttons. I just got back from a cruise and brought home a cold. So the next time I cruise I'm going to bring disposable gloves(right hand) with me to use on the buffet lines. I will not use the hand rails and will not use the elevators. I know this sounds crazy but I'm tired of getting sick on a cruise ship. The last thing do not shake hands because think of it you are not just shaking hands with the one person but how many hands did he/she shake before your hand was shook.

 

Gary

 

Wow is all I can say. Enjoy your cruising......

[realjd]

There is no such thing as antibiotic soap. It's anti bacterial soap you must be talking about.

In general, the overuse of antibiotics is what is causing resistant bacteria but with the overuse of hand sanitizer and anti bacterial soap, it has caused a reduced exposure to some of the normal bacteria out there and creates and decreased resistance in some people.

 

And what makes antibacterial soap different from regular soap? They load it up with triclosan, an antibiotic. It absolutely does contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria, just like overuse of any other antibiotic. There's absolutely no reason to was your hands with antibiotics when regular soap does just as good of a job.

[Shipbound]

Wow is all I can say. Enjoy your cruising......

 

I enjoy all the cruises I've been on but I've gotten sick with a cold on almost all of them, if I have to take added precautions to make them more enjoyable I will.

 

Gary

[LTS1960]

And what makes antibacterial soap different from regular soap? They load it up with triclosan, an antibiotic. It absolutely does contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria, just like overuse of any other antibiotic. There's absolutely no reason to was your hands with antibiotics when regular soap does just as good of a job.

 

 

Triclosan is not an antibiotic, it's a biocide and if you read my post you would see that I did not say that antibacterial soaps do not contribute to antibiotic resistant bacteria.

[jimbo5544]

I enjoy all the cruises I've been on but I've gotten sick with a cold on almost all of them, if I have to take added precautions to make them more enjoyable I will.

 

Gary

 

If that is what it takes and you feel comfortable doing that then I cannot homage with you doing it. The point of my comment was that it sounded over the top from my perspective. If you need to dot his to keep from getting ill I can understand that. I meant the happy cruising part......:)

[Laurie S.]

If you're catching a cold on every cruise, and are flying to the port, it's most likely you caught the germs on the airplane with the recirculated air.

[Maleeni]

We just got off the Conquest and were amazed by the lack of the use of hand sanitizer by nearly everyone. Most evenings we were the only ones using it going into the MDR. Rarely saw anyone using it at breakfast either. We were also surprised that none of the crew encouraged anyone to use it. This was our first Carnival cruise in two or three years. We've been on a couple of other lines lately and the sanitizer was practically shoved down our throat-or at least deposited on our hands. Is this the new normal for Carnival?

 

Thank God. It gives people a false sense of security, all while eliminating and killing the good bacteria that your immune system uses to protect itself. Only people with immune deficiencies need it.

 

Not to mention the drug that in it that screws up women's hormones, including the reproductive cycle. I think it's called Triclosan. Look it up. It's scary.

[Raxter54]

Wow - for the 2nd time since I've been on Cruise Critic, I've had a post removed because I'm not a germaphobe. As will this one, eventually...

[jnojr]

We just got off the Conquest and were amazed by the lack of the use of hand sanitizer by nearly everyone. Most evenings we were the only ones using it going into the MDR. Rarely saw anyone using it at breakfast either. We were also surprised that none of the crew encouraged anyone to use it. This was our first Carnival cruise in two or three years. We've been on a couple of other lines lately and the sanitizer was practically shoved down our throat-or at least deposited on our hands. Is this the new normal for Carnival?

 

My last RCCI cruise, there were crew members in the entrance to MDR pushing sanitizer HARD. I try to grab some every time I pass a dispenser.

[Sparky2]

We just got off the Conquest and were amazed by the lack of the use of hand sanitizer by nearly everyone. Most evenings we were the only ones using it going into the MDR. Rarely saw anyone using it at breakfast either. We were also surprised that none of the crew encouraged anyone to use it. This was our first Carnival cruise in two or three years. We've been on a couple of other lines lately and the sanitizer was practically shoved down our throat-or at least deposited on our hands. Is this the new normal for Carnival?

 

I agree with you. We always stop for the hand sanitizer when we enter to MDR for breakfast & dinner but most just walk on by. They may have just washed their hands before leaving the cabin.

[jnojr]

Thank God. It gives people a false sense of security, all while eliminating and killing the good bacteria that your immune system uses to protect itself. Only people with immune deficiencies need it.

 

Precisely what "good germs" live on your hands?

 

Not to mention the drug that in it that screws up women's hormones, including the reproductive cycle. I think it's called Triclosan. Look it up. It's scary.

 

There are no "drugs" in hand sanitizer.

 

"Triclosan, similar in its uses and mechanism of action to triclocarban, is an antibacterial and antifungal agent found in consumer products, including soaps, detergents, toys, and surgical cleaning treatments."

 

I bet you're opposed to vaccination, too. Right?