Coronavirus paranoia on ships?

[April42749]

On 1/26/2020 at 6:38 PM, PortFees45 said:

There's no real risk (yet), but lets face it lots of cruisers are...to put it politely..."low-information voters." I can see some ugly situations developing on a cruise with a large Chinese tour group as is often the case...someone sees someone coughing or sneezing...and then you get panic.

We had this once on the BA....I don't know the per centage but a huge per centage was from China.  DH and I are rather concerned about this on our upcoming cruise.  And I'm not being OCD or paranoid; I'm being realistic.  

[Farts]

On 1/26/2020 at 7:05 PM, poohdreaming said:

With this coronavirus - it is similar to a regular flu. Those that had it - some did not have a fever or shown signs that they had it. Only known when they went to the airport and was scanned. Heard that it started from the chest being in pain.

1/3 of patients with coronavirus ends up with ARDS, which often requires intubation on the ventillator. Ouch. 

 

to equate the two is minimizing the deadliness of the coronavirus. 

 

On 1/26/2020 at 5:38 PM, PortFees45 said:

There's no real risk (yet), but lets face it lots of cruisers are...to put it politely..."low-information voters." I can see some ugly situations developing on a cruise with a large Chinese tour group as is often the case...someone sees someone coughing or sneezing...and then you get panic.

I wouldn't get so high and mighty. 99% of cruise passengers have low medical literacy. I have seen tons of ugly situations with all sorts of passengers.

 

Also 99% of people don't wash their hands after touching the spoons to scoop their food onto their plate from the buffet. There are so many germs from hundreds of people using the same utensils to scoop food onto their plate even if they washed their hands before entering the buffet. 

[marktwothousand]

Ya, unfortunately people need to start washing their hands when they drop off their buffet food at the table or after they handle condiment bottles, and before they start eating. There really is no convenient way to do this because all the washy washy stations are at the entrance. There should be other sink stalls around the cafeteria for people to re-wash. The only easy way to do this is carry your own sanitizer, which is a pain 

[sfaaa]

Or skip the buffet and eat at MDR as much as possible. 

[desibee]

Bath and Body Works sells tiny hand sanitizers that you can wear on keychains that I use at work all the time, but honestly the best way to prevent yourself from getting sick is to wash your hands before you eat and stop touching your face all the time.  And stay away from children, they're germ factories.

 

But anyway, the CDC is far more concerned with this year's flu virus.  Even SARS at its peak only killed 800 worldwide, far less than the standard flu has killed in North America this year alone.  My guess is that those who have died from ARDS complications have been exactly the kind of people who die from flu complications like pneumonia (i.e. the elderly, immune compromised, and babies/young children).  When young, strong and otherwise healthy people start dying from Coronovirus advancing into ARDS then I'll become alarmed, but so far it's only something to be aware of and take precautions (such as handwashing) not something to panic about.

[IrieBajan54]

On 1/27/2020 at 7:40 AM, Trimone said:

On a recent cruise, one of my customers had the unfortunate incident, a man turned in a shop and sneezed directly into her face, after a few hours the lady was unable to leave her cabin for days, this couple are retired high spending Princess cruisers, however they have no interest in booking anymore cruises.

Please use a handkerchief, and show consideration to others

.

Do people still use handkerchiefs? I thought it was better to cough or sneeze in the shoulder of your sleeve so as not to get it on your hands? Unfortunately, I have l seen people on recent cruises coughing in their hands.

[cementhands]

The beaches can be very unhealthy but the lack of monitoring and information about it are a hidden hazard. Not to mention your exposure onshore. Multiple island tours are sure to increase your exposure. Not every government can monitor the many health issues. Not to mention the health issues onboard in hot tubs and pool. MDR is our choice for most meals. Eating ashore is rare in the Caribbean. Eating ashore in Europe is excellent 

[Trimone]

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10853820/coronavirus-passengers-cruise-ship-chinese-couple/

[Markanddonna]

2 minutes ago, Trimone said:

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10853820/coronavirus-passengers-cruise-ship-chinese-couple/

The coronavirus  situation will change dramatically today with this news. I can see a declaration being made very soon. So, all the people who are telling others their fears lead to irrational paranoia don't understand the situation and implications.

[luv2kroooz]

19 minutes ago, Markanddonna said:

The coronavirus  situation will change dramatically today with this news. I can see a declaration being made very soon. So, all the people who are telling others their fears lead to irrational paranoia don't understand the situation and implications.

Correct. I hope this turns out to be false. But, in my opinion, it is very careless for these cruise lines to continue operating cruises in or around this area during this time. They could be subjecting their passengers and crew unnecessarily to this terrible virus and contributing to it's spreading. This is why airports and schools are being closed.

 

Yes, I'm talking about NCL but it is not just NCL. There are others that are being just as reckless and careless and it is very sad.

[ziggyuk]

IMHO China have to be commended on the handling of this, I could not imagine many other countries taking such decisive actions so quickly, neither can I imagine many other countries citizens being as accepting of such restricting actions.

[GA Dave]

17 minutes ago, blcruising said:

Correct. I hope this turns out to be false. But, in my opinion, it is very careless for these cruise lines to continue operating cruises in or around this area during this time. They could be subjecting their passengers and crew unnecessarily to this terrible virus and contributing to it's spreading. This is why airports and schools are being closed.

 

Yes, I'm talking about NCL but it is not just NCL. There are others that are being just as reckless and careless and it is very sad.

If you read through the whole article, this ship was no where near China:

"The towering 185,000 tonne vessel, believed to be carrying about 6000 passengers and 1000 crew had previously spent the night docked in Palma, Majorca. The Italian owned ship has also stopped in Marseille and Barcelona."

The problem is that the couple that is sick came from Hong Kong.  NCL has already issued bans to people who have been to China in the last 30 days:

Dear Valued Guest,

Due to the growing concern regarding coronavirus infections in China, we will be denying boarding to any guest who has visited mainland China in the last 30 days. These guests will receive a refund for their cruise provided they provide proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar. Please note that mainland China does not include Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.

In addition, we are implementing non-touch temperature screenings for all passengers embarking in Hong Kong. Any guest who registers a body temperature of 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius or higher, will not be allowed to board. These guests will be advised to open a travel insurance claim with their insurance provider. 

Please know that the safety, security and well-being of our guests and crew is our number one priority. We truly appreciate your understanding and thank you for your diligence and assistance in helping to ensure all our guests and crew remain in good health. We also thank you for your continued loyalty. For questions regarding the coronavirus, please visit the website for the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

To begin the refund process, please submit your proof of travel in the form of airline tickets or similar, along with your cruise reservation number to guestrelations@ncl.com.

 

Unfortunately, in this case, the couple is from Hong Kong, but could very well have traveled in China in the last 30 days.  Only if people are honest will this type pf guidance work.

Edited January 30, 2020 by GA Dave

[FLConnie]

This is what is frightening.  Being stranded somewhere and not being able to leave because of others being affected.  And if you do get sick, dealing with the heath care in a foreign country.  Our cruise isn't until April, but when one is taking a month off work and making arrangements, you do start to consider the options now.  

[luv2kroooz]

16 minutes ago, GA Dave said:

The problem is that the couple that is sick came from Hong Kong.  NCL has already issued bans to people who have been to China in the last 30 days

The problem is that NCL chose to operate a cruise on NCL Jade which embarked in Hong Kong earlier today. I think that it is safe to assume that many passengers traveled in, around or through Hong Kong to embark the ship. They also may have traveled in, around or through China to get to Hong Kong. Careless and reckless.

[Markanddonna]

The cruise line with thousands of stranded passengers is Costa and their ship is off the coast of Italy in Civitavecchia, NOT China.  This news clearly shows the implications as the infected passenger is from China. I was on a large cruise ship sailing from Rome in November and another in December. The largest one had 2,000 passengers from China!  I know that because we were first seated at the 5:30 early dining time and the entire MDR was Chinese.  This was not just my observation; the maitre'd  told me that 1/3 of the passengers were from mainland China.  Personally, I know many lovely  Chinese people and international students, having worked with them in the US. I feel very bad for them, but this isn't about feelings but about a possible pandemic. 

 

I just received this email from InsureMyTrip:

Travel Insurance Alert: Novel Coronavirus The coronavirus outbreak in China is continuing to disrupt travelers’ plans with the U.S. State Department and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issuing travel advisories for potential visitors. The situation is continuing to evolve and travelers are encouraged to stay informed of ongoing developments by monitoring alerts from the State Department, the CDC, and U.S. Embassies. When it comes to public health threats, travelers are also advised to check their insurance policies as benefits may apply in the following scenarios:   ·         Trip Cancellation: a traveler gets ill and must cancel a trip or a traveler must cancel a trip because a travel companion or family member gets ill.   ·         Emergency Medical Coverage: a sick traveler must see a doctor and/or go to the hospital during a trip.   ·         Emergency Medical Evacuation Coverage: in rare cases, a sick traveler requires an emergency medical evacuation to the nearest appropriate hospital or back home for recuperation.    ·         Trip Interruption: an extremely sick traveler cannot continue with a trip and must return home.

In the event a person is afraid to travel due to health risks, consider a travel insurance policy with the optional time-sensitive Cancel For Any Reason (CFAR) included.

Edited January 30, 2020 by Markanddonna

[ppcox]

On 1/28/2020 at 4:47 PM, Farts said:

1/3 of patients with coronavirus ends up with ARDS, which often requires intubation on the ventillator. Ouch. 

 

to equate the two is minimizing the deadliness of the coronavirus. 

 

I wouldn't get so high and mighty. 99% of cruise passengers have low medical literacy. I have seen tons of ugly situations with all sorts of passengers.

 

Also 99% of people don't wash their hands after touching the spoons to scoop their food onto their plate from the buffet. There are so many germs from hundreds of people using the same utensils to scoop food onto their plate even if they washed their hands before entering the buffet. 

The germs on the utensils come from people eating off there plates in the line and after putting food into their mouths with there hands they then pickup the utensils and leave their germs on them. 

Its my pet hate and the reason why I don't go to the buffet anymore seriously people cant be that hungry they can’t wait to sit down to eat!

[ColeThornton]

Putting things in perspective, Americans should worry more about flu.

 

" For most Americans, the risk of getting sick or dying from influenza is much greater than the risk from coronavirus. Already during this flu season, about 15 million Americans have been infected and more than 8,000 have died. Worldwide, flu kills about 650,000 people every year. "

 

Here's a pretty good read:

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/for-now-the-flu-is-a-bigger-risk-than-coronavirus-2020-01-30?mod=home-page

[Farts]

19 minutes ago, ColeThornton said:

Putting things in perspective, Americans should worry more about flu.

 

" For most Americans, the risk of getting sick or dying from influenza is much greater than the risk from coronavirus. Already during this flu season, about 15 million Americans have been infected and more than 8,000 have died. Worldwide, flu kills about 650,000 people every year. "

 

Here's a pretty good read:

 

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/for-now-the-flu-is-a-bigger-risk-than-coronavirus-2020-01-30?mod=home-page

It sounds like the mortality rate is lower on the flu compared to the corona virus.

 

But I agree that americans are more likely to get the flu than corona virus (right now) 

[desibee]

5 minutes ago, Farts said:

It sounds like the mortality rate is lower on the flu compared to the corona virus.

 

But I agree that americans are more likely to get the flu than corona virus (right now) 

 

We don't know the mortality rate of the coronavirus yet though, it hasn't been around nearly long enough to tell.  What we DO know is that those people who've actually died has either been old, had an illness already like kidney disease.  I'll panic when young healthy people start dying.  Until then, it's just another SARS (only with a longer incubation period).  Even the W.H.O. isn't actually recommending restrictions on travel, just that countries cooperate in efforts to limit the outbreak (and presumably work on a vaccine).

[desibee]

2 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

 

Can't you just leave it with your constant naysaying, you may well be completely safe in North America right now and flu might be a greater danger to you but there are people here who have plans to travel to Asia, people on cruises in the region.

 

It's not all about you.... people are trying to get answers and advice, we have heard your same old line now enough!

 

 

If you have plans to travel to Asia, here's my advice: 1) avoid mainland China,  2) don't be old or sick to begin with, 3) if you are old and sick then stay home, 4)  if you're young and healthy wash your hands, stop touching your face, and get on with your life.

 

This is all common sense stuff. 

[ellenw]

4 hours ago, ppcox said:

The germs on the utensils come from people eating off there plates in the line and after putting food into their mouths with there hands they then pickup the utensils and leave their germs on them. 

Its my pet hate and the reason why I don't go to the buffet anymore seriously people cant be that hungry they can’t wait to sit down to eat!

My pet peeve! I have asked for new utensils in the buffet because of this. 

[Farts]

On 1/30/2020 at 4:11 PM, desibee said:

 

We don't know the mortality rate of the coronavirus yet though, it hasn't been around nearly long enough to tell.  What we DO know is that those people who've actually died has either been old, had an illness already like kidney disease.  I'll panic when young healthy people start dying.  Until then, it's just another SARS (only with a longer incubation period).  Even the W.H.O. isn't actually recommending restrictions on travel, just that countries cooperate in efforts to limit the outbreak (and presumably work on a vaccine).

You panicking yet?

[desibee]

1 hour ago, Farts said:

You panicking yet?

Still a grand total of two deaths outside of mainland China, neither of them young and healthy people.

 

 

So, no.  Not panicking yet.

[Farts]

17 hours ago, desibee said:

Still a grand total of two deaths outside of mainland China, neither of them young and healthy people.

 

 

So, no.  Not panicking yet.

https://abcnews.go.com/International/death-doctor-blew-whistle-coronavirus-sparks-outrage-china/story?id=68824245

 

 Dr. Li Wenliang, 34 yo previously healthy man, was one of the original whistle blowers and he died. 

 

You panicking yet?

[GA Dave]

16 minutes ago, Farts said:

https://abcnews.go.com/International/death-doctor-blew-whistle-coronavirus-sparks-outrage-china/story?id=68824245

 

 Dr. Li Wenliang, 34 yo previously healthy man, was one of the original whistle blowers and he died. 

 

You panicking yet?

Current # of people with coronavirus worldwide = 42,957

Current world population = 7,763,721,200

% of people with coronavirus = .0005533 %