Ships & Flu

[brucory]

YES from here too...

 

:D:D:D

[tomc]

Yes and Yes (I do b2b cruises, so that takes care of both segments).

 

I lived thru the Alligator Flu in '58 (that one had teeth in it) and the Cow Flu of '64 (turned your skin milky white). I said I'd stop cruising when swine flew.

[Cruisin'Lady]

I am in the YES catagory too!

If I thought it was unsafe to travel at this time then I wouldn't book a cruise. However I am not sure whether this is a pandemic or not...the whole thing is that its more likely I get the 'swine' flu from going to the store than on a cruiseship.

I looked up statistics for death of the swine flu and found this link interesting

http://www.flucount.org/

I looked up statistics of deaths of the norovirus and amazingly enough there was nothing current that I could find and even then it was all speculation. One site (don't remember the name) quoted that on cruiseships there was only like .05 percent of people comming down with the norovirus on cruiseships and considering there were serveral hundred of thousands (if not over a million) of people who cruised that year...that is not too bad of a %. I wish I would have saved that article for you to read too...:(

[Cruisin'Lady]

Yes and Yes (I do b2b cruises, so that takes care of both segments).

 

I lived thru the Alligator Flu in '58 (that one had teeth in it) and the Cow Flu of '64 (turned your skin milky white). I said I'd stop cruising when swine flew.

 

OMgosh that is too funny!!!...hahahaha!

[Rainbow Bridge]

We both have medical problems that put us high on the list of people who could be most affected by the swine flu - and we still are going on our next cruise leaving Greenwich on Sept. 6. We will try to minimize our exposure (no crowds, trains, buses, etc.) and we have seats in the front row of the plane......and probably will not be staying in London for the few days we'll be in England before the cruise.

 

Life is short and we live each day as if it might be our last - I never want to say that we sorry we didn't do whatever!

 

G & H.

[mancunian]

On ships that have had swine flu it is mainly crew affected - the total opposite to norovirus. This does bear out that it is younger people who are mainly affected this time. On a board in England someone said they had read that this flu is similar to the very bad outbreak in the 1950's and that the older half of the population who had flu then had an immunity. I have not seen this anywhere else and it might be pie in the sky, but equally there could be some truth in it.

 

We are cruising on the Prinsendam on 23 August and to be honest I have not really given swine flu much thought at all just a mental note to stock up on flu remedies/paracetamol. Don't know what they are doing elsewhere but here a lot of people are given Tamiflu when they start the illness and I am very doubtful about this - not enough known - and it also can have side effects of sickness etc. If we are unfortunate enough to catch it we will report it to the ship's doctor, stay isolated, but unless we are very ill will stick with the usual flu remedies. Most cases seem like a mild ordinary type flu anyway.

 

I must admit I ticked the last option without much thought because we too are of the would sail frame of mind, and in practice am also suspicious of this new vaccine as well.

[jtl513]

... and considering there were serveral hundred of thousands (if not over a million) of people who cruised that year...

I don't know the number either' date=' but it has to be million[b']s[/b]. HAL alone has almost 21,000 passenger berths at 100% capacity, so that's about 1 million per year right there. And that number doesn't include any crew.

[suse]

My point was that I don't believe this swine flu pandemic is media-induced and I would certainly stay away from crowds infected with it. It remains to be seen how serious this becomes this fall. It has had devastating effects on those impacted by it.

[Carolapf]

Here is a report that might put the older cruisers at rest:

Dr. Neil Rau, reviews the emerging theories about how swine flu operates:

"there are still few published studies of this virus, but based on observations in North America, Europe, and now parts of the southern hemisphere, it appears that those over 50 rarely experience severe illness from this virus."

"Tests by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that those over 50 pre-existing antibodies that protected them against swine flu, with those over the age of 60 showing the highest levels of antibodies"

[world~citizen]

Dear Susie, I'm not quite as ill-informed as you might think. Yes, there are cases of H1N1 at various locations around the world, but so are there cases of other communicable diseases i.e. norovirus. I said I believed it was a media-induced pandemic in that the media reports always seem to be sensationalizing the severity of the cases. In the grand scheme of things there have been relatively few deaths attributed to the H1N1 virus. There are far more people dying in automobile accidents on a daily basis than from the H1N1, and yet they haven't suggested it's an automotive death pandemic and implemented a ban on driving.

 

" Kind of fiction and all that and the earth is not really round did you know that?" I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

No, it is a genuine, virus driven, no respecter borders influenza. I think you would be less likely to advance your position if you were currently living in the UK.

 

The people who are paid to worry about these things are genuinely worried. Influenza presents in waves, and the most dangerous influenza's in history started relatively mildly, then became more virulent. This flu is spreading quickly, and has taken lives in some unusual age groups.

 

No one has a crystal ball and can tell you how this one will turn out. The potential for this flu to get out of hand is truly there. The WHO and world governments have contingency plans which kick-in when an outbreak reaches a certain threshold (as this one did). The idea is to take measures before a disaster strikes rather than after, it is not an exact science.

 

You know, there could be any number of false alarms before a truly uncontrollable and lethal virus strikes. If God forbid it does, it will be the guys in the CDC and WHO who will be at the centre of the storm. They hope for the best but prepare for the worst, and the average citizen would not have it any other way.

 

Nothing you have said is cause to treat this outbreak cavalierly.

 

Smooth sailing to you...

[ger_77]

World-Citizen, I just checked the world flu stats that a previous poster gave the link to and we're not all that different in Canada than you are in the U.K. You have 11,864 confirmed cases with 31 deaths, while we have 11,428 confirmed cases with 58 deaths. There certainly isn't much happening in Canada other than some behind the scenes work by the Emergency Measures Organizations on what to do if there is a pandemic. I realize it doesn not respect borders, but then what virus does? My point is that the media has to have something to report or they'd be out of business, so they are making big news about something relatively minor at this stage.

 

We'll cross the bridge if/when we get to it.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

[world~citizen]

World-Citizen, I just checked the world flu stats that a previous poster gave the link to and we're not all that different in Canada than you are in the U.K. You have 11,864 confirmed cases with 31 deaths, while we have 11,428 confirmed cases with 58 deaths. There certainly isn't much happening in Canada other than some behind the scenes work by the Emergency Measures Organizations on what to do if there is a pandemic. I realize it doesn not respect borders, but then what virus does? My point is that the media has to have something to report or they'd be out of business, so they are making big news about something relatively minor at this stage.

 

We'll cross the bridge if/when we get to it.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

I am not in the UK but this link will give you an idea of what has been going on there:

 

http://www.nursinginpractice.com/default.asp?title=UKswineflu%22mayhaveplateaued%22&page=article.display&article.id=17933

 

A global pandemic has less to do with what is going on in any specific country but what is going on world-wide. It is what has been going on globally that has triggered the WHO response. Countries have their own set of preprogramed responses based on WHO (or CDC) guidelines, and the threshold for these responses has been met.

 

We don't yet know we are out of the woods on this one. The virus doesn't appear to have become more virulent, but that was something no one could know. As has been stated, none of this is an exact science.

 

Given the nature of the public releases from WHO and CDC, the media was pretty much a fair broker. WHO and CDC and organizations like them were/are truly bracing for the worst - and communicated as much. We may yet have cause to be thankful for accelerated vaccine production etc. which has been triggered in this heightened state of alert.

 

Once kids go back to school and the regular flu season hits, things may become more clear.

 

We want to cruise this February so I, like everyone else, am hoping for the best. Not to mention the prospects of facing a killer bug is in itself, something less appealing.

 

Smooth sailing to you...

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm with everyone else .... where the heck is the answer "yes"? And as of this moment there is no H1N1 flu shot so getting it would be tricky. Even when it is developed, only high risk will get it initially so unless you're pregnant, a health care worker or under 30 (in that order) good luck with that:)

 

I get sick everytime I cruise and it still hasn't stopped me. It's a closed environment, someone gets sick, they pass it around ... no biggie. It's actually the only time I get sick so lucky I don't travel more.

 

I would be the last person to ever try to change anyone's mind about much of anything on this board because it's not possible, but WOW!!! Driven by the media and the pharmaceutical industry? Okay ....

 

This is what's definitely true and I agree ... the media hype a lot of things because the public loves to be hyped, I'm convinced people love the panic mode. But it's a stretch to say this flu doesn't exist when there are people all over the world with the swine flu, no question. And while some are saying it's not a pandemic, the WHO has called it that. Maybe they're in on the conspiracy.

 

And I don't know about other countries, but the media here talked about this virus more before it was an issue at all. But now there are so many more important things to talk about ... like what kind of beer some people drink:rolleyes:.

 

But just to be safe I think everyone should just stay in their houses and not go out .... don't go to the theatre, don't go to the grocery store, don't go to any public place especially if there's a door handle involved, and most especially stay away from the restrooms!

 

Then I'll have the ship all to myself and my friends ... like a private yacht:D.

[mancunian]

I am from the UK and whilst we are the highest figure in European countries I think GER77 has a point about the media. The figures in England shot up when the phone in for Tamiflu drug came on line. A lot of people thought they would stockpile for their holidays. In the North of England there was suddenly an announcement on TV that two towns - one of them the one I live in had the highest number of new cases. Now I am not a statistician but I thought it odd if that was so that my family and friends could not name a single person we knew with it. Then came another announcement that in the town I live that only about 1 in 10 of the cases going online was actually swineflu.

 

I think we need to be informed but I think the constant hype by the media causes panic. Today it says that the first vaccines are due to arrive and gives a list of the people likely to get a dose. On the long list it gave the healthy over 65's as being the very last as we are not considered at risk. I was somewhat relieved about that as not convinced this vaccine has been tested sufficiently. However, by the time you had ploughed to the end of this very long article it said that the Dept of Health had not yet actually decided who would be on each of the lists. I rest my case.

[world~citizen]

I rest my case.

 

Respectfully, I am unsure as to what your case is.

 

Smooth sailing to you...

[world~citizen]

I'm with everyone else .... where the heck is the answer "yes"? And as of this moment there is no H1N1 flu shot so getting it would be tricky. Even when it is developed, only high risk will get it initially so unless you're pregnant, a health care worker or under 30 (in that order) good luck with that:)

 

I get sick everytime I cruise and it still hasn't stopped me. It's a closed environment, someone gets sick, they pass it around ... no biggie. It's actually the only time I get sick so lucky I don't travel more.

 

I would be the last person to ever try to change anyone's mind about much of anything on this board because it's not possible, but WOW!!! Driven by the media and the pharmaceutical industry? Okay ....

 

This is what's definitely true and I agree ... the media hype a lot of things because the public loves to be hyped, I'm convinced people love the panic mode. But it's a stretch to say this flu doesn't exist when there are people all over the world with the swine flu, no question. And while some are saying it's not a pandemic, the WHO has called it that. Maybe they're in on the conspiracy.

 

And I don't know about other countries, but the media here talked about this virus more before it was an issue at all. But now there are so many more important things to talk about ... like what kind of beer some people drink:rolleyes:.

 

But just to be safe I think everyone should just stay in their houses and not go out .... don't go to the theatre, don't go to the grocery store, don't go to any public place especially if there's a door handle involved, and most especially stay away from the restrooms!

 

Then I'll have the ship all to myself and my friends ... like a private yacht:D.

 

Your posts are thoughtful so I don't believe you believe in a WHO conspiracy. Enough said there.

 

It is not just about me or you or any passenger getting sick on a cruise. A ship can be quarantined or immigration could deny landing at one or another port under a variety of conditions. Vacation plans could be upset.

 

My own view is that it is 70-30 things will settle down on this one. What lesson will we take away from all this?

 

On the basis of past experience, epidemiologists want us to be very careful about H!N1. They are very wary of it. Medicine is not an exact science. Do we believe we know enough about their job to declare improper judgement on their part?

 

On the basis of this experience, are we going to say the WHO and CDC is crying wolf this, the next and every time we go up to level 6?

 

H1N1 may or may not turn into something really nasty, but in all honesty, I don't know what else health officials could be doing.

 

So the media hypes things, what else is new. Don't let that stop anyone from trying to understand the issues despite the 6 o'clock news.

 

Smooth sailing...

[cruiseing marly]

I also would have piked yes if it were an option!!

[peaches from georgia]

I really don't understand the reluctance to at least acknowledge that calling H1N1 a pandemic is not something that WHO and CBC would do lightly or without worldwide evidence. Yes, the media hypes everything, but to discount the concern for the expected virulence of this virus in the coming months is putting one's head in the sand. So far it is taking the same course of mutating and strengthening that other flu viruses that killed millions have taken worldwide on several occasions in the past. They are rushing to develop a vaccine to be available by the fall, so to say this is all a plot by the pharmaceutical industy to sell 'stockpiled' vaccine just is not true.

 

I don't think there is reason for panic now and will make judgements in the future for what I and my family should do based on WHO and CDC pronouncements, not CNN or Fox. But to lightly say this virus is exaggerated and is nothing serious is against all evidence. The choir director and one of the youth at my church came down with it this week, btw, and that it is H1N1has been confirmed by CDC. It is nothing like a 3 day gastrointestinal Noro.

[hammybee]

Count me as another who would cruise, regardless.

[Taxguy77]

Yes - and why do you have an apostrophe in ship's? More than one ship is spelled ships.

 

I thought OP was refering to one ship. Why would you not sail on another ship of the same line.:confused: After all, most of the ships/lines are one company.:eek:

[Taxguy77]

WHO predicted disaster when the flu started several months ago, and the media blew it up; cruise ships stopped calling at Mexican ports that have never had it. Now they say it will come back a lot more deadly in six months, panic!:eek:

Last year they said EVERYBODY needed a flu shot! Later they said," flu is mild this year, and by the way it's mostly strains the shot didn't protect you from.:confused::(

I know little about medicine, and suspect the "Gov't experts" don't know a whole lot more.:rolleyes:

[world~citizen]

WHO predicted disaster when the flu started several months ago, and the media blew it up; cruise ships stopped calling at Mexican ports that have never had it. Now they say it will come back a lot more deadly in six months, panic!:eek:

Last year they said EVERYBODY needed a flu shot! Later they said," flu is mild this year, and by the way it's mostly strains the shot didn't protect you from.:confused::(

I know little about medicine, and suspect the "Gov't experts" don't know a whole lot more.:rolleyes:

 

Yes, its all those stupid government experts.:rolleyes:

[HeatherInFlorida]

Your posts are thoughtful so I don't believe you believe in a WHO conspiracy. Enough said there.

 

.............

 

You are absolutely right. I don't suspect any conspiracy at all. I was being extremely sarcastic, but forgot to put in the little face:).

[Susie51]

Count me as a "yes."

[YeaYeaYea]

Dear Susie, I'm not quite as ill-informed as you might think. Yes, there are cases of H1N1 at various locations around the world, but so are there cases of other communicable diseases i.e. norovirus. I said I believed it was a media-induced pandemic in that the media reports always seem to be sensationalizing the severity of the cases. In the grand scheme of things there have been relatively few deaths attributed to the H1N1 virus. There are far more people dying in automobile accidents on a daily basis than from the H1N1, and yet they haven't suggested it's an automotive death pandemic and implemented a ban on driving.

 

" Kind of fiction and all that and the earth is not really round did you know that?" I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.

 

Smooth Sailing! :):):)

 

3 people died last week in my county from swine flu..............its real

 

when is the last time someone died from noro?????????