Nov 19, 2015
In another episode of 60-Second Cruise Tips, Gary Bembridge, author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook", "Essential Cruise Tips" and "River Cruising Essential Tips and Tricks" shares another cruise tip. This time it is:
Avoiding Norovirus
This is a form of gastrointestinal illness which usually causes
nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. People with it can also have
headaches, fever and stomach cramps. It is also common on land with
up to one in thirty people suffering it every year. As it is
contagious, and spreads easily through touch, it tends to get a lot
of publicity and coverage when it breaks out on a ship. It spreads
fast when passengers are not disciplined about hand washing and
sterilising, and so lines suggest strict cleansing habits.
Cruise lines take many steps to prevent an outbreak which include
having passengers sign a declaration that they have not suffered
from vomiting or diarrhea for 48 hours before boarding, asking them
to wash their hands frequently with soap and water, and to use the
alcohol gel available around the ship and by regular sanitizing of
handrails, elevator buttons, and other equipment handled frequently
by passengers. These steps ensure it is unusual to come across the
problem while cruising. I, for example, have only encountered two
outbreaks on a ship in the last decade and was not affected by
following the advice to avoid it.
Take care, follow the advice and wash your hands with soap and
water properly (one tip is to sing “happy Birthday”to yourself
while doing it as that take the right amount of time required).
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