Reveiws





Preventive Health for Cruise Ship Travelers

Due to multiple port visits and potential exposures, cruise ship travelers may be uncertain about which prevention medications, immunizations and behaviors are appropriate for them and for their itineraries. In general, travelers should inform the cruise line of special medical needs, such as wheelchair access, oxygen tank, dialysis, etc, in advance of travel. Adequate medical insurance coverage for receiving health care overseas and medical evacuation should be ensured. Four to six weeks before travel, cruise travelers should consult a health-care provider who can give guidance on appropriate chemoprophylaxis, immunizations, and health behaviors based on a complete review of the health status of the traveler, duration of travel, countries to be visited, and shoreside activities. Clinicians should provide travelers with

1) destination-specific recommended and required vaccines (e.g., yellow fever), as well as prevention medication (e.g. malaria chemoprophylaxis) if needed;
2) routinely recommended age- and medical condition-specific immunizations, such as MMR and influenza vaccines, if not up to-date;
3) appropriate options for motion sickness based on the individual’s medical history and current medications and
4) a written summary of their medical history, including pertinent diagnostic data such as EKG and chest x-ray, to facilitate overseas medical care, should it be required. Among cruise ship passengers and crew members, risk of exposure to infectious diseases is difficult to quantify because of the broad spectrum of cruise ship experiences and limited data. Travelers should be given guidance on good health habits and disease prevention practices during travel including adequate

1) hand hygiene (i.e., washing hands for at least 20 seconds with soap and water) or if soap and water are unavailable, using an alcohol-based product containing more than 60% alcohol
2) respiratory hygiene such as using tissue to cover coughs and sneezes;
3) food and water intake precautions (i.e., eating foods that are thoroughly cooked and of appropriate temperate); and
4) mosquito prevention (i.e., using DEET-containing repellents, bed nets, and clothing that provides more coverage over exposed areas of the body. Health-care providers can contribute to healthy environments on cruise ships by questioning ill returned travelers about recent cruise vacations and promptly reporting any suspected communicable disease to public health authorities.

 


Handwashing on Cruise Ships

To stay clean and healthy, wash your hands with warm water and soap.


When to wash your hands:

Before:

• Touching your hand to your mouth including:
  o Eating and drinking,
o Smoking,
o Brushing your teeth,
• Helping a sick person.

After:

• Going to the bathroom,
• Changing diapers,
• Touching high-hand contact surfaces, such as:
  o Door knobs,
o Elevator buttons,
o Railings,

• Returning to your cabin,
• Helping a sick person, and
• Blowing your nose.

How to wash your hands:

1. Wet your hands with warm water.
2. Apply a generous amount of soap.
3. Rub hands together for 20 seconds.
4. Rinse hands.
5. Dry hands with paper towel.
6. Use paper towel to turn off the faucet and open the door.

What about alcohol-based hand sanitizers?

• CDC recommends that cruise ship passengers use warm water and soap to wash their hands. Washing is always best.
• If water and soap are NOT available (perhaps on excursions), use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 62% ethanol based hand-sanitizer, preferably in a gel form.





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