The End of OPP Level 2 . . . For Now

March 4, 2012

Norovirus is easy to contract but very hard to get rid of. This pesky little bugger can cling to any surface and is easily transmitted by simple touch. With the number of times that the average person touches their face in an hour’s time, the chance to self-infected after having touched something else is remarkably high. There is a rule on board that you should use handrails when walking up and down the stairs, especially at sea. But most of the crew believe it is safer not to use the handrails at the cost of perhaps falling down the stairs than it is to contracting norovirus.

So, when our ship was infected it was full blown war, a war we had to win. Immediately we enforced Level 2 protocols. Hand washing entering AND leaving the mess or any public venue. No self serve in either the guest buffet in Ocean View or in the Crew Mess. Continuous sanitation, including our offices several times a day. Every possible case of norovirus including any diarrhea, vomiting, or nausea had to be reported leading to immediate isolation. And on Turnaround in New Jersey, we performed a full ship sanitization, top to bottom . . . twice. This sanitation ‘barrier’ was so complete that the US Public Health service officials who were onboard to review our processes said that what we completed should not only be the standard for the fleet, but for the entire cruise industry.

But did it work? The numbers on our next twelve day cruise immediate decreased, at least among guests. From almost 200 infected on the previous cruise, the last cruise dropped to only 46 cases out of 2900 guests. But the crew numbers actually increased from 11 to 12 during the course of the cruise. Great progress, but Level 2 stayed in effect. The next cruise began with a slightly more limited sanitation barrier and all other protocols still in effect. This led to even better totals 12 guests and only 5 crew, well within acceptable limits. But did we come off of Level 2. Nope. The Captain and Staff Captain decided that we would go three more days of the new cruise to see if we had any increased outbreak.

Three days later we inched slowly back to Level 1. We held our breath and continued for the most part to ‘stay clean.’ When the cruise ended we were able to declare victory. Only three guests and one crew member had reported any form of gastrointestinal illness on our last cruise. So, we had won this battle. But the war continues, for without proper care, it can return at any time.

And this is a battle we don’t really want to fight again any time soon.

And the adventure continues . . .