Hand Sanitizer and NoroVirus

[Bonnie1222]

Has anyone heard of or found a hand sanitizer (or wipe) that is effective against Norovirus? I swore in the past I heard there was one before the shutdown, but when I search the internet all I have found it that hand sanitizers do not kill Norovirus, but wash your hands with soap and use bleach for surfaces.

For the last few years my husband and I have carried small bottles of hand sanitizer with us and will wash before a meal, and if we touch things like the serving utensils on the buffet or the salt and pepper on the table we sanitize. This is anywhere we go to eat, not just on a cruise. We have never had an issue, but thought after hearing about a recent outbreak that if there was one that also covered norovirus it would be worth getting that to carry.

Thanks

 

[Peaseblossom36]

Has anyone heard of or found a hand sanitizer (or wipe) that is effective against Norovirus? I swore in the past I heard there was one before the shutdown, but when I search the internet all I have found it that hand sanitizers do not kill Norovirus, but wash your hands with soap and use bleach for surfaces.

For the last few years my husband and I have carried small bottles of hand sanitizer with us and will wash before a meal, and if we touch things like the serving utensils on the buffet or the salt and pepper on the table we sanitize. This is anywhere we go to eat, not just on a cruise. We have never had an issue, but thought after hearing about a recent outbreak that if there was one that also covered norovirus it would be worth getting that to carry.

Thanks

I don't think there is one. When we cruised we would wash before getting food and then take turns going back to wash again before eating. I've had noro (caught it at work) and was terrified to catch it again so washed hands a ton.

 

[Mango7100]

Germstar One. It was previously called Noro and was developed specifically for cruise lines. Based on the company website and different cruise sites, the guy who helped develop it is an expert on Noro viruses, and they found hand sanitizers don’t kill Noro due to their use of different emollients and gels. They can no longer call it Noro because the FDA does not allow specific viral claims on hand sanitizers (thats why Purcell and germ x and such say they kill 99.9% of germs instead of viruses). It’s pricey but that’s what we bring on trips. I like that it’s not sticky on your hands. Washing hands is best, but we use it after we touch menus, etc.

Regular Lysol and Clorox wipes also don’t kill it, but Clorox hydrogen peroxide healthcare wipes do.

 

[Bonnie1222]

Germstar One. It was previously called Noro and was developed specifically for cruise lines. Based on the company website and different cruise sites, the guy who helped develop it is an expert on Noro viruses, and they found hand sanitizers don’t kill Noro due to their use of different emollients and gels. They can no longer call it Noro because the FDA does not allow specific viral claims on hand sanitizers (thats why Purcell and germ x and such say they kill 99.9% of germs instead of viruses). It’s pricey but that’s what we bring on trips. I like that it’s not sticky on your hands. Washing hands is best, but we use it after we touch menus, etc.

Regular Lysol and Clorox wipes also don’t kill it, but Clorox hydrogen peroxide healthcare wipes do.

Thank you - that is probably why I couldn't find it. I will search these both out.

 

[Bonnie1222]

I don't think there is one. When we cruised we would wash before getting food and then take turns going back to wash again before eating. I've had noro (caught it at work) and was terrified to catch it again so washed hands a ton.

We did very similar with the washing - one goes up gets food then washes again, then the other one goes plus the hand sanitizer.

Usually one of us gets off the Disney cruise with a cold, unfortunately the last 3 times it was me. We sailed on NCL and neither of us got sick.

 

[nw6675]

Norovirus is the sickest I've ever been and hospitalized my DH and grandmother. Awful. Awful. Awful.

When we cruised my hands peeled from how much cleaner they used on the handrails and banisters. I was glad for it though!

I don't blame you for being vigilent!! I hope you can get what you're looking for.

 

[fla4fun]

Wet Ones wipes. The key ingredient is the benzalkonium chloride. I was at WDW during a particularly virulent norovirus outbreak, used a wipe right before eating or drinking anything, and I did not get sick. The outbreak was so bad that there were constantly piles of soiled linens in the hallways because housekeeping couldn’t keep up (I was at the YC). I have used Wet Ones for years and never caught norovirus, but it does require discipline. One time of not washing your hands and you may get sick.

If only there was a similar solution for airborne germs . . .

 

[Bonnie1222]

Wet Ones wipes. The key ingredient is the benzalkonium chloride. I was at WDW during a particularly virulent norovirus outbreak, used a wipe right before eating or drinking anything, and I did not get sick. The outbreak was so bad that there were constantly piles of soiled linens in the hallways because housekeeping couldn’t keep up (I was at the YC). I have used Wet Ones for years and never caught norovirus, but it does require discipline. One time of not washing your hands and you may get sick.

If only there was a similar solution for airborne germs . . .

Wow when was that? I live near WDW and never heard about it. Scary

 

[fla4fun]

Wow when was that? I live near WDW and never heard about it. Scary

I don’t recall the exact dates, but it was less than ten years ago. I want to say maybe 2016 or 2017. I didn’t know about the outbreak before I checked in, but it was horrible. People were losing their lunch all over the parks and resorts. Housekeeping and janitorial CMs had my sympathy.

ETA I went back through my posts and I mentioned this same outbreak in a post in 2013. It had to be after 2011, because it was after my parents passed away, but it may have been late 2011 or 2012. Time flies!

 

[LordVader]

Has anyone heard of or found a hand sanitizer (or wipe) that is effective against Norovirus? I swore in the past I heard there was one before the shutdown, but when I search the internet all I have found it that hand sanitizers do not kill Norovirus, but wash your hands with soap and use bleach for surfaces.

For the last few years my husband and I have carried small bottles of hand sanitizer with us and will wash before a meal, and if we touch things like the serving utensils on the buffet or the salt and pepper on the table we sanitize. This is anywhere we go to eat, not just on a cruise. We have never had an issue, but thought after hearing about a recent outbreak that if there was one that also covered norovirus it would be worth getting that to carry.

Thanks

My family and I are going on our first cruise in 3 weeks and I found this one

https://www.staples.com/purell-disi...4nynEl00IggsCiUI-KmnlP0aAoQEEALw_wcB&locupd=y

It says you don't have to wash hands after and it specifically mentions norovirus. After my wife, my kids and I all got noro from a restaurant, we're definitely extra cautious about touching things in high traffic areas.

 

[Bonnie1222]

My family and I are going on our first cruise in 3 weeks and I found this one

https://www.staples.com/purell-disinfecting-wipes-72-pack-9371-12/product_24572663?cid=PS:GS:SBDLA:CB&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhL6pBhDjARIsAGx8D5_3eai5fPSHy5hiiNBQGu0ZmaQ1j15V4nynEl00IggsCiUI-KmnlP0aAoQEEALw_wcB&locupd=y

It says you don't have to wash hands after and it specifically mentions norovirus. After my wife, my kids and I all got noro from a restaurant, we're definitely extra cautious about touching things in high traffic areas.

Thanks! I just used up my $5 reward money too and said to DH we should check the hand sanitizers and we forgot. I'll head over there before our next cruise.

Enjoy your trip.

 

[Flcruising]

Germstar One. It was previously called Noro and was developed specifically for cruise lines. Based on the company website and different cruise sites, the guy who helped develop it is an expert on Noro viruses, and they found hand sanitizers don’t kill Noro due to their use of different emollients and gels. They can no longer call it Noro because the FDA does not allow specific viral claims on hand sanitizers (thats why Purcell and germ x and such say they kill 99.9% of germs instead of viruses). It’s pricey but that’s what we bring on trips. I like that it’s not sticky on your hands. Washing hands is best, but we use it after we touch menus, etc.

Regular Lysol and Clorox wipes also don’t kill it, but Clorox hydrogen peroxide healthcare wipes do.

But the kill time is 2 minutes. How many people leave the solutions on
the surfaces for the time required. Different germs require different amounts of time before being wiped off.

 

[Mango7100]

But the kill time is 2 minutes. How many people leave the solutions on
the surfaces for the time required. Different germs require different amounts of time before being wiped off.

Absolutely. The correct contact time has to be adhered to, that’s true for any germicidal product. Clorox wipes state that surfaces have to visibly wet for 4 minutes to disinfect, but hardly anyone does that. If people don’t leave it on for the time that is deemed effective then it will not work as studied. Real world vs. lab

 

[pjacobi]

My understanding is that when stressed, the Noro Virus turns to a spore which is hard to kill. When conditions are favorable, the spore reactivates. Handwashing is needed to get rid of the spores.


-Paul