Coronavirus and hand washing, security checks

[ribflab]

I have an upcoming trip May 1. I visit Disneyworld at least three times a year and know the park very well. Certainly, it is kept very clean and that is one of the main reasons we love the park and continue to return several time a year from Texas. I am concerned that we are told the best measures against coronavirus are frequent hand washing. Is anyone else concerned that most bathrooms do not have hot water and that you barely get a trickle of water out of the spouts and it only lasts for a few seconds, not the 20 seconds that is recommended?

I am also worried about the secuirty checks. This has been a pet peeve of mine for quite awhile. When going through the bag check, they handle and unzip everything in your bag and go on to the next person. So, whatever germs they touch in one bag is passed along to the next bag. Has anyone heard of them changing this poilcy? If not, do you think if you bring a clear backpack or handbag that they will let you take it in without having to touch everything inside?

 

[Southernmiss]

Carry pocket hand sanitizer and spray hand sanitizer for surfaces

 

[wenrob]

I have an upcoming trip May 1. I visit Disneyworld at least three times a year and know the park very well. Certainly, it is kept very clean and that is one of the main reasons we love the park and continue to return several time a year from Texas. I am concerned that we are told the best measures against coronavirus are frequent hand washing. Is anyone else concerned that most bathrooms do not have hot water and that you barely get a trickle of water out of the spouts and it only lasts for a few seconds, not the 20 seconds that is recommended?

I am also worried about the secuirty checks. This has been a pet peeve of mine for quite awhile. When going through the bag check, they handle and unzip everything in your bag and go on to the next person. So, whatever germs they touch in one bag is passed along to the next bag. Has anyone heard of them changing this poilcy? If not, do you think if you bring a clear backpack or handbag that they will let you take it in without having to touch everything inside?

It’s not been my experience that they “handle everything.” If you have your bag all unzipped and open as requested the rooting around inside your bag is minimal. I put an organizer in my backpack and because of that they didn’t touch anything inside because they could see everything at a glance. (and they thought I was a genius to do that ) The policy is unzipped bags so I’m sure you’d have to unzip a clear one and even if you didn’t they’d be handling it more turning it this way and that to see what’s inside. As far as passing germs from one bag to another I’m not a scientist but it seems like the chances of that are pretty slim. My advice would be to not pile a bunch of stuff in your bag or don’t carry one at all if you’re that concerned about it.

We carry Wet Ones in the parks so no, not concerned about the cold water. I’m sure by May things will have calmed down and they’ll be obtainable again.

 

[SaintsManiac]

You don't need hot water and in my experience the faucets at WDW work just fine.

I put all of my things in Ziplock bags for security. Make sure everything is unzipped and ready to be checked.

WDW has also added hand sanitizer stations throughout the parks.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

I have an upcoming trip May 1. I visit Disneyworld at least three times a year and know the park very well. Certainly, it is kept very clean and that is one of the main reasons we love the park and continue to return several time a year from Texas. I am concerned that we are told the best measures against coronavirus are frequent hand washing. Is anyone else concerned that most bathrooms do not have hot water and that you barely get a trickle of water out of the spouts and it only lasts for a few seconds, not the 20 seconds that is recommended?

I am also worried about the secuirty checks. This has been a pet peeve of mine for quite awhile. When going through the bag check, they handle and unzip everything in your bag and go on to the next person. So, whatever germs they touch in one bag is passed along to the next bag. Has anyone heard of them changing this poilcy? If not, do you think if you bring a clear backpack or handbag that they will let you take it in without having to touch everything inside?

Despite the obvious “you’re getting exposed at least a hundred other ways” response....

I’ve always hated security check for this reason. One trip, I’m pretty sure the person in front of me had a fever and stomach virus. They were carrying a wet wash cloth and ziplock baggies and looked like death. I almost cried.
My solution is simply to go bagless whenever possible.
Tie your jacket around your waist if you really really need one.
water bottle and sanitizer clip on your belt loop
Phone in your pocket
I have a wrist wallet for cards / ID.
If you really need it, a small tube of sunscreen in your pocket
What else do you need unless you have babies / stroller? If so, I’m gonna go with the “you’re getting exposed plenty of different ways anyway response.

Hot water isn’t necessary. Do the best you can and follow up with hand sanitizer after drying hands. Don’t touch your face.

If you have kids, they are touching handrails, touching their faces, etc no matter what. Its so hard to control this stuff.

 

[Kirby]

I just watched a news clip that aired on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt that aired 16 hours ago. He was talking with Joseph Fair, virologist and epidemiologist who helped fight against Ebola. They were walking through New York streets, on the subway and in an office. It was very informative.

 

[NYCgrrl]

In the public bthrms, be sure to dry your hands using the hot air machines whenever possible.
Agreeing that bringing less stuff to the park will make it easier to get through security check.

 

[kiddo76]

You don't need the water running to scrub your hands with soap for 20 seconds.

I believe paper towels are more sanitary. Those blow dryers just blow germs everywhere.

 

[Wendy31]

In the public bthrms, be sure to dry your hands using the hot air machines whenever possible.
Agreeing that bringing less stuff to the park will make it easier to get through security check.

I think there was some Mythbusters episode that claimed the hot air dryer machines ended up spreading even more germs, as the blast of air blew bathroom germs around & in your face.

I never use the dryers. If that’s the only thing available to dry my hands, I just wipe them on my slacks and/or air dry.

But I’m also the person who gets a paper towel before I wash my hands & then uses the paper towel to turn off the faucet if it’s not automatic & then to open the door. I love restrooms w/ push doors & a wastebasket for my paper towel near the door!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I think there was some Mythbusters episode that claimed the hot air dryer machines ended up spreading even more germs, as the blast of air blew bathroom germs around & in your face.

I never use the dryers. If that’s the only thing available to dry my hands, I just wipe them on my slacks and/or air dry.

But I’m also the person who gets a paper towel before I wash my hands & then uses the paper towel to turn off the faucet if it’s not automatic & then to open the door. I love restrooms w/ push doors & a wastebasket for my paper towel near the door!

You taught me something new and I thank you!

Read this article:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-bacterial-horror-of-the-hot-air-hand-dryer-2018051113823
and this in part from the CDC:

The best way to get your hands really clean
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following:

• Use warm or cold water. Wet your hands, then turn off the tap, then apply soap.
• Lather well, washing the backs of your hands, between your fingers and beneath your nails.
• Wash for 20 seconds — about as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday.”
• Rinse well under clean, running water.
• Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry.

A last resort: hand sanitizers
Hand sanitizers are better than nothing, according to the CDC. But they won’t clean visible dirt or grease, they can’t kill all germs, and they can’t remove all harmful chemicals.
If hand sanitizers are your only option, make sure they are at least 60% alcohol.
And when you’re in a public restroom, remember that low-tech is sometimes better than high-tech — stick with paper towels.

 

[Wendy31]

You taught me something new and I thank you!

Read this article:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/the-bacterial-horror-of-the-hot-air-hand-dryer-2018051113823
and this in part from the CDC:

The best way to get your hands really clean
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following:

• Use warm or cold water. Wet your hands, then turn off the tap, then apply soap.
• Lather well, washing the backs of your hands, between your fingers and beneath your nails.
• Wash for 20 seconds — about as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday.”
• Rinse well under clean, running water.
• Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry.

A last resort: hand sanitizers
Hand sanitizers are better than nothing, according to the CDC. But they won’t clean visible dirt or grease, they can’t kill all germs, and they can’t remove all harmful chemicals.
If hand sanitizers are your only option, make sure they are at least 60% alcohol.
And when you’re in a public restroom, remember that low-tech is sometimes better than high-tech — stick with paper towels.

Thank YOU for posting the article! I just had some vague recollection of a Mythbusters episode to go by!

 

[mikehn]

Dont they use those wands to rummage the bags now?

 

[Monykalyn]

• Use warm or cold water. Wet your hands, then turn off the tap, then apply soap.
• Lather well, washing the backs of your hands, between your fingers and beneath your nails.
• Wash for 20 seconds — about as long as it takes to sing “Happy Birthday.”
• Rinse well under clean, running water.
• Dry hands with a clean towel or air dry.

Ugh that’s an incomplete description - bad on CDC!
while you don’t need running water to scrub- using wet hands to touch tap -twice! And once after scrubbing but before rinsing? Now re contaminates hands!- you’ve also created a nice moist environment for other germs to THRIVE on the tap and the pools of water drops below the handle.
noooooo- unless tap is automatic just turn on, scrub, rinse, USE TOWEL TO DRY HANDS, THEN ANOTHER CLEAN DRY TOWEL to turn off tap. And yet another dry towel to open the door. Drying on your pants just re-contaminates the hands immediately

 

[DisLiss]

Like many have said, you don't need the water to run continuously..it's no help to you and a waste of water. And water temperature isn't the important factor---it's the time spent and thorough washing that matters.

As for re-dirtying your hands when you turn off the water---I've always just washed the handle. It only takes 20 seconds longer to wash the handle as well as you're planning to wash your hands, right? Using a paper towel to turn it off works, too, but I like to avoid using more paper than I need to.

 

[Monykalyn]

Like many have said, you don't need the water to run continuously..it's no help to you and a waste of water. And water temperature isn't the important factor---it's the time spent and thorough washing that matters.

As for re-dirtying your hands when you turn off the water---I've always just washed the handle. It only takes 20 seconds longer to wash the handle as well as you're planning to wash your hands, right? Using a paper towel to turn it off works, too, but I like to avoid using more paper than I need to.

As a healthcare professional who’s been in field for 20+ years and as health officials have taught us consistently for All those years- thanks but I’ll waste the 29 seconds of water and paper towel to be sure hands are clean - especially between patients

 

[Wendy31]

Ugh that’s an incomplete description - bad on CDC!
while you don’t need running water to scrub- using wet hands to touch tap -twice! And once after scrubbing but before rinsing? Now re contaminates hands!- you’ve also created a nice moist environment for other germs to THRIVE on the tap and the pools of water drops below the handle.
noooooo- unless tap is automatic just turn on, scrub, rinse, USE TOWEL TO DRY HANDS, THEN ANOTHER CLEAN DRY TOWEL to turn off tap. And yet another dry towel to open the door. Drying on your pants just re-contaminates the hands immediately

But there are some restrooms which ONLY have the air dryers, &, unless you’re bringing paper towels in w/ you, you don’t have a paper towel, much less 3.

Since I’m not using an air dryer, I do a combination of letting my hands just air-dry & wiping them on my slacks - which, yes, recontaminates them to an extent, but better than the germs from the air dryer blowing in my face.

 

[wenrob]

When I first opened this I saw Disneyland not World. *Most* of the taps and paper towel dispensers in DLR/DCA have motion detector sensors. No touching, you just wave. Is this not a thing in WDW? Also, most of the restrooms are open style, no doors to open.

When faced with a faucet I need to touch I use my elbow, a place unlikely to touch my face and the paper towel I used to dry my hands to open the door if needed.

 

[DisLiss]

As a healthcare professional who’s been in field for 20+ years and as health officials have taught us consistently for All those years- thanks but I’ll waste the 29 seconds of water and paper towel to be sure hands are clean - especially between patients

I would imagine in a health care setting there's a lot of "waste" (but not really really a waste since it's necessary) created for the safety of patients. But I'm talking about myself who doesn't see patients and if I was simply going about a day at Disney.

 

[Silvermist999]

But there are some restrooms which ONLY have the air dryers, &, unless you’re bringing paper towels in w/ you, you don’t have a paper towel, much less 3.

Since I’m not using an air dryer, I do a combination of letting my hands just air-dry & wiping them on my slacks - which, yes, recontaminates them to an extent, but better than the germs from the air dryer blowing in my face.

Very true. I especially dislike and avoid using those new hand dryers where you have to insert your hands with palms open into a narrow opening.

This is where grabbing some toilet paper as you exit the stall needs to be done. Then after washing hands and disposing of the toilet paper used to turn on the tap, or dry your hands, grab some more to open the door to leave...

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I think the biggest threat at WDW or Disneyland are handrails and safety bars. Think of how many people touch those things every hour. How many times have you see a child put their mouth on a railing in a line? How many times do people touch their mouths and noses, and then board a ride? I wouldn't necessarily cancel a trip right now, but I would be extra cautious about what I was touching. I always carry sanitizer in the parks and use it often. I think if I was going now, I would sanitize between rides and be sure everyone was washing hands before every snack or drink, and obviously before meals. Hot water doesn't necessarily work better than cold. It's rubbing with soap for 20 seconds that removes the germs.