Noro and travel. What can I do?

[lifesavacation]

I tend to be really nervous about medical stuff so thought I’d ask the DIS. We leave tomorrow for a hike intensive camping and rafting trip. The type of trip that you’d have to helicopter out if something went wrong. It’s set to be 100 degrees at our rafting point. The hike with all our gear is on Saturday and is 8 miles with a mile of descent. I’m trying to keep the trip name vague for identity purposes so please don’t guess in the responses.

A person we are going with came down with noro yesterday. She’s isolating from her husband, who is also going on the trip. This has me really concerned. Bathrooms are nonexistent. There will be a camp “toilet.”Hand sanitizer is the norm and there is no running water with soap. We can wash hands in the river. Meals are served family style.

Assuming her husband doesn’t get it, how contagious will she be to us on Saturday?

If her husband starts with symptoms before they leave tomorrow at 5am, he’ll stay home.

What can we do if they go on the trip to keep from getting noro? Am I worried for nothing?

 

[TheIncredibles!]

If the couple goes, I would ask them to isolate from others as much as possible and make it clear you are a little nervous about them being this sick close to this trip.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

I’d reschedule your trip if possible. Some people can still be contagious up to 2 weeks after they recover.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I’d reschedule your trip if possible. Some people can still be contagious up to 2 weeks after they recover.

How unfortunate that this is a legitimate solution when it's the OTHER people that are sick... We all know from Disney though that sick people will just flipping go anyway...

 

[lifesavacation]

I really wish they would cancel

 

[Minnesota!]

Yeah, no. I would NOT be going around them even if I was just sitting in their backyard. Noro is a beast. Getting exposed and then having to hike/camp/raft in the heat without bathrooms? And, communal food? Nope.

 

[lifesavacation]

Is it rude for me to ask her to call her dr and ask about whether she’s contagious on the trip and the risk of spreading it to other people? I don’t want to be the one to tell her not to go. I’d like for someone else to be the bad guy.

 

[nw6675]

Seconding the noro is a beast comment. It put my husband and grandmother in the hospital a few years ago. I didn't get hospitalized, but it was the sickest I've ever felt. I don't wish it on anyone.

If they don't cancel, I would. I know that sounds extreme, but just my opinion from my experience.

 

[CBMom01]

Noro is so contagious that if someone doesn’t clean their house well enough they can re-infect *themselves* in that 2 week window.

They should cancel or at least be transparent about the risk and isolate. I’m so sorry.

 

[jo-jo]

Aside from getting others sick, if she have been ….say losing lots of fluid for a few days, is it even safe for her to be hiking in that heat?

 

[Karin1984]

Is it rude for me to ask her to call her dr and ask about whether she’s contagious on the trip and the risk of spreading it to other people? I don’t want to be the one to tell her not to go. I’d like for someone else to be the bad guy.

Is it rude? No, it's about everyone's health.
Is it something she wants to hear? Maybe, maybe not. You know her best.

If you want someone else to be the bad guy, you have to ask someone else to be the bad guy. Share your concerns with others in the group, see what they think and see if someone is willing to talk to her.
Is it an organized trip, ask the organizers what they think.

 

[Wendy31]

Yuck. I’m so sorry that they aren’t voluntarily deciding not to go on the trip.

If I were you, I’d want to know if she came into contact w/ her husband at all right before she was sick - because I think she was probably contagious before she was actively sick, so, the two of them isolating now might be too late for him.

And, then, I’d want to be really clear on what both the contagion period is & what the incubation period is - how long is someone contagious &, when someone is exposed, how long before they could start exhibiting symptoms/when do you know you’re in the “clear” after having been exposed.

Just because her husband might still be symptom free tomorrow at 5:00 am doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t exposed & won’t be sick the day after tomorrow.

Edited to add - Beyond that, I guess I’d start drinking grape juice - I’ve heard it’s supposed to help ward off stomach viruses.

 

[lifesavacation]

Is it rude? No, it's about everyone's health.
Is it something she wants to hear? Maybe, maybe not. You know her best.

If you want someone else to be the bad guy, you have to ask someone else to be the bad guy. Share your concerns with others in the group, see what they think and see if someone is willing to talk to her.
Is it an organized trip, ask the organizers what they think.

I did send a text suggesting she check in with her doctor about how contagious she'll be on the trip. She responded that I'm being neurotic since it will be 2.5 days past her symptoms starting. That's why I posted. I wanted to hear what other people thought about the situation.

Yuck. I’m so sorry that they aren’t voluntarily deciding not to go on the trip.

If I were you, I’d want to know if she came into contact w/ her husband at all right before she was sick - because I think she was probably contagious before she was actively sick, so, the two of them isolating now might be too late for him.

And, then, I’d want to be really clear on what both the contagion period is & what the incubation period is - how long is someone contagious &, when someone is exposed, how long before they could start exhibiting symptoms/when do you know you’re in the “clear” after having been exposed.

Just because her husband might still be symptom free tomorrow at 5:00 am doesn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t exposed & won’t be sick the day after tomorrow.

Edited to add - Beyond that, I guess I’d start drinking grape juice - I’ve heard it’s supposed to help ward off stomach viruses.

TY. This better articulates the concerns.

 

[lifesavacation]

Aside from getting others sick, if she have been ….say losing lots of fluid for a few days, is it even safe for her to be hiking in that heat?

From my perspective, it's not safe. She can't even get out of bed today. It will be a challenging 8 mile hike on Saturday in the heat.

 

[Micca]

I did send a text suggesting she check in with her doctor about how contagious she'll be on the trip

Try calling your doctor and get an opinion. Good luck!

 

[Karin1984]

If from your perspective it's not safe and she is not willing to postpone or have a plan in place, then best is not go on the trip yourself.

Calling your own doctor will not be of much use, that will be as effective as saying 'I've read on a website once'. Your doctor doesnt know her and her status.

Calling her doctor would be more effective.

Or stretching it a bit, but if she goes out while still contagious, aren't there laws against this? Not executed often, but if she is endangering public health, something to look into.

 

[adkkev]

Is this a guided trip? Or just something that’s been organized among friends?

If it’s guided then I would contact the leader of the trip and make them fully aware of this situation.

If not, then you might want to discuss this with other members of your party since any number of you can get sick during the trip.

Personally I think this individual is being reckless with the health of others by insisting on going on this adventure.

 

[TwoMisfits]

I just canceled a triple date escape room yesterday for this weekend b/c my little came down with a virus...I didn't want to chance getting anyone sick, b/c why do that to your friends? There's always another time...(which we rescheduled for next month)...

 

[Ursula J]

Do not mess with noro. At best, it's a terrible couple days. At worst, it's actually life-threatening for some. Being away from hospitals and high- level sanitation makes it worse.

 

[RedHead0186]

I agree with all that's been said, and also, hand sanitizer does not really work against norovirus. You really have to use soap and hot water (scrubbing for 30 seconds) to get rid of it. Since you said there will be no running water with soap (just washing in a river, which is not hot water), that's a huge red flag for me, especially since you'll be touching the same surfaces with family-style meals.

To me, the chance of getting it seems pretty high, and if you get it it sounds like you would be miserable given the conditions (and no easy way to access medical care, if needed). It's also a shame your friend dismissed your concerns as neurotic, but I won't go down that rabbit hole, etc. If it were me, I would probably not go (ideal if your friend and her husband canceled, but if they don't, then I wouldn't go).

It's really sad that after all we've been through in this pandemic some people don't seem to grasp the role they play in public health.