Public Health

Awareness
COVID-19
Outbreak Prevention Plan
Gastrointestinal Illness
Medical Waste Management
 What is Public Health?
Public Health focuses on protecting the health
of communities by:

● Encouraging healthy behaviors to prevent

illness
● Identifying hazards before they occur
 Good Practices

Wash Your Avoid Sharing Cover Coughs Clean All

Hands Often Personal Items & Sneezes Surfaces
Wash hands with warm water & soap for 20 seconds
(sing Happy Birthday while washing)
What are illnesses that can spread?
Infectious illnesses that can be spread from person to
person also called communicable illnesses include the
common cold, gastrointestinal illness (GI), flu and COVID-19.

What is COVID-19?
COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the newly
discovered coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
What are the Symptoms of COVID-19?
The most common symptoms of COVID-19 according to the World
Health Organization (WHO) are:
● fever > 100.4°F (38.0°C)
● dry cough
● shortness of breath

Other symptoms include: fatigue, aches and pains, nasal congestion,

runny nose, sore throat, diarrhea or even a sudden loss or change in
their sense of smell or taste.

Not all affected will exhibit all symptoms, some individuals will have
no symptoms at all meaning they are asymptomatic but carry and
spread the illness.
How Does COVID-19 spread?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the
virus spreads:

● Person to person in close contact of each other (within 6 feet/2

meters) through droplets from infected person that coughs,
sneezes, or talks.

These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are
nearby or may be inhaled into the lungs.

● By touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then

touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.
 How Can COVID-19 Be Prevented?

Practice Clean Your Avoid Touching Cover Coughs Clean & Disinfect
Social Distancing Hands Often Eyes, Nose & Sneezes “High Touch”
& Mouth Surfaces

Clean and disinfect

Hands touch many Cover your mouth and surfaces daily with
Stay 6 feet apart from Wash your hands with nose with a tissue approved chemicals.
surfaces and can
others. Avoid social soap and water for 20 when you cough or Include tables, handles,
pick up viruses
gatherings and seconds. Or use a sneeze or use the light switches,
which can transfer
physical contact like hand sanitizer when inside of your elbow. countertops, handles,
to your eyes, nose
hugs, handshakes, you have been in a Throw used tissues in desks, phones,
or mouth and make
and being in close public place, or after the trash. keyboards, toilets,
blowing your nose, you sick.
quarters. faucets and sinks.
coughing or sneezing.
Importance of Reporting Symptoms
Symptoms usually appear 2-14 days after you come in contact with
the virus and COVID-19 can easily pass to others.

Protect yourself and others by reporting symptoms immediately and

● Get treatment, if needed
● Obtain guidance on how to prevent others from getting sick
● Help identify close contacts that may become ill

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
What to Expect if You Are Sick Onboard
If diagnosed with COVID-19 or other communicable illness, you will be placed in
Isolation and followed up on by the medical staff.

It it important that you:

● Remain in your cabin and follow the isolation protocols.
● Monitor your symptoms carefully. If you develop emergency warning signs for
COVID-19 get medical attention immediately.

Some emergency warning signs include*:

• Trouble breathing
• Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
• New confusion or inability to arouse
• Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult with medical team for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.
Measures Taken to Prevent the Spread
Enhanced Cleaning and Sanitizing all around the ship - Why?
Because contamination on surfaces touched by guests/crew is one of
the main ways that COVID-19 spreads

Promote regular and thorough hand-washing and sanitation -

Why? Because washing kills the virus on hands and prevents the
spread of COVID19

Ensure proper use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) -

Why? Prevents persons performing high risk tasks from getting infected

RCL is also committed to conduct ongoing research and introduce new technology,
chemicals and equipment to enhance methods of testing, disinfection and outbreak
prevention as they become available as well as implement new guidelines, policies and
procedures
Example of Personal
Protective
Equipment (PPE)
• Gloves
• Face mask / shield
• Eye Protection
• Aprons & gowns
 Communicable Illnesses
Outbreak Prevention Plan (OPP) Training
What SYMPTOMS require reporting?
• Diarrhea or vomiting with headache, fever, stomach cramps are symptoms of
gastrointestinal illness (GI)
• High fever with sore throat or coughing which can be signs of
influenza (flu)

IMMEDIATE REPORTING OF GI SYMPTOMS IS MANDATORY

• ZERO Tolerance for late reporting

ISOLATION FOR GI
• 24 Hours after last episode of diarrhea or vomiting for non-food
handlers and 48 Hours for food-handlers
• Close contacts will not be isolated but will have evaluations at
0-24-48 hours.
If You Experience Respiratory
or GI Illness Symptoms
• If on duty, report immediately to medical facility/doctor
• If it occurs while medical is closed call the nurse on duty
• If off duty, do not report to work/Remain in your cabin and call the
medical facility/doctor
• Notify your supervisor
• Practice Social Distancing
What is Norovirus?
Norovirus is a virus that causes GI symptoms
like projectile vomiting, nausea, watery
diarrhea, abdominal pain, weakness,
muscle aches, headache, and low-grade
fever.
● Unpleasant but usually goes away by
itself in a few days
● Severe illness or complications rare
● Commonly the cause of outbreaks on
land and ships because it is extremely
contagious
How Can I Get Norovirus?
Norovirus is transmitted easily:
● From person to person
● Indirectly through contaminated
surfaces
● By ingesting contaminated food
● Aerosolization during public vomit
incidents
 Gastrointestinal
Virus Outbreaks
• May occur suddenly and spread quickly
• Requires extra work for sanitation and
additional measures
• Call immediately for the response team if a
public vomit/diarrhea
• Wear PPE (disposable gloves & mask) as
instructed
• Handle contaminated items and medical
waste properly
 What is Medical Waste?

Any fluid or solid that comes out

of the body:
• Blood, saliva, urine, feces, vomit

Items that may contain medical

waste:
• Soiled linen, towels, paper goods
 Why is Medical Waste Important?

All medical waste may contain germs that can

transfer an infection into another human being.
Examples:
• Blood: (HIV, Hepatitis)
• Vomit/Diarrheas: Norovirus
Where Can I Find Medical Waste?
• Hospital, including the waiting room
• Guest Cabins
• Crew Cabins
• Incinerator Room
• Laundry
• Anywhere around the ship has potential for medical waste
 How to Safely Deal with Medical Waste

Take Standard Isolate the body Employ universal

Precautions substance precautions
 How to Deal with
Medical Waste
Emergency Sanitation and Protection Kits are
available on board
Isolate Medical Waste

All medical waste is

discarded in red
biohazard bags. Staff
will transfer all red bags
to the biohazard bin
located in the garbage
room
 When Working with Medical Waste
use Universal Precautions

Use Personal Protective Wash Your Hands

Equipment (PPE) Immediately
Minimizes the extent of exposure by Minimizes the duration of any
providing a barrier against direct contact exposure
 Sharps

Sharps include needles, stylets, and blades or broken

glass that may contain body fluids like blood
 Sharps Management
• Sharps must be put into a sharps container:
• Leak-proof
• Puncture-resistant
• Break-resistant
• Labeled
• Lid can’t be easily removed
• Sharps containers available from Medical
facility
• Close lid down fully once finished
• Never open or re-use a sharps container
 Syringe Safety

• If you find a syringe, call your supervisor

• Do not handle the syringe
• Avoid “needle-stick” injuries
• For collection of sharps, Box-to-sharp
not sharp to box
• If you see a guest using a needle, remind
them we have free of charge special
containers available for them to use
 Global Public Health Regulations
Additionally, these are some of the agencies that RCL works with to
maintain the highest public health standards onboard

We follow their guidelines and recommendations to prevent and

control the introduction and spread of illness on cruise ships 24/7.
Thank you!