New Vaccines

[Tony Taylor]

U V Light kills germs & viruses and bacteria cannot remember the last time I sailed on a ship that did not have a UV Steriliser treatment system fitted.

never sailed on one that did have UV. Usually a small amount of water feed from evaps was run thro a silver ion treatment then back into the tank which sterilised the bulk contents. Never had any problems with water causing issues. The only time I saw the odd dose of the runs was on some older vessels where the dom tanks had been recently cement / lime washed.

[Lewis McColl]

Iced water drinking fountains had UV light sterilisers fitted. Inline carbon filters and UV sterilisers are common at sea now. One problem is if you are mostly producing your own fresh water through the desalination plant unless you add trace elements & minerals it is just not good for your long term health.
I think I only sailed on one ship that had a reverse osmosis plant using the Evap was Atlas or similar.
I was on one ship and we had a 4th Engineer who started to act really strangely. He decided he was going to start looking after the chemical dosing for the Evap water treatment. I caught him topping up the dosing tank with Hydrazine. He was a basket case he had only been onboard 10 days before he jumped overboard just off the coast of Sri Lanka, we did get him back onboard but diverted to Galle to land him. Turned out he was a druggie and was coming off his preferred stimulant.

[j.sabourn]

#21. Trying to think back Tony on what ships I sailed with distillers and evaporators for making potable water. I must have sailed on some but until memory returns the old Fresh water rations are predominant in my memory. I think the Chowgule ships had evaporators and maybe the Rosewood but will have to think about it. Long ocean passages it was standard practice to block the scuppers , take the air pipes off , of the E.R. Feed water tanks , and go looking for rain. It was gold on some ships. On the converted trawlers in the North Sea you got two showers one while the ship was taking water prior to sailing , and one when you got back and the water hoses were back on board . Then you got certain survivors who complained about not being able to get a cup of tea ad lib. Question no one seems to ask , how can you sustain 300 would be survivors some needing medical attention with a few pints of fresh water if your lucky. ? JS

[Lewis McColl]

I have not sailed on a ship built after the mid 60's that did not have a fresh water generator /desalination plant that was not capable of producing sufficient water for day to day ships consumption. Even on some ships the mate had the luxury for a fresh water wash down for areas for painting preparations. Even 50's built Blue flu & ED ships had retro fitted plants. I do remember when going through the Panama canal once you entered the canal itself it was fresh water wash down time and also fill the boiler water feed tanks time. Yes there may have been a water rationing if you were in port a long time and depending which port you may not have opted to take onboard potable water.

[Colin Wood]

Totally agree, everyone should have a certified vaccination certificate. No card, no entering country, or flying or using public transport

[happy daze john in oz]

Desalination plants on most ships now, only way to ensure enough at all times.

As to the Virus, yes it took some 200 years to eradicate Small pox and the only other Virus eradicated in 2011 was Rhinopest.

But this Virus is just that a Virus like the common cold, the Flu and a few others.
They are very hard to kill off but a vaccine, such as the Flu one, is normally enough to protect most people.
This may take a bit of time this being a new one but it will happen.