During one of the many 'norovirus' alerts during my time onboard QE2 we were in Trieste for the day.
As usual the hand sanatisers were placed at the bottom of the gangway and one of the Security Staff was there monitoring to ensure everyone used the facility. We had been trying hard to get the company to issue lanyards to all Passengers and crew to attache their cards to, but to no avail. However we had managed to get a large number that we issued to crew, plus quite a few also acquired one of their own.
It was approaching 'all aboard' time and i was on the jetty overseeing operations. Along the dock side came 3 crew members, i'll tell you the dept later, when they arrived at the gangway they obediently showed their crew cards to the Security and then, needing to sanatise their hands, immediately put their crew cards in their mouths!!!!
When i pointed out to them what they had done they were so embarrassed and had done it without thinking, it was a natural instinct!
It case you're still wondering what the problem was, just think it through. Dirty hands holding card, place card in mouth to sanatise hands - Oh yes!!
The Dept by the way was Medical! 1 Dr and 2 nurses!! Needless to say they were at my office straight after sailing to ask if i had any lanyards, thereafter it was included in the Medical section of the training for new crew!!
Hence the reason i always carried my Crew card on a lanyard, and the fact it also held my Grand Master key!!!
