Desdemona is right --> it is a virus.
Purell and such don't have an effect on it.
As far as buffet lines: When I was aboard a HAL ship last year we were under Code Red because there were cases of the virus onboard our sailing as well as the previous one.
Pax were not allowed to touch anything in the buffet line.
Even the trays and utensils were handed out to each passenger by a gloved crew member.
Now anyone familiar with HAL's Lido restaurants knows that much of the food is not left out for pax to scoop up or whatever. So there is a level of control there that is not on some other lines.
But the things that HAL does let pax serve for themselves -- pizza, the salad bar and the taco bar -- were off limits during Code Red. Crew members were posted at those places and handed out the food.
No salt shakers on tables, no bread baskets.
You couldn't even pour your own coffee.
But it worked and the code was lifted before the end of the cruise.
Wash your hands. Hot water and soap.
And try not to touch handrails when walking up stairs, etc.