WATCH: 87yo passenger with Covid-19 airlifted from Oceania ship in recovery!

[LHT28]

26 minutes ago, Toranut97 said:

We should also note that the cruiser in question said in the interview that his insurance covered the airlifting and transport, etc. 

 

Perhaps, rather than anticipating a ban on older passengers with preexisting conditions , the cruise lines might explore requiring appropriate travel insurance for such passengers.

 

just a thought.

 

Donna

people over  a certain age  with pre existing medical condition cannot get insurance  & if they can it will cost  more than they are willing to pay

JMO

[GeorgesGal]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Far more stupid for this one obviously senile passenger, with a multitude of health issues, to be currently traveling and cruising than the 1000s of young adults on the beaches. Just my opinion! 

 

Just where are you coming from with this stupid observation.  In watching the video of this gentleman, he obviously is NOT senile and you owe him an apology should he read CruiseCritic and comes across your post!  And the health issues he has don't seem to be ones that would stop him from cruising.  God bless this Marine!  Just my opinion.

[Paulchili]

3 hours ago, pinotlover said:

Far more stupid for this one obviously senile passenger, with a multitude of health issues, to be currently traveling and cruising than the 1000s of young adults on the beaches. Just my opinion! 

That is debatable.

These “1000s of young adults” are presumably from all over the country and could go home asymptomatic in view of their age but just as deadly in spreading their “happiness” all over the country to innocent bystanders.

Do the math how much damage these “1000s of young adults” could possibly do compared to this one man.

That said, it might not have been the wisest decision for this elderly man to be cruising at this time - more for himself than others.

[kitty9]

I do want to make a few points with regards to this passenger.  In his interview, he stated he got a look at his chest X-ray and said his lungs were almost totally black from infection.  Now, wouldn’t a properly trained medical professional take notice that, in this time of COVID-19, that nearly totally infected lungs could very well point to COVID?  Add to this is the fact that the passenger said he was coughing and couldn’t breathe, especially when laying down.  It’s too bad we don’t know if the patient’s EKG came out normal, along with blood tests for cardiac enzymes, which if normal, would mostly eliminate cardiac issues.  I do blame this passenger for waiting so many days before going to the medical center, and I question his decision making because he and his wife did go on shore excursions, possibly infecting hundreds of innocent people.  
 

In retrospect, not announcing this issue at the time probably saved all of us from becoming a quarantined ship.  But nonetheless, I still question the decisions made by the medical staff and the Captain. 

[seascot]

Totally agree with you, Kitty9

Edited March 21, 2020 by seascot
punctuation

[pinotlover]

For the record, when my father was this man’s age, he could likewise have very short coherent eloquent conversations. Three minutes later have exactly the same coherent eloquent conversation. Ten minutes later repeat. He could take his morning pills and thirty minutes later not remember doing so. Short eloquent conversations don’t go nearly as far as  demonstrated rational decision making in determining one’s cognitive abilities.

 

A good Older acquaintance of mine was tragically killed in an auto accident recently. He had promised the kids if they wouldn’t take his keys he’d only drive short distances, such as the store or pharmacy, during the day. He was killed 75 miles from his home at night. He had ran a stop sign and directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Many people are incapable of judging their own ability and can’t recognize when it’s time to say when.

Edited March 21, 2020 by pinotlover

[LHT28]

I am not  a doctor but would  a person with lung issues already  have spots on the lung  if xrayed?

 

Many people will not see the ship's doctor because of the costs  & they did not buy insurance  that would cover them

You always hear of people that self insure  as they have done many cruises with no issues 

[Tapi]

28 minutes ago, pinotlover said:

For the record, when my father was this man’s age, he could likewise have very short coherent eloquent conversations. Three minutes later have exactly the same coherent eloquent conversation. Ten minutes later repeat. He could take his morning pills and thirty minutes later not remember doing so. Short eloquent conversations don’t go nearly as far as  demonstrated rational decision making in determining one’s cognitive abilities.

 

A good Older acquaintance of mine was tragically killed in an auto accident recently. He had promised the kids if they wouldn’t take his keys he’d only drive short distances, such as the store or pharmacy, during the day. He was killed 75 miles from his home at night. He had ran a stop sign and directly into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Many people are incapable of judging their own ability and can’t recognize when it’s time to say when.

Thanks for the cautionary tale about your older acquaintance. Definitively things to keep in mind. 
 

Going back to whether this passenger is senile or not, I agree that some people may sound completely normal for a few minutes and then completely loose it. My grandmother was that way in the early stages of her Alzheimer’s.

 

But the man in the video gave a half an hour interview to a major network, where he recounted very detailed information about what he’d just lived, and was eloquent and coherent for its entire duration. Respectfully, based on what I saw, “very senile” would not be how I would describe him. 

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, kitty9 said:

 In his interview, he stated he got a look at his chest X-ray and said his lungs were almost totally black from infection

There is something wrong about this statement - I am sure unintentional. Most of you, even if not involved in medicine, have seen pictures of Xrays of lungs. In fact normal lung Xrays are black as the lungs are full of air. Lesions in the lungs, like cancer and pneumonia, will actually appear as white densities of variable size (as do the ribs as they are bones and more dense than air; ditto for the heart)

 

1 hour ago, kitty9 said:

couldn’t breathe, especially when laying down.

This would be a sign of heart disease (congestive heart failure) rather than pneumonia as such.

Interestingly enough, AFAIK fever has never been mentioned in his account and that appears to be one of the most consistent symptoms of COVID-19.

With his history of heart disease and lack of fever it was not unreasonable to assume that he suffered from illnesses other than COVID-19 until proven otherwise. Cough per se is not diagnostic of COVID-19 or else we all have had COVID-19 in the past at some point.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Paulchili

[susiesan]

5 hours ago, Paulchili said:

So what would happen if a 70+ year old with some chronic illnesses gets a clearing letter from his MD that he is stable and cleared to sail but then gets Noro and infects the ship.

Will they make him pay for the cost of medical care of all cruisers that need it? Throw him overboard? Jail him?

What can or will they do to him? Or will they stop him from cruising altogether because of his age and stable chronic illness?

That would put cruise lines in a lot of financial trouble based on who I see cruising on most ships. I know that I couldn't cruise and have currently 4 O cruises booked - not to mention what we might have in the future. And I am sure I am not alone.

Just like the airlines, cruise lines have lists of "do not cruise" passengers that have caused rouble with them before. I don't know if the different companies share these lists between them like the airlines do. In the past, people who were forcibly disembarked at the next port for drunken behavior, fights, smoking onboard, or other infractions have been put on these no cruise lists. If a knowingly sick person gets by screening and disclose their medical condition by lying, gets on a cruise, and infects the whole ship they should be added to that list.

[LHT28]

15 minutes ago, susiesan said:

If a knowingly sick person gets by screening and disclose their medical condition by lying, gets on a cruise, and infects the whole ship they should be added to that list.

 what next 

Lie detector  tests at the port  of embarkation 😲

[Mura]

As to banning someone who once lied about being sick prior to boarding, well ... I guess it would depend on what you knew you had and perhaps even when you knew it.  If you thought you were just coming down with a cold, it's one thing.  If you knew you had the Spanish flu 🤢 or  Noro, it would be another.   On our first Viking riverboat cruise at dinner I sat next to a lovely Londoner who had a slight cold.  Naturally enough, a few days later I came down with a cold.  I was sure SHE was the cause ... but I could have already unknowingly been incubating something.  Back then we didn't have to answer such questions.

 

(When the cruise ended in Basel we went to a doctor's office where it was very fortunate that my German was better than the clerk's English!  And insurance paid for everything.)

 

There IS a reason that for a long time now Oceania has been asking if you have a cough or cold, fever, etc., in recent days ... and I'm willing to bet that LOTS of people fudged that question if they could.

 

Mura

 

[Toranut97]

7 hours ago, LHT28 said:

people over  a certain age  with pre existing medical condition cannot get insurance  & if they can it will cost  more than they are willing to pay

JMO

It may be quite expensive, but it is obtainable. You have to purchase quickly after booking if you want to avoid the preexisting conditions restrictions. 
 

Cruised with my diabetic husband who had congestive heart failure and was never without travel insurance. Claims were paid promptly, too.

 

When living with such conditions, it ought to be unthinkable to travel without travel insurance in place.

 

Donna

 

[kitty9]

You all are not going to believe this one.  My sister got a call at 8:30 pm from NCL trying to get her to book a cruise.  Really, NCL?  The woman said they have some really great deals to offer us, so why can’t we just book something now?  Sis said “How can you be calling about booking a cruise when no one knows what’s going to be happening with this virus and when any ships will be cruising?”  The woman said “We’re not asking you to get on a ship now, but just book something.”   
 

Is NCL in financial trouble?  I can’t believe they are trying to sell cruises when no one knows when we will be out of this COVID-19.

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, Toranut97 said:

It may be quite expensive, but it is obtainable. You have to purchase quickly after booking if you want to avoid the preexisting conditions restrictions. 
 

 

I agree

 We do not leave the Country without insurance

 

[Mura]

Today's mail had two brochures from O and one from NCL ... And we haven't sailed on NCL since 2010 but we have sailed a LOT with O.

 

Just not now!  I was wondering why they would be a sending out brochures these days (although they could be trying to entice you to a log-off cruise) ... but it's certainly a waste of money.

 

However, a phone call trying to entice you to book now ... I'm flumbuzzled at the idea.

 

Please don't call me!  The answer will be a hangup!

 

Mura