How can the the Queens get back to cruising ?

[Jack E Dawson]

3 hours ago, ovccruiser said:

The problem as I see it, is there are a number of people who are asymptomatic and unless a blood test is carried out, routine temperature checks will not show them. At present a test takes approx 48-72 hours to get results. As far as I can see, they will need an almost instantaneous result test of some description which could be taken whilst waiting to board, with the unfortunate consequences if there is a positive result. Not a simple task, 1 asymptomatic in a room of a few thousand could cancel the cruise.

Actually ovccruiser, the tests are only taking 10 minutes now to get results. The issues seems to be more with the accuracy, specifically false negatives. Evidently none of the tests a 100% accurate.

 

Jack

[IB2]

6 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

Actually ovccruiser, the tests are only taking 10 minutes now to get results. The issues seems to be more with the accuracy, specifically false negatives. Evidently none of the tests a 100% accurate.

 

Jack

Yes, but testing everyone immediately prior to a cruise and getting the results in time to deny boarding to anyone infected is hardly realistic, is it, particularly as passengers would all have to be kept apart from each other while this was done.

 

Realistically, cruising isn't going to become viable until infection rates have, across the world, dropped away such that it has become a relatively rare disease - like Novovirus, which has long been a risk on ships, but is coped with because it doesn't outbreak very often.  This is why I have always thought it unlikely we'll see any significant resumption this year.

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, IB2 said:

Yes, but testing everyone immediately prior to a cruise and getting the results in time to deny boarding to anyone infected is hardly realistic, is it, particularly as passengers would all have to be kept apart from each other while this was done.

 

Realistically, cruising isn't going to become viable until infection rates have, across the world, dropped away such that it has become a relatively rare disease - like Novovirus, which has long been a risk on ships, but is coped with because it doesn't outbreak very often.  This is why I have always thought it unlikely we'll see any significant resumption this year.

 

But isn't one of the problems with the tracker app they are testing on the IOW that it is  a relatively rare disease?

[ovccruiser]

6 hours ago, IB2 said:

Yes, but testing everyone immediately prior to a cruise and getting the results in time to deny boarding to anyone infected is hardly realistic, is it, particularly as passengers would all have to be kept apart from each other while this was done.

 

That was my point. If you test everyone prior to boarding and there is only one positive, surely all others near him/her or in their party would need 14 days quarantine and it would be possible, however remote, that others may have been infected by them. I am also unsure whether travel insurance will cover Covid. I feel it may be several months before cruising resumes, I hope I am wrong😞

Edited May 20, 2020 by ovccruiser

[IB2]

20 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

But isn't one of the problems with the tracker app they are testing on the IOW that it is  a relatively rare disease?

On the contrary, being rare is the only way such an App can work effectively; if every third person was infected it would be pointless (and mayhem).  
 

It does make testing the App more difficult, although I understand it is generating 25 tests a day on the island, mostly through people using it to report that they feel ill, rather than being triggered by contacts.  They have done enough to know that we need a revised version of the software, and I believe this too is going to be trialled here before being rolled out on North Island later in June.

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, IB2 said:

On the contrary, being rare is the only way such an App can work effectively; if every third person was infected it would be pointless (and mayhem).  
 

It does make testing the App more difficult, although I understand it is generating 25 tests a day on the island, mostly through people using it to report that they feel ill, rather than being triggered by contacts.  They have done enough to know that we need a revised version of the software, and I believe this too is going to be trialled here before being rolled out on North Island later in June.

 

So, in fact, despite your somewhat discouraging start, we are in agreement that it is a relatively rare disease, and that this is a factor that makes testing the app difficult.