Covid-19 Testing

[Reader0108598]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

My wife and I have breathing issues and wearing masks is very difficult for us but we wear them anyway.I should add that I am disabled and the only time I am out is when I go to a doctor as I did earlier today.

Stay safe! 

Edited August 28, 2020 by Reader0108598

[lenquixote66]

55 minutes ago, Reader0108598 said:

Stay safe! 

Thanks,you stay safe too.

[ldubs]

On 8/25/2020 at 2:59 PM, INeedAMaiTai said:

 

Would you take a test before getting on a ship if it was mandated?

 

 

100% yes.  I can understand not wanting to cruise if testing is required, or comments about tests not being 100% accurate.  But if a test is required,  I hope no one would show up and expect to get on board without the test.  

[Sue Do-Over]

On 8/26/2020 at 8:39 PM, ABoatNerd said:

Will Not do a test before boarding.

 

The tests are not universally accurate. And if I test positive, what are the consequences - the loss of many thousands of $?  Not spending my after tax income in this manner.

 

If a rapid test is offered at the pier, there should be a provision for a retest.  This would hopefully cover some challenges to a false positive.. TWO positives, then boarding is should be denied.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, Sue Do-Over said:

 

If a rapid test is offered at the pier, there should be a provision for a retest.  This would hopefully cover some challenges to a false positive.. TWO positives, then boarding is should be denied.

 

This is how MSC did it:

 

So far, the health protocols, which include mandatory rapid result COVID-19 tests at check in, caught five passengers with positive antigen swab tests at embarkation in Genoa.

 

"All of them, as per protocol, went through all steps of the successive secondary medical screening which included the RT-PCR (molecular) tests. All five eventually resulted negative at this second test," an MSC spokesperson said. "Additionally, a small number of other guests were denied embarkation as they did not meet requirements for boarding including residence in countries at high risk outside the Schengen area."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5540/?et_cid=3354257&et_rid=17373002&et

 

[BlueRiband]

No, I won't sail if testing and masks are required because it means that the on-board environment will be too restricted and many of the cruise-related activities that I enjoy would be absent or severely limited in capacity.   If I book I'll monitor the situation as final payment date approaches.  I'll cancel rather than sail under those conditions. 

[2wheelin]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

 

This is how MSC did it:

 

So far, the health protocols, which include mandatory rapid result COVID-19 tests at check in, caught five passengers with positive antigen swab tests at embarkation in Genoa.

 

"All of them, as per protocol, went through all steps of the successive secondary medical screening which included the RT-PCR (molecular) tests. All five eventually resulted negative at this second test," an MSC spokesperson said. "Additionally, a small number of other guests were denied embarkation as they did not meet requirements for boarding including residence in countries at high risk outside the Schengen area."

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5540/?et_cid=3354257&et_rid=17373002&et

 

I wasn’t originally overly concerned about the false positive rate until reading this. Now I would never pay for a cruise and travel to a cruise port if port testing is required. Ships do not have PCR machines and I doubt port have them or the educated personnel to operate them. So the test would need to be sent for testing, test run (which takes hours), confirmed, and reported back to the port before embarkation. How early would people need to arrive to be safe—or will the ship delay departure until all testing is confirmed? Then there would be the stressful hours long wait to find out if you would be sent home after arriving perfectly healthy,

On top of that, they would have “allowed” me to pay them for insurance for only monetary expenses to cover their false test,

[gooch47]

When the Governor of the State of Ohio takes a test and gets a false positive, then retakes it and gets two negatives, how can we rely on ANY test to be valid.

 

I saw a stupid post a couple days ago.  They were touting a new 15-minute test but said if you got a negative you should probably get it retested using a different test.  What possible good is that?

[nosapphire]

My understanding is that none of the fast tests are accurate enough to (as one UK line has put it) "ensure that nobody with Covid gets on board".

I think all the protocols, including testing before and during the cruise, are "feelgood" methods to dodge the one big issue - that the main spread of this (and any) virus is crowded indoor environments.

How long can ships afford to sail at vastly reduced capacity to avoid crowding? 

Testing is not going to be the answer.

But, scientists around the world are not only looking at vaccines, they are also looking at treatments, and there have been several positive news reports about existing drugs that have been found to help treat Covid.

Someday Covid will no longer be a reason for closing everything down, it will be in the same category as other infectious diseases - a knowledge base, treatable, possibly a vaccine - but until then, I'm steering clear of cruises.

Let's hope there are still some cruise lines around in 2022....

[ldubs]

4 hours ago, gooch47 said:

When the Governor of the State of Ohio takes a test and gets a false positive, then retakes it and gets two negatives, how can we rely on ANY test to be valid.

 

I saw a stupid post a couple days ago.  They were touting a new 15-minute test but said if you got a negative you should probably get it retested using a different test.  What possible good is that?

 

Wow, I guess the test is only useful if you get a positive -- or maybe not!   🤔

[lenquixote66]

3 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

Wow, I guess the test is only useful if you get a positive -- or maybe not!   🤔

I had the antibody test two weeks ago and I was told it was negative.However, I have heard that should be done either every month or every 3 months.

[2wheelin]

11 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I had the antibody test two weeks ago and I was told it was negative.However, I have heard that should be done either every month or every 3 months.

There is no reason to repeat an antibody test unless you think you have been infected. That is the only way it will be positive. I have not heard of anyone (and I see info from Mayo) who tested positive without at least strongly suspecting they had been infected.

You should have little to worry about.

[sanger727]

No, I would not book a cruise that required at test at embarkation. I don’t have any cruise ports within a reasonable drive so we always fly. I would take a test before I left but I’m not willing to get stuck quarantining in the embarkation city if my test comes back positive. If I could drive to a port within a few hours I might feel differently.