baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 #1 Share Posted February 21, 2021 We will getting our second Moderna shots on March 5th....we hope. We are willing to wear our masks and keep social distancing when we are out....but not forever. We have been listening to the news and several well respected, well known doctors of virology stated that the USA will reach herd immunity around the end of April....even with the new strains. They also said that all schools should open immediately. Those doctors were verbally attacked by the news media, the teacher's union and the politicians. The 'polys' want to keep us down until Christmas 2021 or longer. I believe the doctors. I cannot for the life of me see why cruising should not begin by August 2021. That should give the cruise lines enough time to get their crews on board, have them vaccinated and do a couple of test cruises and determine open destinations.. If they are held back, it is a political move...not science speaking. As a stockholder in Royal, I would expect Royal to protest to the the highest level....the news media about their situation. As for us, no masks after April. We want to get back to normal living....not being treated like animals in a zoo. 29 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandebeach Posted February 21, 2021 #2 Share Posted February 21, 2021 I would love to see cruising resume in August. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweetnspicy Posted February 21, 2021 #3 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Can I ask where you got the information for herd immunity? From what I have read, we would need to be inoculating 3million people a day to reach herd immunity by May. Currently we are doing around 1.7 million. I’m 30 years old and in WA state. I’m in the “future TBD” phase. My PCP told me to not expect being vaccinated until the J&J vaccine is available. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etta1213 Posted February 21, 2021 #4 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Just now, Sweetnspicy said: Can I ask where you got the information for herd immunity? From what I have read, we would need to be inoculating 3million people a day to reach herd immunity by May. Currently we are doing around 1.7 million. I’m 30 years old and in WA state. I’m in the “future TBD” phase. My PCP told me to not expect being vaccinated until the J&J vaccine is available. Estimates are that for every US citizen who tested pos, there were 6 others who had little or no problem with symptoms and never sought medical care. Also, i think i had it last Jan before it hit the news. I have talked to quite a few folks who think they did too, Dec 2019 or Jan 2020. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #5 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 6 minutes ago, Sweetnspicy said: Can I ask where you got the information for herd immunity? From what I have read, we would need to be inoculating 3million people a day to reach herd immunity by May. Currently we are doing around 1.7 million. I’m 30 years old and in WA state. I’m in the “future TBD” phase. My PCP told me to not expect being vaccinated until the J&J vaccine is available. The Wall Street Journal last week. You must consider all the people who have already contracted COVID as much as the people vaccinated. There some cases where people who had COVID earlier and have contracted it again...but it is a small number...and when they get it again it is normally mild in nature. I think the doctor's report is called the Barrington Report, but I am not sure. Edited February 21, 2021 by baldilocks add info 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #6 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) The report is called the Great Barrington Declaration. The three doctors were Sunetra Gupta, Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorf. There findings were endorsed by 35 other well respected doctors. You can Google it. Edited February 21, 2021 by baldilocks spelling 5 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missusdubbya Posted February 21, 2021 #7 Share Posted February 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, baldilocks said: The report is called the Great Barrington Declaration. The three doctors were Sunetra Gupta, Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorf. There findings were endorsed by 35 other well respected doctors. You can Google it. Are you trolling? Bunk ‘science’ already discussed here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2762663-great-barrington-declaration-lets-get-back-to-cruising/?tab=comments#comment-60443152 A widely-circulated open letter calling on governments to pursue herd immunity is counting homeopaths, therapists and fake names among its "medical" signatories, leading to accusations that it falsely represents scientific support for the controversial position. The Great Barrington Declaration, a letter organised by prominent advocates of herd immunity, claims to have been signed by more than 15,000 scientists and medical practitioners, as well as more than 150,000 members of the general public. Yet Sky News found dozens of fake names on the list of medical signatories, which anyone can add to if they tick a box and enter a name. These included Dr. I.P. Freely, Dr. Person Fakename and Dr. Johnny Bananas, who listed himself as a "Dr of Hard Sums". https://news.sky.com/story/coronvairus-dr-johnny-bananas-and-dr-person-fakename-among-medical-signatories-on-herd-immunity-open-letter-12099947 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #8 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) The report is freely available for people to sign it. That means that anyone with a 'junk' name could sign it. I tend to believe the Wall Street Journal than the major news media and the politicians. I think that Australia is a fine country with many fine people, but your lock downs have been extreme is some cases. As I remember, there have been some protest about it. We hope to one day to return to Australia as it found it a wonderful land. Edited February 21, 2021 by baldilocks 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted February 21, 2021 #9 Share Posted February 21, 2021 I've had both my shots too. It's too bad we cant cruise and leave the nay sayers home. 6 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missusdubbya Posted February 21, 2021 #10 Share Posted February 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, baldilocks said: The report is freely available for people to sign it. That means that anyone with a 'junk' name could sign it. I tend to believe the Wall Street Journal than the major news media and the politicians. Good for you 😳 I believe in real scientific consensus - as do responsible governments, public health authorities and even cruise line executives. 5 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #11 Share Posted February 21, 2021 13 minutes ago, Missusdubbya said: Good for you 😳 I believe in real scientific consensus - as do responsible governments, public health authorities and even cruise line executives. Thank you for your input even if we disagree a bit. You are a nice debater. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted February 21, 2021 #12 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, baldilocks said: We have been listening to the news and several well respected, well known doctors of virology stated that the USA will reach herd immunity around the end of April....even with the new strains. I don't need the news or world renowned doctors to tell me that herd immunity will happen in April. All I have to do is turn to my friends and family who were part of the first vaccine group who still can't get appointments to know that herd immunity is impossible to happen by April. My 88 yr old mother was admitted to the hospital today due to difficulty in breathing and fever. Thank God she tested negative for Covid. Hopefully she will be able to get the vaccine while she is in the hospital. We don't have a diagnosis yet so who knows what will happen. Edited February 21, 2021 by Iamcruzin 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missusdubbya Posted February 21, 2021 #13 Share Posted February 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, baldilocks said: Thank you for your input even if we disagree a bit. You are a nice debater. You too, nice to keep it civil 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #14 Share Posted February 21, 2021 I hope your mother will be OK. We are both 75 and we creak a bit. Pfizer has cut its production time by almost half. So that will almost a double of their vaccine on the market. It also will not be needed to be kept so cold at the injection site which will allow it to travel to rural areas. The J&J vaccine will hit the market in March. That will add millions of more doses into the vaccination stream...and it is a one shot and done deal. So I believe that the shot (or jabs) will be going at a fast clip by the end of March. I also believe that all the 1A group that want the shot will get at least their first shot by the end of March. There is still about 20-30% of the population that will refuse the shot. It will take a while for some of them to come around. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etta1213 Posted February 21, 2021 #15 Share Posted February 21, 2021 14 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said: I don't need the news or world renowned doctors to tell me that herd immunity will happen in April. All I have to do is turn to my friends and family who were part of the first vaccine group who still can't get appointments to know that herd immunity is impossible to happen by April. My 88 yr old mother was admitted to the hospital today due to difficulty in breathing and fever. Thank God she tested negative for Covid. Hopefully she will be able to get the vaccine while she is in the hospital. We don't have a diagnosis yet so who knows what will happen. My daughter tested neg twice, and was told she was a presumed positive. (Same thing happened with my granddaughter and the flu; the doctor treated her for it because she had the classic symptoms.) Your mom might be tested again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted February 21, 2021 #16 Share Posted February 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, Etta1213 said: My daughter tested neg twice, and was told she was a presumed positive. (Same thing happened with my granddaughter and the flu; the doctor treated her for it because she had the classic symptoms.) Your mom might be tested again. Thanks for the information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etta1213 Posted February 21, 2021 #17 Share Posted February 21, 2021 2 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said: Thanks for the information. I remember reading about a young woman who had tested neg twice, sent home, finally super sick, admitted to the hospital, tested positive. I don't remember the outcome. Something to do with viral load and false negs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted February 21, 2021 #18 Share Posted February 21, 2021 4 minutes ago, baldilocks said: I hope your mother will be OK. We are both 75 and we creak a bit. Pfizer has cut its production time by almost half. So that will almost a double of their vaccine on the market. It also will not be needed to be kept so cold at the injection site which will allow it to travel to rural areas. The J&J vaccine will hit the market in March. That will add millions of more doses into the vaccination stream...and it is a one shot and done deal. So I believe that the shot (or jabs) will be going at a fast clip by the end of March. I also believe that all the 1A group that want the shot will get at least their first shot by the end of March. There is still about 20-30% of the population that will refuse the shot. It will take a while for some of them to come around. I hope you are right about the production. I work for a drug store chain and they are offering the vaccine to employees first. I'm scheduled for the first dose on the 26th and the second on March 19th. I haven't seen my parents for any length of time since October. They only live a mile away. I stop by but don't go in the house. All day I'm surrounded by people who are coming in for all kinds of medication so don't want to take any chances. I will feel better about visiting them once I'm vaccinated. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted February 21, 2021 #19 Share Posted February 21, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Etta1213 said: I remember reading about a young woman who had tested neg twice, sent home, finally super sick, admitted to the hospital, tested positive. I don't remember the outcome. Something to do with viral load and false negs? I know those rapid tests aren't 100% accurate either. My mother was in the hospital twice in 2020 and at that time they were testing her every day. Edited February 21, 2021 by Iamcruzin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #20 Share Posted February 21, 2021 COVID Testing has gotten more accurate in the last few months. The quick tests still seem to have a way to go though. An interesting article I read several week ago about predicting the mortality of COVID. When a patient is brought in with COVID, the doctors would do a blood panel. There were seven things they looked at. The more of the seven things that were out of balance. The more likely the patient was in trouble. The doctors stated if all seven things were out of whack, there was a 70% chance of a fatality. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trixie21 Posted February 21, 2021 #21 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Here in the UK we have just passed 17 million people given their first dose (about 25% of the total population) . The new target set today by the government is for every adult (over 18) to be given the first dose by July which gives us hope for a return to some sort of normality by summer. Deaths , new infections and hospital admissions are falling faster now than was forecast even 2 or 3 weeks ago and the process of reopening the economy and society (hopefully for good this time) is due to begin next week. The vaccination campaign is definitely having an effect now , and that will only increase as time goes on. For the first time since this began last year I can see the light at the end of the tunnel . We have a cruise booked for August in the Caribbean on Allure. I am not at all hopeful that this will sail or that we can go on it , but I have not given up 100%. We booked grandeur from Barbados for January 2022 - I am very confident that we will be on that - masks or not i don't care - just to step back on a ship will feel like we have beaten this damn virus! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etta1213 Posted February 21, 2021 #22 Share Posted February 21, 2021 5 minutes ago, baldilocks said: COVID Testing has gotten more accurate in the last few months. The quick tests still seem to have a way to go though. An interesting article I read several week ago about predicting the mortality of COVID. When a patient is brought in with COVID, the doctors would do a blood panel. There were seven things they looked at. The more of the seven things that were out of balance. The more likely the patient was in trouble. The doctors stated if all seven things were out of whack, there was a 70% chance of a fatality. I've heard more than once how significant a person's Vitamin D level is. Good reason to get outside more, i guess. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldilocks Posted February 21, 2021 Author #23 Share Posted February 21, 2021 1 minute ago, Etta1213 said: I've heard more than once how significant a person's Vitamin D level is. Good reason to get outside more, i guess. Yes. That was one of the factors that was tested. BUN was another, but I have no idea what that is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodgem Posted February 21, 2021 #24 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Manaus in Brazil may provide you with a reason to wear a mask after April. It was thought that Manaus had already hit herd immunity in October 2020 but in January 2021 they had a massive second wave of Covid. This wave has left doctors questioning if natural herd immunity will work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compman9 Posted February 21, 2021 #25 Share Posted February 21, 2021 Fewer than 500 fit and healthy working age people that were not obese have died of this virus in the UK (population 70+million) There is and never has been any case for locking up anyone other than vulnerable groups, but politicians love nothing more than accumulating vast debts they can blame on something/one else What we are seeing is politics getting in the way of what is best for nations 15 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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