P&O vaccine update - both jabs required

[sallybunny]

One other thing that is HUGE to me on a solo holiday is use of a spa and swimming pool. In UK hotels, it looks like these are going to be closed for most of the rest of the year with no reduction in prices or special offers to make the stay worth it. On the P&O summer cruises, it's been confirmed that the pools and spas will all be open making it an even better option for me. I might have to book, but that's fine with me and with reduced capacity there might be more space in there than normal sea days. 

[Riddoch]

2 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

Probably because the ships they are using for the british waters cruises are advertised as 'Family Friendly' ships, so stating outright than they're only accepting adults could potentially open up a whole can of worms. Saying 'vaccinated passengers only' is safer I would assume.

Avril

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/17/nhs-covid-vaccine-rollout-under-50s-delayed-major-shortage?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

It might be limited to over 50s at this rate. 🙂

I think that you right that they are trying to avoid being accused of age discrimination.

 

[Beckett]

2 hours ago, sallybunny said:

I'm afraid that when I go on my own I really do go on my own! I'm surrounded by family and colleagues all day every day and this is time for me to switch off and do what I like on my terms. If I had to mix with other people then I wouldn't go 🤣

I sound like a right miserable git. I do talk to people when I go but just like to have the peace and quiet. So I'm the person you see in the restaurant on a table for one with a book and I'm having just the best time. 

And I'm the other one! When I sail alone I always eat alone, don't mix much, and just enjoy my solitude. So there may be two miserable gits on one of these cruises! Jane.x

[Britboys]

6 minutes ago, Beckett said:

And I'm the other one! When I sail alone I always eat alone, don't mix much, and just enjoy my solitude. So there may be two miserable gits on one of these cruises! Jane.x

I would absolutely hate that. Just shows how different we all are.

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

I just logged into my local Health Centre website for something else, and looked at my Patient Record and there is my AZ vaccination quite clear, so can print that off as proof of vaccination.

I have looked at my Patient Access record on my GPs website and where it gives a list of immunisations it clearly states the date of my first dose of Covid vaccine but on the page it does not give my name so if printed it is worthless could be anyones.

[zap99]

23 minutes ago, sallybunny said:

One other thing that is HUGE to me on a solo holiday is use of a spa and swimming pool. In UK hotels, it looks like these are going to be closed for most of the rest of the year with no reduction in prices or special offers to make the stay worth it. On the P&O summer cruises, it's been confirmed that the pools and spas will all be open making it an even better option for me. I might have to book, but that's fine with me and with reduced capacity there might be more space in there than normal sea days. 

We stayed at 2 different holiday parks last summer. Swimming pools were open in both.

[yorkshirephil]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We stayed at 2 different holiday parks last summer. Swimming pools were open in both.

I don't see a problem, just take the water out of lanes 2,4,6 and 8 and you have social distancing

[ace2542]

22 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

I don't see a problem, just take the water out of lanes 2,4,6 and 8 and you have social distancing

I don't think they can do that somehow.

[zap99]

29 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I don't think they can do that somehow.

When I was into scuba diving I always wore a mask.

[ace2542]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

When I was into scuba diving I always wore a mask.

I should hope so. But that is a different kind of mask.

[ace2542]

6 hours ago, davecttr said:

To protect the unvaccinated crew from virus brought aboard by passengers

 

the sooner they vaccinate the crew the better

No one seems to have any idea as to how to achieve that. I wonder if they could - once the single shot johnson is approved - register them somehow with a practice from onboard the ship in Southampton and get them vaccinated with that single shot in batches over upcoming weeks? Which would tide them over until corporate supply becomes available in the future?

[ace2542]

6 hours ago, WECRUISEUK said:

Good point,best and quickest solution for P&O is to purchase the "Johnson & Johnson" one hit vaccine and get the crew done.I'm sure this will be done by sept.,if not it's a big minus for us and excursions.

So far as I am aware, they can't make a purchase on the "corporate level" at least not right now.

[ace2542]

6 hours ago, Snibs said:

So the unvaccinated crew are still at risk. And how they get the crew vaccinated most be an issue for them

Is it though?

 

I personally think masks will be worn on cruise ships for ever and a day. And I will tell you why I think that. Because it is the only way to protect or better protect against ambulance chasing lawsuits for catching Covid on a cruise ship. For a UK motor accident as we all know you can claim £2.500 for your aches and pains lasting 6-8 after the accident providing you had seatbelt on and where passenger or non fault driver. That is why car insurance has increased so much. Can you imagine a similar claim for Covid from people paying £999 for the cruise. How much do you think prices will increase IF that starts to happen?. 

 

The vaccination of crew perhaps makes the decision to enforce mask wearing forever a bit harder even from the standpoint of what I said above.

[Eglesbrech]

5 hours ago, ozscotart said:

We hope it will be on our medical records, and I can just imagine our practice’s response to 5000 of their patients wanting a gp  letter to prove vaccination. I am not confident that we will get any evidence of vaccination in time for holidays abroad this year, and at this point in time it’s not entirely clear when we could even go to England given the different stance between their government regarding overseas travel, and the Scottish government’s recent statements . 

Very true re the travel situation. 
 

I,m not attracted to these cruises anyway (but good luck to those who are and I look forward to hearing all about them) but I couldn’t book one with any confidence anyway given the lack of information about when we can travel.

 

I wonder if the lack of a vaccine cards up here was deliberate or just incidental, it is effectively one more obstacle to travel if companies accept the cards as proof. I have kept the contents of the “blue envelope’ as the only proof I have. I agree GPS are not going to be happy to have lots of requests for this if and when travel is allowed.

[fragilek]

26 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Very true re the travel situation. 
 

I,m not attracted to these cruises anyway (but good luck to those who are and I look forward to hearing all about them) but I couldn’t book one with any confidence anyway given the lack of information about when we can travel.

 

I wonder if the lack of a vaccine cards up here was deliberate or just incidental, it is effectively one more obstacle to travel if companies accept the cards as proof. I have kept the contents of the “blue envelope’ as the only proof I have. I agree GPS are not going to be happy to have lots of requests for this if and when travel is allowed.

Don't even have that as we got our vaccines after a call from our local surgery. All I have is the gov text saying I will be contacted in group 4

[ozscotart]

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Very true re the travel situation. 
 

I,m not attracted to these cruises anyway (but good luck to those who are and I look forward to hearing all about them) but I couldn’t book one with any confidence anyway given the lack of information about when we can travel.

 

I wonder if the lack of a vaccine cards up here was deliberate or just incidental, it is effectively one more obstacle to travel if companies accept the cards as proof. I have kept the contents of the “blue envelope’ as the only proof I have. I agree GPS are not going to be happy to have lots of requests for this if and when travel is allowed.

I didn’t even get a blue envelope, I was rung by the practice. I’m convinced it was government policy to not provide a vaccination card, I know of no one getting one. We are actually booked on a Princess cruise from Southampton in October, trying to use up our credit from our cancelled cruise on the Diamond Princess last year. So far, Princess are not requiring vaccination but Angus is fond of pointing out that all the Carnival lines tend to follow the same policies. 
Re dates : we have been scrutinising the FM’s statement closely, it seems likely we’ll be able travel in Scotland from late April/ early May, but it’s not at all clear when we’ll be able to go to the rest of the Uk (legally). Let alone travel abroad. 

[Eglesbrech]

12 minutes ago, ozscotart said:

I didn’t even get a blue envelope, I was rung by the practice. I’m convinced it was government policy to not provide a vaccination card, I know of no one getting one. We are actually booked on a Princess cruise from Southampton in October, trying to use up our credit from our cancelled cruise on the Diamond Princess last year. So far, Princess are not requiring vaccination but Angus is fond of pointing out that all the Carnival lines tend to follow the same policies. 
Re dates : we have been scrutinising the FM’s statement closely, it seems likely we’ll be able travel in Scotland from late April/ early May, but it’s not at all clear when we’ll be able to go to the rest of the Uk (legally). Let alone travel abroad. 

Yes she said that in the statement yesterday but today there were many more and, ifs and buts. If the vaccine programme progresses, if the levels stay low etc and that’s just to get to the next council area! Too many caveats for my liking.

 

The announcement today about the vaccine supply being interrupted seems to tie in with the much less enthusiastic murmurings at the briefing after (relative) positivity yesterday.

 

I think there will be public pressure to get something official put in place as many will be in the same position you are.

 

 

[seapals2]

We have spent most of the day off and on talking about this topic.  Do we ... don't we .. million dollar question.  Think we have decided to wait and see what Princess bring out as they have promised similar short UK cruises.  Below are the topics that came to mind today.

We feel its to all intents and purpose they are test cruises.  If we sail we will be the Guinea pigs for later sailings and at quite a high price given the short duration on the early Britannia sailings with no option to do back to back. 

Presumably they will save on luggage handling with most passengers opting to do carry on. This will save some time that will be needed for the additional testing and form checking. Even at reduced numbers this will be a lengthy process. 

Vaccines have been shown to be around 85% efficient. However this then means for every 100 passengers 15 are at risk of getting ill. Hopefully protected against serious illness but never the less requiring quarantine.  Some may even need to be put ashore. As yet there is no simple anti body test. you just don't know if you will be in the unlucky 15%. 

Trying to imagine sitting watching a show wearing a mask.  We love the Sanctuary/retreat area but that would be weather permitting and right there is our biggest dilemma. What if we were unlucky and got 3/4 wet days. 

On the plus side just to imagine walking up the gangway again.  Oh bliss. 

The jury is still out!  

[ace2542]

27 minutes ago, seapals2 said:

Hopefully protected against serious illness but never the less requiring quarantine

Why would it require quarantine? Quarantine of the sick person perhaps. Though to my knowledge they don't do that for Flu though I may be wrong. But they would not need to quarantine the entire ship? If they are going to quarantine the entire ship there is no point in going and taking that chance.

 

And wouldn't most Covid cases not progress quickly enough to need evacuation off the ship or even onboard treatment?

[Pink-belle]

8 hours ago, ace2542 said:

Why would it require quarantine? Quarantine of the sick person perhaps. Though to my knowledge they don't do that for Flu though I may be wrong. But they would not need to quarantine the entire ship? If they are going to quarantine the entire ship there is no point in going and taking that chance.

 

And wouldn't most Covid cases not progress quickly enough to need evacuation off the ship or even onboard treatment?

I agree I believe the length of these cruises and no back to backs is to guard against medical evacuation due to Covid 19. 
 

I am still looking forward to sailing, fully aware, and not expecting it to be the same as our previous cruises.  I’m okay with the mask wearing better to be wearing it on holiday than at work. 
 

I think I feel reassured that some shows/activities may require booking I would be uncomfortable in a free for all situation.  
 

Enhanced TV and increased “free” room service menu suggests P&O are doing their best to give people the opportunity for a getaway,  I imagine many will be comfortable just enjoying the sea views and motion of the sea from their rooms.  

[sddsddean]

14 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I have looked at my Patient Access record on my GPs website and where it gives a list of immunisations it clearly states the date of my first dose of Covid vaccine but on the page it does not give my name so if printed it is worthless could be anyones.

If you have the Patient Access app on your smartphone, it should show up in 'medications' there too. At the bottom of the page there should be an 'export' button...hit this and it will say something like 'included in this export will be <your name , address etc>'. You could show this on boarding...maybe?

 

Simon

[Bazrat]

12 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

If you have the Patient Access app on your smartphone, it should show up in 'medications' there too. At the bottom of the page there should be an 'export' button...hit this and it will say something like 'included in this export will be <your name , address etc>'. You could show this on boarding...maybe?

 

Simon

I doubt if that would be good enough because it would be extremely easy to forge the information, it as got to be an official form like your passport drivers license etc

[Dermotsgirl]

The time for P&O to be telling people what proof of vaccination they’ll accept is right  now, before booking opens. 

 

 

[fragilek]

10 hours ago, seapals2 said:

We have spent most of the day off and on talking about this topic.  Do we ... don't we .. million dollar question.  Think we have decided to wait and see what Princess bring out as they have promised similar short UK cruises.  Below are the topics that came to mind today.

We feel its to all intents and purpose they are test cruises.  If we sail we will be the Guinea pigs for later sailings and at quite a high price given the short duration on the early Britannia sailings with no option to do back to back. 

Presumably they will save on luggage handling with most passengers opting to do carry on. This will save some time that will be needed for the additional testing and form checking. Even at reduced numbers this will be a lengthy process. 

Vaccines have been shown to be around 85% efficient. However this then means for every 100 passengers 15 are at risk of getting ill. Hopefully protected against serious illness but never the less requiring quarantine.  Some may even need to be put ashore. As yet there is no simple anti body test. you just don't know if you will be in the unlucky 15%. 

Trying to imagine sitting watching a show wearing a mask.  We love the Sanctuary/retreat area but that would be weather permitting and right there is our biggest dilemma. What if we were unlucky and got 3/4 wet days. 

On the plus side just to imagine walking up the gangway again.  Oh bliss. 

The jury is still out!  

And many people will not even know that they have some underlying health condition that could impact effectiveness.  Here is the latest data for effectiveness for some conditions

Blood cancers (even in remission) 13% after 28 days vax 1 falls to 8% if vax delayed (2nd vax seemed to suggest a vast improvement but worry is that the delay 2nd vax will not work for many in this cohort (for people like me No lymphocytes any of todays vaccines are very unlikely to work.  We await the next type in trial at the moment that will involve actually giving us antibodies. The aim for this type is Autumn.  Solid cancers 35% falls to 30% effectiveness.  Other autoimmune (lupus etc) 25-35 %.  A larger study is now underway Octave Study.  I am part of this one.  Another unrelated study has shown that sever disease is also still more likely in diabetics ( I only got the summary of the study and it did not separate out the different types of diabetes) even after 2nd vaccine

[cruisenewbie1976]

57 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

The time for P&O to be telling people what proof of vaccination they’ll accept is right  now, before booking opens. 

 

 

I imagine that largely depends on what system the government has put in place for vaccine passports. P&O have likely been given info on what's expected to happen but I doubt they're able to say yet.