Will they do rapid flu tests to board the ships as well as Covid tests?

[ace2542]

I can see the argument for doing both. Especially to back up the negative Covid or double check a positive test which could be incorrect especially if a person has symptoms of one or both.

[livingonthebeach]

46 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

I can see the argument for doing both. Especially to back up the negative Covid or double check a positive test which could be incorrect especially if a person has symptoms of one or both.

If a person has the regular flu or any symptoms of anything they will not be allowed onboard as was done in the past. 

[chengkp75]

Are you asking whether a cruise line will do this, or whether a government agency will require it?  If there is no requirement for it, you can be sure that the cruise line won't do it out of the goodness of their hearts.  And, since there is no mandate in the US (or anywhere that I'm aware of) to get a flu test for the general population, I don't see the government mandating this for cruise ships.

[MacMarauder]

If they were going to test for something else prior to boarding I think Norovirus would be the best candidate.

[ArthurUSCG]

6 minutes ago, MacMarauder said:

If they were going to test for something else prior to boarding I think Norovirus would be the best candidate.

I wounder how the saliva testing is coming along.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30517651/

The traditional tests wouldn't be nice (anal swab) or quick (stool sample).  But I do agree that Norovirus should be on the top of the list.

[smokeybandit]

They should require the flu vaccine for everyone

[lovescats5]

Why is everyone so quick to dictate what we do with our health.  Now you want a required flu vaccine before we step foot on a boat.  I have not had the flu nor a flue vaccine for 10 years.  Next someone will say there should be a cold vaccine so we have to take that to keep from giving cold germs to someone else.  And yet, we are still required to wear a mask, vaccine or not.  What then is the purpose of the vaccine.  

[vandals04]

10 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

Why is everyone so quick to dictate what we do with our health.  Now you want a required flu vaccine before we step foot on a boat.  I have not had the flu nor a flue vaccine for 10 years.  Next someone will say there should be a cold vaccine so we have to take that to keep from giving cold germs to someone else.  And yet, we are still required to wear a mask, vaccine or not.  What then is the purpose of the vaccine.  

 

Just curious how you know that you have not had to flu in 10 years?  Is there a flu antibody test that you take annually?

Edited April 20, 2021 by vandals04

[chengkp75]

46 minutes ago, ArthurUSCG said:

I wounder how the saliva testing is coming along.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30517651/

The traditional tests wouldn't be nice (anal swab) or quick (stool sample).  But I do agree that Norovirus should be on the top of the list.

Yeah, I could just see embarkation lines diverted to the restrooms for mandatory stool samples.

[chengkp75]

3 minutes ago, vandals04 said:

 

Just curious how you know that you have not had to flu in 10 years?  Is there a flu antibody test that you take annually?

I have never had a flu shot in my life (68 years) and haven't had the flu in years either.  Then again, I spend half my year in a "bubble" on the ship with similarly healthy people with limited outside contact.

[vandals04]

Just now, chengkp75 said:

I have never had a flu shot in my life (68 years) and haven't had the flu in years either.  Then again, I spend half my year in a "bubble" on the ship with similarly healthy people with limited outside contact.

 

Just like covid you can have the flu and be asymptomatic.  Spread it without even knowing it.  I have no issue with anyone declining a vaccine but how can you know for sure that you have not had the flu?

[Stick93]

Maybe they should just set up a minute clinic at the port and have everyone fully examined. I have seen some questionable people boarding ships at times!

 

People lie and people will die! - catch them before they ever get near the ship.

 

Not sure where this is going to end......

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, MacMarauder said:

If they were going to test for something else prior to boarding I think Norovirus would be the best candidate.

You would probably need  medical scanners like the ones off star trek to detect Norovirus on mass I think. And no country or company is even close to developing something like that. You need a full lab test to diagnosis Noro. Not practical in a cruise ship setting.

Edited April 20, 2021 by ace2542

[chengkp75]

19 minutes ago, vandals04 said:

 

Just like covid you can have the flu and be asymptomatic.  Spread it without even knowing it.  I have no issue with anyone declining a vaccine but how can you know for sure that you have not had the flu?

Perhaps I have had it, and was asymptomatic, but no one in my general contact circle has had it either, most don't get shots, so that leads me to believe that I haven't had it or transmitted it.

[chengkp75]

16 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

You would probably need  medical scanners like the ones off star trek to detect Norovirus on mass I think. And no country or company is even close to developing something like that. You need a full lab test to diagnosis Noro. Not practical in a cruise ship setting.

Actually, you don't need a "full lab test" to diagnose noro.  There are several "quick" tests available to test stool samples, the cruise ships have been using these for a few years now.  While the accuracy is not what the lab tests are, they are still considered good for industry use.  Then there is the saliva swab that is in development, as mentioned above.

[RFerrington]

39 minutes ago, vandals04 said:

 

Just curious how you know that you have not had to flu in 10 years?  Is there a flu antibody test that you take annually?

I think you misread @lovescats5's post.  She did not say she had not had the flu, she said she had not taken the flu vaccine - in 10 years.

[Cigar King]

4 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

I think you misread @lovescats5's post.  She did not say she had not had the flu, she said she had not taken the flu vaccine - in 10 years.

She said "I have not had the flu nor a flue vaccine for 10 years."

[TheMiz]

Norovirus illness is not related to the flu.  

 

[Big_G]

I never got a shot flu shot until the grand kids started popping out. At that point it was either get a needle stick or be tortured by their grandmother. The needle stick was worth way more than it was intended.

[Biker19]

30 minutes ago, TheMiz said:

Norovirus illness is not related to the flu.  

 

Perhaps you missed the point of CC since start of the pandemic, it's to talk about anything in any thread regardless of relevance. 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Biker19

[TheMiz]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Perhaps you missed the point of CC since start of the pandemic, it's to talk about anything in any thread regardless of relevance. 

 

 

Got it 

 

Here I thought it was about Fast Flu checking and Covid testing. Not sure you can pre check Noro.

[orville99]

4 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Perhaps you missed the point of CC since start of the pandemic, it's to talk about anything in any thread regardless of relevance. 

And to humor any nimrod that wanders by...😷

[TheMastodon]

1 hour ago, vandals04 said:

 

Just like covid you can have the flu and be asymptomatic.  Spread it without even knowing it.  I have no issue with anyone declining a vaccine but how can you know for sure that you have not had the flu?

 

Why do you care so much about the flu?  

[Stick93]

 

We should probably come up with a list on things they could test for - Maybe offer health screening like  yearly physicals. Why not throw in mammograms and colonoscopies. This would be a great way to get more people on board and make some extra money for the cruiselines. 

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, Stick93 said:

Maybe they should just set up a minute clinic at the port and have everyone fully examined. I have seen some questionable people boarding ships at times!

 

People lie and people will die! - catch them before they ever get near the ship.

 

Not sure where this is going to end......

Sure, 8000+ Passengers and Crew. Check in is Wed-Sat to get everyone done in time to Sail on Sunday.