Crew members test positive

[SALAD MUNCHER]

In the news today it seems crew members aboard Queen Elizabeth have tested positive for Covid. Do crew memers not get vaccinated? They are due to sail in two weeks time for the first UK Staycation. Here's the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-57725455

 

[Host Hattie]

Crew vaccination is already being discussed here but being vaccinated does not 100% prevent you testing positive so the two are not necessarily related.

I haven't seen any comment from Cunard but hopefully this won't affect the restart.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2788458-crew-vaccinations-cunard/

[staygulf]

We’re on the 26July sailing. Not sure whether to cancel. Having spent nearly 18 months being ultra cautious as my wife is on the extremely vulnerable list I’m not sure it’s worth taking the risk. 

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Crew vaccination is already being discussed here but being vaccinated does not 100% prevent you testing positive so the two are not necessarily related.

I haven't seen any comment from Cunard but hopefully this won't affect the restart.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2788458-crew-vaccinations-cunard/

 

And while after two vaccines, you are very unlikely to be ill, it takes two to three weeks after the first jab for it to have any effect at all. Maybe those unwell had only recently been jabbed.

[Host Hattie]

I'm not sure we know whether anyone is unwell, just that they have tested positive.

 

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

I'm not sure we know whether anyone is unwell, just that they have tested positive.

 

 

Yes, of course, I should have said those affected. Sorry. 

[kevcharben]

We are on the 1st sailing 19th July.

We will still be going, we have to start living our lives again

[exlondoner]

We are hoping to go in August. I have been imagining the depression that might ensue, if we arrive at the peer, full of anticipation, double jabbed and feeling perfectly healthy, having taken every precaution, and get sent away for failing the preboarding Covid test! It's almost bound to happen to someone.

[david,Mississauga]

50 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

We are hoping to go in August. I have been imagining the depression that might ensue, if we arrive at the peer, full of anticipation, double jabbed and feeling perfectly healthy, having taken every precaution, and get sent away for failing the preboarding Covid test! It's almost bound to happen to someone.

 

We had a cruise booked from Québec in October of this year. For obvious reasons, Cunard cancelled the voyage many months ago. A few months before the cancellation we received a notice from Cunard via our TA about the health inspection at the time of boarding. It warned that if we failed any part of it (not just the COVID test) we would be denied boarding and the fare would be forfeited. Cunard said the passengers' insurance might cover it. Because of the Canadian government advisory against cruising  such insurance is not available.

 

If Cunard's policy was still in effect at the time final payment was due we would have cancelled. Cunard later changed the policy to offer a full credit for passengers who are denied boarding.

[Windsurfboy]

Who does the health  inspection, what are their qualifications.  Given the consequences  could you be denied boarding by anyone less than a fully qualified doctor and  a second opinion. 

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Who does the health  inspection, what are their qualifications.  Given the consequences  could you be denied boarding by anyone less than a fully qualified doctor and  a second opinion. 

 

At present, I think they do a second test if you test positive. I can imagine a doctor wouldn't have the necessary skills to process the test, that is surely a technical matter. Then anyone can read the results, I imagine.  In addition, you have to do the usual sort of health questionnaire on line a couple of days before. And presumably, if you fail that, the ship's doctor does have a word. Presumably, when it comes down to it, the Captain can deny boarding to anyone he likes.

[Windsurfboy]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

 

At present, I think they do a second test if you test positive. I can imagine a doctor wouldn't have the necessary skills to process the test, that is surely a technical matter. Then anyone can read the results, I imagine.  In addition, you have to do the usual sort of health questionnaire on line a couple of days before. And presumably, if you fail that, the ship's doctor does have a word. Presumably, when it comes down to it, the Captain can deny boarding to anyone he likes.

 

I was talking about health inspection not covid test . Yes covid test will have a second PCR test.

 

As to a health inspection before boarding (not the questionnaire )as mentioned  by David M, yes they can deny boarding to whoever they like. However to do so without good reason,  makes them liable for costs and compensation for emotional loss as well as a refund.   Only the opinion of a qualified doctor would count as a valid health inspection. 

[SALAD MUNCHER]

8 hours ago, staygulf said:

We’re on the 26July sailing. Not sure whether to cancel. Having spent nearly 18 months being ultra cautious as my wife is on the extremely vulnerable list I’m not sure it’s worth taking the risk. 

Surely if they expect passengers to be double jabbed and take a test pre boarding confirming they are covid free before they are allowed on board this should be at least the minimum they expect from the crew.

[The Med]

We’re going on this ship on the 23rd July.

We won’t be cancelling but we just hope that they get those crew off and nip this in the bud, the last thing anyone wants if for this to run riot.

 

What I want to know is, if all the crew were tested before they boarded and they are currently moored off the Dorset coast, how have they caught it?
 

Also, how can all the crew be double vaccinated?
As far as I know, there is no procedure in place in the UK for anyone in the hospitality industry to jump the queue for vaccines. It’s in medical and then age order.

So unless all the crew are within the over 35 age bracket then they can’t be double jabbed. 

[Host Hattie]

New crew joining the ship are quarantined, I would think the cases would be in newly embarked crew members, as happened on Queen Victoria last year.

It's possible to test positive after vaccination of course.

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I was talking about health inspection not covid test . Yes covid test will have a second PCR test.

 

As to a health inspection before boarding (not the questionnaire )as mentioned  by David M, yes they can deny boarding to whoever they like. However to do so without good reason,  makes them liable for costs and compensation for emotional loss as well as a refund.   Only the opinion of a qualified doctor would count as a valid health inspection. 

 

In fact it is rather hard to imagine what a health inspection could be. Do they look at your tongue, take your blood pressure and temp, test for cholesterol, inspect your back for rashes, at the check in desk? I am more inclined to imagine it would be an oral version of the form.

[LouChamp]

With all respect i can afford to wait. 

[Lanky Lad]

I think the big test will be if there are any new cases on board. Hopefully, the cases are in crew who have just joined the ship and it was caught in time.

[SALAD MUNCHER]

On 7/6/2021 at 6:10 PM, Host Hattie said:

New crew joining the ship are quarantined, I would think the cases would be in newly embarked crew members, as happened on Queen Victoria last year.

It's possible to test positive after vaccination of course.

Does Cunard apy privately to have all their staff vaccinated? Surely this would be in everyone's interest,including the crew and Cunard.

[SALAD MUNCHER]

Just now, SALAD MUNCHER said:

apy should read pay!

 

[Host Hattie]

1 minute ago, SALAD MUNCHER said:

Does Cunard apy privately to have all their staff vaccinated? Surely this would be in everyone's interest,including the crew and Cunard.

I don't think that's possible in the UK but it might be in their home countries.

 

[Host Hattie]

This was their answer about vaccination on Twitter

[rakkor]

Plus being double jabbed doesn't make you immune to Covid, one of my colleagues has just caught it 8 weeks after his second jab. He was ill but not horrendously so.

[Yorky67]

That seems to be the pattern with fewer deaths. 
However, now that about 800? Queen Elizabeth crew are in Southampton with some infected, it would be a humanitarian gesture for English Government to tweak its policy and vaccinate remaining crew, wherever they come from. At one point we had spare vaccine and planned to help Third World Countries. 

Cunard have rigorous  procedures for  cleaning and safety but civid is uncharted territory. 
From what I understand it seems crew will have to be vaccinated in any case, to sail to USA. (e.g. QM to New York). Increasingly USA are requiring that all crew and passengers have to be vaccinated. 

[exlondoner]

I wonder if, as Cunard are only operating one ship, and therefore have a lot of available crew, whether they are using more crew from countries where the vaccine programme is advanced, and also older crew, whom many countries are prioritising. It will be interesting to see.