Bahamas Updates Vaccine Requirements

[styles27]

47 minutes ago, kilkoyne said:

 

You are right, I misread your response. 

 

 

 

Are you sailing the Meraviglia on the 18th? I'm going the week after on the 25th (I hope). 

 

I just noticed the bump on my card from the stickers too. To me the stickers make the card appear more "authentic" so I'm assuming that's a good thing? I don't think MSC will give either of us a hard time about it but it would be nice to know for sure prior to boarding.

 

I am going to ask my employer (who administered my shots) if they can issue me a new card or at least get me a copy of the medical record for the time I received the vaccine. This is a long overdue vacation for me and I just don't want any last minute surprises. 🤞

Have you tried going to your Department of Health website to look up your covid vaccine record?  You can then print that page and bring it with you as a backup. 
 

All of our Covid vaccines are on record with our local DOH

 

I live in RI and our Governor and the Director of the RIDOH both advised us to get the cards laminated. In fact Staples was doing it for free around here. 

[kilkoyne]

29 minutes ago, styles27 said:

Have you tried going to your Department of Health website to look up your covid vaccine record?  You can then print that page and bring it with you as a backup. 
 

All of our Covid vaccines are on record with our local DOH

 

I live in RI and our Governor and the Director of the RIDOH both advised us to get the cards laminated. In fact Staples was doing it for free around here. 

 

Looks like I could request through DOH but could take up to 6 weeks. I'm going to speak with employee health who administered my vaccine. The only problem is I work for the government and it's always a nightmare trying to get anything done with them. 😬

[styles27]

29 minutes ago, kilkoyne said:

 

Looks like I could request through DOH but could take up to 6 weeks. I'm going to speak with employee health who administered my vaccine. The only problem is I work for the government and it's always a nightmare trying to get anything done with them. 😬

lol why am I not surprised 😄

[pattycake08]

A great Big Thanks to Back-at-it (page 4 of this thread) for providing the link to the Keylion Vaccination Card Protectors (Amazon), I ordered a package on Monday & received it today. They are very thick plastic, very well made & fits the vaccination cards perfectly.  Thanks Again.

[kilkoyne]

On 8/21/2021 at 7:25 PM, styles27 said:

Have you tried going to your Department of Health website to look up your covid vaccine record?  You can then print that page and bring it with you as a backup. 
 

All of our Covid vaccines are on record with our local DOH

 

I live in RI and our Governor and the Director of the RIDOH both advised us to get the cards laminated. In fact Staples was doing it for free around here. 

 

Surprised, I asked today over the phone and was given a new one when I arrived at work. I'm sure they'll have to give out new ones to a lot of people because they were telling us to get them laminated but boosters will be available soon.

Edited August 25, 2021 by kilkoyne

[styles27]

1 hour ago, kilkoyne said:

 

Surprised, I asked today over the phone and was given a new one when I arrived at work. I'm sure they'll have to give out new ones to a lot of people because they were telling us to get them laminated but boosters will be available soon.

Great! I’m glad that worked out for you. 
 

[slk1000]

On 8/19/2021 at 9:39 PM, Thenagers said:

As far as them putting testing on the consumer, I heard it is because of the bottom line?  Most people in the US can get free testing.  The money crunchers have figured out that they can push that to the consumer to save money, Plain and simple for them. More complicated for us!

The free testing may not come back within the 3 day time period depending on where you live.  It's going to cost my family an extra $400 for the testing:(

[SUSIEK]

On 8/25/2021 at 4:18 PM, pattycake08 said:

A great Big Thanks to Back-at-it (page 4 of this thread) for providing the link to the Keylion Vaccination Card Protectors (Amazon), I ordered a package on Monday & received it today. They are very thick plastic, very well made & fits the vaccination cards perfectly.  Thanks Again.

I got those too.  They are great!

[phissy]

YEA!!!  

 Thank you to all who submitted request to MSC to accept Telehealth monitored at home Antigen tests!  (Binax NOW Ag Card Covid test) Video monitored at home covid rapid test.

This has just been posted . on MSC, as being acceptable for fully vaccinated cruisers.  There is one test type that has been excluded.

Looks like MSC has agreed with the other cruise lines that this is acceptable for fully vaxed passengers sailing from November 1 ,going forward.

Edited September 2, 2021 by phissy

[styles27]

For those wondering about logging the date of a booster on vaccine cards that have been laminated I work with seniors and today we had 3 go for their booster shot.
All 3 had laminated their cards and they all received new cards with the 3 dates on them. 
 

So no need to panic if you’ve laminated yours. 😊

[styles27]

33 minutes ago, phissy said:

YEA!!!  

 Thank you to all who submitted request to MSC to accept Telehealth monitored at home Antigen tests!  (Binax NOW Ag Card Covid test) Video monitored at home covid rapid test.

This has just been posted . on MSC, as being acceptable for fully vaccinated cruisers.  There is one test type that has been excluded.

Looks like MSC has agreed with the other cruise lines that this is acceptable for fully vaxed passengers sailing from November 1 ,going forward.

That’s me!!!  So happy as we are flying in a week before our cruise and  staying on the West coast.

Now we can buy the test and bring it with us and not have to worry about getting an appt and results in time. 
 

I felt this needed to be a new topic so I started one 😉

Edited September 2, 2021 by styles27

[Native Floridian 26]

5 minutes ago, styles27 said:

For those wondering about logging the date of a booster on vaccine cards that have been laminated I work with seniors and today we had 3 go for their booster shot.
All 3 had laminated their cards and they all received new cards with the 3 dates on them. 
 

So no need to panic if you’ve laminated yours. 😊

Did they have booster at the same location/store?

[styles27]

4 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

Did they have booster at the same location/store?

No they had their original vaccines as a clinic here where I work (Senior congregate living facility)by our local DOH. Today they went to CVS for their boosters. 
In RI our vaccine status is accessible on the DOH website so it’s easy to see when and where we were vaccinated. 

Edited September 2, 2021 by styles27

[CampNCruise74]

1 hour ago, phissy said:

YEA!!!  

 Thank you to all who submitted request to MSC to accept Telehealth monitored at home Antigen tests!  (Binax NOW Ag Card Covid test) Video monitored at home covid rapid test.

This has just been posted . on MSC, as being acceptable for fully vaccinated cruisers.  There is one test type that has been excluded.

Looks like MSC has agreed with the other cruise lines that this is acceptable for fully vaxed passengers sailing from November 1 ,going forward.

Do tell.  Link Please?  

[phissy]

5 minutes ago, CampNCruise74 said:

Do tell.  Link Please?  

See Styles27 started a new thread for this topic.

MSC TO ACCEPT HOME TESTING NOV 1, 2021.......

Paragraph that applies to this is posted on #1 of the new thread.

If you look at MSC site, Health and Safety for Caribbean, then open Fully Vaccinated guests Nov 1, 2021

requirements for sailing.  Updated paragraph at bottom of testing requirements.

Edited September 2, 2021 by phissy

[sidari]

Just read a post on a Princess FB page that says the CDC now want tests to be within 48 hours of cruise start, no idea if this is new or not.

[KeepSailing]

5 minutes ago, sidari said:

CDC now want tests to be within 48 hours of cruise start, no idea if this is new or not

On Aug 27 the CDC made a change in their "recommendations" on screening psgs under the CSO.  Here is the updated info chart from their website.  I think Carnival went first, not surprising -

 

 

[Native Floridian 26]

15 minutes ago, sidari said:

Just read a post on a Princess FB page that says the CDC now want tests to be within 48 hours of cruise start, no idea if this is new or not.

MSC has changed requirement as well to two days prior.

[publicpersona]

16 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

MSC has changed requirement as well to two days prior.

 

... but only if you are sailing after November 1 and only if you are using a monitored at-home test; otherwise you still have 3 days. But if sailing before November 1, monitored at home tests somehow aren't good enough. Wow. 

[Native Floridian 26]

7 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

 

... but only if you are sailing after November 1 and only if you are using a monitored at-home test; otherwise you still have 3 days. But if sailing before November 1, monitored at home tests somehow aren't good enough. Wow. 

No mention of 3 days.  It now says 2 days, this is not just for home test as it reads for saiing date beginning 11/1.

 

NEGATIVE TEST REQUIRED^*: All guests 2 years and older — regardless of vaccination status — must provide documentation of a negative COVID-19 test at the pier. The test must be taken no more than 2 days before arriving at the terminal for embarkation and the guest is responsible for the test and cost. Fully vaccinated guests must provide either a negative RT-PCR test, negative NAAT or negative antigen test. See below for more details about tests.

 

They have not fed the changes throughout the website.  Under Not vaccinated, it still says 3 days.  Go figure.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Native Floridian 26

[lovemycruisetoo]

Until 10/31 it’s still 3 days.  

[Native Floridian 26]

19 minutes ago, lovemycruisetoo said:

Until 10/31 it’s still 3 days.  

Yes, I reference for 11/1.

Edited September 2, 2021 by Native Floridian 26

[Native Floridian 26]

29 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

They have not fed the changes throughout the website.  Under Not vaccinated, it still says 3 days.  Go figure.

Looks like non-vaccinated remains 3 days per CDC also.

[publicpersona]

39 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

No mention of 3 days.  It now says 2 days, this is not just for home test as it reads for saiing date beginning 11/1.

 

I see. The verbiage (for after 11/1) says 2 days for at-home, but it also says 2 days for fully vaccinated and 3 days for unvaccinated. I guess the explanation is that they want to exclude the 3 days prior antigen test option, which isn't available to the unvaccinated anyway.

 

But some of this is still crazy. If monitored at-home tests are OK after 11/1, why are they not OK before 11/1?

 

And as for 2 days prior for vaccinated .. how is that a reasonable expectation when the most commonly available PCR test has estimated, but not guaranteed, 3 day results. So again .. wow.

 

I've got a case of beer that says this will change again next week.

 

Edited September 2, 2021 by publicpersona

[KeepSailing]

39 minutes ago, publicpersona said:

But some of this is still crazy. If monitored at-home tests are OK after 11/1, why are they not OK before 11/1?

Since the CSO expires on Oct 31 (who knows if they will attempt to extend it), and since Divina is in the process of being approved for simulated / restricted and will need CDC sign-off (and probably submitted prior protocols to the CDC), I suspect they do now want to "confuse" things prior to Oct 31 date of expiration of CSO and which might put current approvals in jeopardy?