Why to get non-monitored home tests

[cruiselvr04]

We bought the home kits from Sam’s purely for our own information.  I plan on using them post cruise 5 days after for peace of mind that we don’t bring anything to the grands.  I do think there’s value in testing after putting yourself in high risk situations.  The DH has jury duty a month before our cruise.  He will test 5 days after that at home.
 

Many jobs require weekly testing to pick up on someone who has no symptoms.  While I’m glad I don’t have to do that some companies think it makes sense. Testing seemingly healthy people will pick up on some who have covid as we’ve seen from pre testing for cruising.  So testing healthy people makes sense in some situations.  If you don’t want to then don’t.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

 

They have that. It's called "if you don't feel good, stay home and get tested"

If your nose is running, are you going to avoid your cruise?  What if it just started that day?   If you have a headache, do you avoid your cruise?   If you cough?  Or do you get tested every time you have a symptom?

 

That's the problem (ok, one of the problems) with this virus... it's not always obvious when you have it.

 

I might get a headache if I didn't drink enough water.  Allergies or a change in the weather can make my nose run.  I don't think your statement (although I know it's been said over and over again) is enough.

 

I've thought since the beginning, every employer should test every employee at least twice a week.  Knowing who is infected, even if they don't know, should be a good way to getting past this. 

[handbellplayer]

12 hours ago, Ashland said:

I guess you don't get us old school....I don't do app's either and if I could I would take my desktop with me when I cruise 

Isn't Cruise Critic an app?

[Biker19]

Just now, handbellplayer said:

Isn't Cruise Critic an app?

Not any more - I think most use a browser.

[webecruzin2]

To the OP,
I agree about taking a home test before the monitored one.
I mistakenly purchased a few of the Binax Now unmonitored home tests and
returned all but 1 to have if needed, or to use a few days before the monitored test.
I'd rather know earlier  than later. 

[orville99]

16 hours ago, Steeler Nation At Sea said:

 

 

This was my exact thought.  If you are chatting here, the only additional concern is whether or not your hair is sticking up, amiright?  😉

 

 

If your hair was not standing up before you took the test - you are inserting the swab entirely too far up your nose😱

[crewsweeper]

If you want to use the non-proctored test as a pre cruise test 10-14 days before you need to get the proctored test, it would give you a sense of whether or not you may test positive.  If that test is negative  then you can carefully monitor your activities and stay away from crowds unmasked until time to take your proctored test.  If that prior test is positive but you've been vaccinated and appear asymptomatic, you can also self quarantine and then do the rapid test as your cruising test to see if that shows negative.  Unless you are severely ill, you should be able to test negative after 14 days.

[zekekelso]

2 hours ago, S.A.M.J.R. said:

4 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

If your nose is running, are you going to avoid your cruise?

I recently saw some advice on this on the CDC website: 

 

Never kiss your honey

When your nose is runny

You make think it’s funny

But it’s not 

[orville99]

13 minutes ago, zekekelso said:

I recently saw some advice on this on the CDC website: 

 

Never kiss your honey

When your nose is runny

You make think it’s funny

But it’s not 

And your wife will be really annoyed if she catches you.😂

[xtremegk]

7 hours ago, zekekelso said:

Absolutely! They need to find a way to figure out who has the virus and only test those people. 

 

We have a way to figure out who has the virus. It's called testing.

[Ashland]

3 hours ago, handbellplayer said:

Isn't Cruise Critic an app?

No....I access it easily on my desk top favorites.

[ReneeFLL]

18 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

The fact the CDC makes healthy people get tested is just such a fatal flaw in getting through the pandemic

 No because healthy people get covid also and can spread it. What's it going to hurt someone to get tested to keep others safe? Good grief, it isn't a big deal. 

 

Edited September 9, 2021 by ReneeFLL

[SRF]

19 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

The fact the CDC makes healthy people get tested is just such a fatal flaw in getting through the pandemic

 

And what is the scientific reason behind shortening the time from 3 days to 2 days?????

 

When it is still 3 days for flying into the US.   And as someone stated, 5 days for a surgical procedure.

 

It is almost like someone at CDC had a bad cruise experience and wants revenge.

[SRF]

1 hour ago, ReneeFLL said:

 No because healthy people get covid also and can spread it. What's it going to hurt someone to get tested to keep others safe? Good grief, it isn't a big deal. 

 

 

They can spread it to unvaccinated people.

 

Only unvaccinated people on a cruise are under 12.  It seems children get much milder symptoms that older people.

[xqueenfrostine]

10 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

They have that. It's called "if you don't feel good, stay home and get tested"

 

There’s no way we’ve gotten 18 months into the pandemic without you having heard about asymptomatic spread.  Or that people with covid become contagious before they start to feel sick.  One of the big reason COVID spreads faster than some other more frequently fatal but less contagious diseases is that it doesn’t make every person who gets it sick enough to realize they’re sick.  That’s the reason for testing everyone.

 

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

And what is the scientific reason behind shortening the time from 3 days to 2 days?????

 

When it is still 3 days for flying into the US.   And as someone stated, 5 days for a surgical procedure.

 

It is almost like someone at CDC had a bad cruise experience and wants revenge.

My best guess is that if has something to do with the median incubation period of 4-5 day for COVID.  Flights are (usually) a one day affair, so if someone catches covid right after their negative test on day zero, there’s a good chance that they still won’t be contagious yet by the time their flight rolls around on day 3.  With cruises, you could be on that ship for a week which is more than enough time for a full blown infection to brew.  To me that’s plenty justification for being more careful.  As for hospital and surgery centers, 5 days is fewer than I would have expected, especially for non-outpatient procedures, but the widespread use of much better PPE and other anti-contagion measures in those places may be why they have decided they can afford more time.

 

 

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

They can spread it to unvaccinated people.

 

They can spread it to vaccinated people too.  Obviously.  Not as easily as they can to the unvaccinated but it’s still a possibility.  There’s also the people in the ports we visit to consider, who are obviously much less likely to be vaccinated than an adult cruise passenger.

Edited September 10, 2021 by xqueenfrostine

[crzndeb]

2 hours ago, SRF said:

 

They can spread it to unvaccinated people.

 

Only unvaccinated people on a cruise are under 12.  It seems children get much milder symptoms that older people.

My 8yo grandson had a headache for a couple of days and that was it. His mom (unvaxxed), who had Covid never tested him, but she gave to me and I was vaxxed. I rarely am around her, but he was with her pretty much 24/7.

Edited September 10, 2021 by crzndeb

[SRF]

13 hours ago, xqueenfrostine said:

 

There’s no way we’ve gotten 18 months into the pandemic without you having heard about asymptomatic spread.  Or that people with covid become contagious before they start to feel sick.  One of the big reason COVID spreads faster than some other more frequently fatal but less contagious diseases is that it doesn’t make every person who gets it sick enough to realize they’re sick.  That’s the reason for testing everyone.

 

My best guess is that if has something to do with the median incubation period of 4-5 day for COVID.  Flights are (usually) a one day affair, so if someone catches covid right after their negative test on day zero, there’s a good chance that they still won’t be contagious yet by the time their flight rolls around on day 3.  With cruises, you could be on that ship for a week which is more than enough time for a full blown infection to brew.  To me that’s plenty justification for being more careful.  As for hospital and surgery centers, 5 days is fewer than I would have expected, especially for non-outpatient procedures, but the widespread use of much better PPE and other anti-contagion measures in those places may be why they have decided they can afford more time.

 

 

 

They can spread it to vaccinated people too.  Obviously.  Not as easily as they can to the unvaccinated but it’s still a possibility.  There’s also the people in the ports we visit to consider, who are obviously much less likely to be vaccinated than an adult cruise passenger.

 

If that is the case, they should test about 4 days into the cruise.

 

Most cases in vaccinated are asymptomatic.  So who cares?

 

If enough people are vaccinated, all this would go away.