Masks

[Postman1963]

Will the new mandates last beyond January?

 

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, Postman1963 said:

Will the new mandates last beyond January?

 

 

Everybody's crystal balls are in the repair shop.  They have been "backed up" since March, 2020.  Supply chain issues for repair parts, I understand.  😆

[CruiserBruce]

Seriously? Who knows?

[ldubs]

"Beyond January", means just over another 6 weeks.  Considering we have not been able to corral this virus up to now,  my best guess is yes.  

[lenquixote66]

Beyond January ,2023,a definite yes.

[ontheweb]

19 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

Beyond January ,2023,a definite yes.

We are booked for August of 2023. Will this still all be going on then. Please consult your crystal ball.

[ldubs]

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

We are booked for August of 2023. Will this still all be going on then. Please consult your crystal ball.

 

I didn't think it would be going on Aug 2022 (another cruise booking we have).  Now I'm not so sure.   

[lenquixote66]

4 hours ago, ontheweb said:

We are booked for August of 2023. Will this still all be going on then. Please consult your crystal ball.

I always wanted a Magic 8 ball but my parents never bought me one.I sincerely hope that you and your wife will be able to be on that cruise.

[ontheweb]

2 hours ago, ldubs said:

 

I didn't think it would be going on Aug 2022 (another cruise booking we have).  Now I'm not so sure.   

As I posted our hopefully future cruise is not until 2023. The ship is now being built, and the first scheduled cruise is not until 08/2022. And our itinerary is not until 08/2023.

 

And earlier this week, my DW expressed pessimism over whether it would sail. I'll wait awhile before I worry about that.

[ontheweb]

34 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I always wanted a Magic 8 ball but my parents never bought me one.I sincerely hope that you and your wife will be able to be on that cruise.

Thanks, it's truly a great itinerary starting in London (Southampton) and ending in Reykjavik.

[lissie]

5 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Beyond January ,2023,a definite yes.

Which is just about as silly as the original question. The pandemic will end - they always do.  It seems likely that this one will end in 2022. Once its ended somethings will probably stay - like vaccination mandates - but not masking or social distancing 

[navybankerteacher]

29 minutes ago, lissie said:

Which is just about as silly as the original question. The pandemic will end - they always do.  It seems likely that this one will end in 2022. Once its ended somethings will probably stay - like vaccination mandates - but not masking or social distancing 

A realistic evaluation -- pandemics tend to run out of steam in two or three years.  Of course, intelligent people will recognize the likely fact that Covid will become endemic (much like the flu) and get their annual shots every year.

[lenquixote66]

49 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Thanks, it's truly a great itinerary starting in London (Southampton) and ending in Reykjavik.

Have you been to Iceland ? My wife’s sister was there a few years ago and loved her trip.

[lenquixote66]

36 minutes ago, lissie said:

Which is just about as silly as the original question. The pandemic will end - they always do.  It seems likely that this one will end in 2022. Once its ended somethings will probably stay - like vaccination mandates - but not masking or social distancing 

A few months ago the expectations were that it would have ended in the latter part of 2021.However,in my state of the US everything appears to reverse.

[lissie]

1 hour ago, lenquixote66 said:

A few months ago the expectations were that it would have ended in the latter part of 2021.However,in my state of the US everything appears to reverse.

Look at  the bigger picture. Omicron is a curve ball  true - but pandemics burn out and become more infectious, less severe, and become endemic.  Look at the curves in places like Germany -  this is a  very steep curve - each direction. Goes up fast, comes  down fast - e.g. see South Africa. Of course USA is a problem because your vaccine rates are so low - but  the rest of us will be moving on and getting regular vaccine but otherwise going back to normal. 

[ontheweb]

10 hours ago, lenquixote66 said:

Have you been to Iceland ? My wife’s sister was there a few years ago and loved her trip.

Yes, we did a land trip to Iceland staying in Reyjavik. We also loved it.

[Hlitner]

Folks need to deal with facts rather than speculation.  Among the real experts (around the world) it is accepted that this virus (with future mutations) will likely be with us for decades if not forever!  The real issue is how the world chooses to live with this bug and so far, governments (around the world) have tended to react which does not always mean using science or even common sense.  Dr, Fauci recently speculated that masking on commercial planes should continue forever.  I think his attitude reflects the thinking of many government officials and politicians who love power more than sense.  

 

So one could conclude that various COVID protocols will continue for years and perhaps forever.  This is a game changer for those who travel.  One either accepts the protocols and complies or they stay home.  

 

Speaking of Iceland, we have visited that country three times and it is a beautiful and expensive place.  Much nicer than Greenland which is not a place we wish to return...although cruising through Prince Christian Sound is something we would gladly do again and again and again.  For us the perfect trip to Greenland is to cruise past as we have found little reason to want to return to the ports (have done this three times)

 

Hank

[lenquixote66]

16 hours ago, lissie said:

Look at  the bigger picture. Omicron is a curve ball  true - but pandemics burn out and become more infectious, less severe, and become endemic.  Look at the curves in places like Germany -  this is a  very steep curve - each direction. Goes up fast, comes  down fast - e.g. see South Africa. Of course USA is a problem because your vaccine rates are so low - but  the rest of us will be moving on and getting regular vaccine but otherwise going back to normal. 

That is wonderful 😀

[lenquixote66]

8 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Yes, we did a land trip to Iceland staying in Reyjavik. We also loved it.

I never met anyone who did not enjoy their time there.

[rkacruiser]

18 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I never met anyone who did not enjoy their time there.

 

Agree!  And Icelandic chocolate is delicious!  

[lissie]

9 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Folks need to deal with facts rather than speculation.  Among the real experts (around the world) it is accepted that this virus (with future mutations) will likely be with us for decades if not forever!  The real issue is how the world chooses to live with this bug and so far, governments (around the world) have tended to react which does not always mean using science or even common sense.  Dr, Fauci recently speculated that masking on commercial planes should continue forever.  I think his attitude reflects the thinking of many government officials and politicians who love power more than sense.  

 

So one could conclude that various COVID protocols will continue for years and perhaps forever.  This is a game changer for those who travel.  One either accepts the protocols and complies or they stay home.  

 

Pre Covid I had several trips where one or both of us were very sick for  cold like symptoms for the first  week or 2  after flying long haul.  We always have a flu jab  and it wasn't flu - we weren't bed ridden but miserably sick for up to 7-10 days. Then the other person would get it!   At home we go years without colds so clearly we were being caught out by something on the plane or in foreign airports. 

 

I started using an oral probiotic which may have helped. I'm nwo thinking - much as I hate marks - I may always wear them on long haul flights because I hate losing 2 weeks of travel to feeling like crap 

[sparks1093]

21 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Folks need to deal with facts rather than speculation.  Among the real experts (around the world) it is accepted that this virus (with future mutations) will likely be with us for decades if not forever!  The real issue is how the world chooses to live with this bug and so far, governments (around the world) have tended to react which does not always mean using science or even common sense.  Dr, Fauci recently speculated that masking on commercial planes should continue forever.  I think his attitude reflects the thinking of many government officials and politicians who love power more than sense.  

 

So one could conclude that various COVID protocols will continue for years and perhaps forever.  This is a game changer for those who travel.  One either accepts the protocols and complies or they stay home.  

 

Speaking of Iceland, we have visited that country three times and it is a beautiful and expensive place.  Much nicer than Greenland which is not a place we wish to return...although cruising through Prince Christian Sound is something we would gladly do again and again and again.  For us the perfect trip to Greenland is to cruise past as we have found little reason to want to return to the ports (have done this three times)

 

Hank

That's the thing with government officials, if they are going to be damned for not doing anything (which is likely the case) then they will do something, so at the end of the day they can at least say "well, I tried". 

[sparks1093]

On 12/20/2021 at 9:08 PM, navybankerteacher said:

A realistic evaluation -- pandemics tend to run out of steam in two or three years.  Of course, intelligent people will recognize the likely fact that Covid will become endemic (much like the flu) and get their annual shots every year.

Yep, and like the flu shot many people will forego one. Since I entered the "high risk" arena I make sure the I get the flu (and pneumonia) shot each year. I will do the same for COVID.

[navybankerteacher]

22 hours ago, Hlitner said:

...

Dr, Fauci recently speculated that masking on commercial planes should continue forever.  I think his attitude reflects the thinking of many government officials and politicians who love power more than sense.  

 

...

Of course, some things which people do not like doing make a whole lot of sense.  Masking in crowded enclosed environments does limit transmission of illness.   One unintended consequence of the covid-related masking these past two years was a dramatic drop in flu cases.

 

If a government health professional fails to even speculate on such matters   --- is he showing sense?

 

 

[sparks1093]

7 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Of course, some things which people do not like doing make a whole lot of sense.  Masking in crowded enclosed environments does limit transmission of illness.   One unintended consequence of the covid-related masking these past two years was a dramatic drop in flu cases.

 

If a government health professional fails to even speculate on such matters   --- is he showing sense?

 

 

I know that some people point to the decline in the flu as evidence that COVID is being used to control everyone, but the same things that help prevent/slow the spread of COVID help to prevent/slow the spread of other illnesses- frequently washing one's hands, staying away from people if possible, sanitizing surfaces, and wearing masks.