Therapeutics on Ship if you Test Positive for Covid?

[Cruisegoer]

Hello,

 

Sailing soon here and just curious if anyone who sadly may have tested positive for covid while on their cruise was issued any therapeutics while quarantined by ships medical staff? Something stronger than Tylenol or Ibuprofen specifically? Supplies are tight in most locations for treating the Omicron variant so Paxlovid and Molnupiravir are in short supply but I thought perhaps ships might be getting some considering their general passenger demographics.

[cruisestitch]

No reports of those drugs being used so far, only OTC cough and pain relief meds.

[graphicguy]

Don’t know of those drugs you mention, but if they are not readily available on land, it’s a pretty good bet they aren’t available on the ship.

Edited January 28, 2022 by graphicguy

[JaneStarr]

1 hour ago, cruisestitch said:

No reports of those drugs being used so far, only OTC cough and pain relief meds.

I wonder if they have available more basic meds like steroid inhaler and prednisone dose packs. Those are what my PCP prescribes for early symptoms.

[Bo1953]

Since many of us do not think that the drugs you are aware of are available on-board, are these prescriptions which your MD might provide to purchase and take with you just in case or are they only available if diagnosed immediately by your MD?

 

I cannot imagine any cruise line having access to too many drugs for C-19 and its' variant, currently.

 

In health and bon voyage

Edited January 28, 2022 by Bo1953

[JaneStarr]

Just now, Bo1953 said:

Since many of us do not think that the drugs you are aware of are available on-board, are these prescriptions which your MD might provide to purchase and take with you just in case or are they only available if diagnosed immediately by your MD?

 

In health and bon voyage

That’s EXACTLY what we did!

[Jim_Iain]

I would think that the use of the therapeutics mentioned would not be available due to the high costs.   If someone were in serious conditions and needed additional support,  I think they would evacuate the passenger from the ship to a proper hospital facility. 

 

Just may thoughts and not based on any facts.

[graphicguy]

22 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

I would think that the use of the therapeutics mentioned would not be available due to the high costs.   If someone were in serious conditions and needed additional support,  I think they would evacuate the passenger from the ship to a proper hospital facility. 

 

Just may thoughts and not based on any facts.

I do believe the reason quarantining is in effect and the cruise lines are putting those infected off theirs ships is because there is no consensus of the effectiveness of remedies AFTER infection occurs.  There's also the lack of consensus regarding the effectiveness of some of the drugs touted in the treatment of C-19, let alone the Omicron derivative.  

 

Can't imagine the ship's Med Center stocking something to treat C-19 if it's not categorically proven to work curing it.

[Islandhop9]

8 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I do believe the reason quarantining is in effect and the cruise lines are putting those infected off theirs ships is because there is no consensus of the effectiveness of remedies AFTER infection occurs.  There's also the lack of consensus regarding the effectiveness of some of the drugs touted in the treatment of C-19, let alone the Omicron derivative.  

 

Can't imagine the ship's Med Center stocking something to treat C-19 if it's not categorically proven to work curing it.

Some of those new drugs have bad interactions with a number of drugs. 

Even if they were able to get access I don't seem them dispensing. 

If you're someone with very high risk you should keep that in mind. 

 

[smbt1]

22 hours ago, Bo1953 said:

Since many of us do not think that the drugs you are aware of are available on-board, are these prescriptions which your MD might provide to purchase and take with you just in case or are they only available if diagnosed immediately by your MD?

 

I cannot imagine any cruise line having access to too many drugs for C-19 and its' variant, currently.

 

In health and bon voyage

The two anti viral pills and the one Monoclonal antibody that is effective against Omicron are in very short supply and are being controlled by limited allocation at this time to states and hospitals. Not available even with perscription at pharmacies.

Edited January 29, 2022 by smbt1

[smbt1]

18 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

I do believe the reason quarantining is in effect and the cruise lines are putting those infected off theirs ships is because there is no consensus of the effectiveness of remedies AFTER infection occurs.  There's also the lack of consensus regarding the effectiveness of some of the drugs touted in the treatment of C-19, let alone the Omicron derivative.  

 

Can't imagine the ship's Med Center stocking something to treat C-19 if it's not categorically proven to work curing it.

The Pfizer and the Merck anti viral have been proven to work if taken within a couple of days after symptom onset. The Pfizer more so than the Merck drug.

 

However the use of both drugs requires monitoring due to side effects.

 

The issues at this point is supply is very limited compared to demand.

 

Also they are effective at preventing severe illness, not in preventing minor illness. Since cruise line passengers are all most all vaccinated, not many cases if any of  serious illness with Omicron on board.

 

They would not prevent the need to quarantine. So really shipboard would not be the place to have or use the supply needed in other places.

Edited January 29, 2022 by smbt1

[PTC DAWG]

DayQuil and NyQuil were all I needed over the New Years Holiday…felt like a cold. 

[TeeRick]

There were several threads from passengers in quarantine and/or isolation on the Celebrity ships and none of them mentioned the use of specific anti-viral drugs or monoclonal antibodies on ship.  If a passenger is that sick they would presumably be sent to a hospital on shore at the next port for treatment.

[Arizona Wildcat]

The anti viral treatments are in short supply in Arizona.   Many hospitals out of stock.   TeeRick is correct that if a passenger is very sick they would be evacuated.  I could find nothing that suggested any of the 5000+ passengers and crew diagnosed with Covid earlier this month required evacuation. 

[SbbquilterUT]

Currently in quarantine on the Constellation - mild symptoms with no meds needed other than Tylenol.  According to my doctor, no patient has required oxygen or other medical intervention.  I was offered a medical exam, check x-ray and lab work if I wanted.  Since it feels like a mild cold at this time I declined the offer.  

[nikel]

5 hours ago, Islandhop9 said:

Some of those new drugs have bad interactions with a number of drugs. 

Even if they were able to get access I don't seem them dispensing. 

If you're someone with very high risk you should keep that in mind. 

 

 

Apparently the drugs they interact with are for :

-High blood pressure

-Cholesteral

-Prostate.

That covers a huge demographic of those who cruise.  

[upwarduk]

I read that the shop on the ship is no longer selling aspirin and ibuprofen, as they don’t want the symptoms of COVID masked.

[phoenix_dream]

59 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Currently in quarantine on the Constellation - mild symptoms with no meds needed other than Tylenol.  According to my doctor, no patient has required oxygen or other medical intervention.  I was offered a medical exam, check x-ray and lab work if I wanted.  Since it feels like a mild cold at this time I declined the offer.  

Are you on deck 7? Also onboard and very concerned about the announcement just now.  Hope you come through this ok!

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, upwarduk said:

I read that the shop on the ship is no longer selling aspirin and ibuprofen, as they don’t want the symptoms of COVID masked.

That is what we saw in September and October on Silhouette and Millennium.   A friend was in need and I give him some of mine.   At the next port they picked them up.   He was told by the shop is they Cruise Line didn't want people self medicating to avoid being quarantined.

[TeeRick]

12 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

That is what we saw in September and October on Silhouette and Millennium.   A friend was in need and I give him some of mine.   At the next port they picked them up.   He was told by the shop is they Cruise Line didn't want people self medicating to avoid being quarantined.

That is kind of a crazy response if true.  Most people cruising bring their own OTC pain relievers and I don't see how this would make a difference really.  Anybody on board even with cold symptoms makes the decision to report to Medical or not.  There is not anybody on the ship singling out and sending people unless they self report or are caught up in a contact trace.  At this point since the consequences of quarantine and isolation are well known, I do wonder how many people on board actually report their mild symptoms.  

[SbbquilterUT]

15 hours ago, phoenix_dream said:

Are you on deck 7? Also onboard and very concerned about the announcement just now.  Hope you come through this ok!

Thanks for the thoughts - I feel like a throaty cold and virus aches.  I am on deck 7 being taken care of by assigned customer service team members.  So far this trip we started on deck 7 forward and on boarding were moved to deck 11, then they wanted that room as we were b2b so moved us down the hall, so this is my 4th cabin!  My DH had a negative yesterday and I am hoping he has another negative today so he can stay "free". 

[TeeRick]

59 minutes ago, SbbquilterUT said:

Thanks for the thoughts - I feel like a throaty cold and virus aches.  I am on deck 7 being taken care of by assigned customer service team members.  So far this trip we started on deck 7 forward and on boarding were moved to deck 11, then they wanted that room as we were b2b so moved us down the hall, so this is my 4th cabin!  My DH had a negative yesterday and I am hoping he has another negative today so he can stay "free". 

Hope you feel better.  Sorry about your vacation.

[SbbquilterUT]

Quick update - DH has tested negative again so he is sprung from isolation.  But he feels really bad as we cruise because I love it.  

[sanger727]

I doubt very much that the new Pfizer anti virals will be available. When we had covid last month we were only prescribed prednisone and vertussen. Guessing that they have those, they are relatively common and basic drugs. If you have bad symptoms and need more medical intervention you will probably be unloaded to a hospital in port.

[teacherman]

We just came off of a 10 night cruise on Reflection.  I never heard any announcements concerning anyone testing positive for Covid.  Amazingly, I never heard anyone coughing, which usually starts to happen on about night 5 of any cruise I have been on, even before Covid.  We only had 800 passengers and I believe that the service crew told me they had about 65% of their normal personnel, due to less passengers.  From what I could see, the rear sections of deck 6 were closed off.  That may be where they ended up isolating positive cases, but I think it was more because of less passengers.  We had a verandah on deck 7, and there was no one on either side of us.   People followed the mask wearing rules and did not crowd into elevators.  It was pretty safe and relaxing.  Some people crowded into martini bar and casino bar, but we just stayed away from crowds.   Very enjoyable cruise.