Paxlovid on board?

[mikewomb]

3 hours ago, canderson said:

Not locked in.  But not allowed to leave and wander about, either.

Not Inside.  Worst case seems to be Ocean View, so not quite so claustrophobic.  Some have fared much better than an OV.  Some ships using balcony cabins.  A rare few situations allowing for the original cabin, whatever it might be.

Cardboard, I think, not styrofoam (gotta go green there).  The cardboard may even be worse, though!

 

So yeah, it sucks loudly, but let's not overstate the case.

Regardless Celebrity is treating their passengers terribly. Cardboard, styrofoam, regardless..this is not the time to be cruising. 

[Northern Aurora]

4 hours ago, mikewomb said:

They are being locked in an inside cabin and their meals are served in a styrofoam container..read these boards..it is all over. 

 

We left the Ecllipse on May 2nd after my husband contracted Covid.  It was the first leg of a B2B and we preferred to stay in Hawaii a week before flying home.

 

Just for clarity:  He was NOT in an inside cabin but was indeed in an OceanView.  He could order off of any menu on the ship including Luminae (we were in a Suite).  His meals were promptly served on ceramic plates, bowls, cups and so forth.  The cutlery was metal. Bottles of wine were delivered to his isolation cabin with glass wine glasses.  An electric kettle was delivered to him (he is a tea drinker) so he could enjoy a variety of teas both caffeinated and decaf.

 

I stayed in the Suite.

[Caribbean Chris]

Just a word to address the availability of Paxlovid. It was easily available in southwest Florida three weeks ago.

 

In mid-April, we disembarked from Constellation and drove home. Tested ourselves at home the next morning and I was positive. Left message at my doctor’s office and DH picked up the prescription that afternoon at our neighborhood Walgreen’s.

Edited May 7, 2022 by Caribbean Chris

[Kiran]

Went to look at list of contraindications

 

so my severe asthma not an increased risk as i first feared in 2020 because ace 2 receptirs something something something

 

but my milder at this moment, more chronic issues are contra indicator

 

obese, too high blood sugar, non alcoholic fatty liver , prednisone tapers occasionally for asthma exacerbations 

( on one right now while on a cruise)

 

will talk to my doctor about if paxlixid rx would be good for me to bring along but wont be surprised if he says it would not be a good idea

 

will check with both regular doctor and pulmonologist in my case

[Guppy99]

8 hours ago, mikewomb said:

Regardless Celebrity is treating their passengers terribly. Cardboard, styrofoam, regardless..this is not the time to be cruising. 

Celebrity is NOT treating their passengers terribly. They are doing what they have to to contain health issues on board. if you find that to be "terrible" then you are correct, this is no time for you to cruise. It's a personal choice. the same goes for those that complain so bitterly about testing.  If you find it so terribly inconvenient....don't go.  Your choice.  The rest of us prefer the caution as we believe it makes it safer to cruise.

[TeeRick]

Fellow cruisers, I am curious.  No right or wrong answer.  How many people here have gone to their doctor before cruising in the past and requested Tamiflu (or generic version) to bring with them just in case they got influenza on their trip?  Did your doctor give it to you?  For those who contacted influenza on a cruise, did the ship have Tamiflu?  Which cruise line? Did you need to be tested before they gave it to you?  Maybe in the future if/when Paxlovid is fully approved it might be treated like Tamiflu but you really need to be aware of the conditions and risks for its use.  

[mikewomb]

10 hours ago, Northern Aurora said:

 

We left the Ecllipse on May 2nd after my husband contracted Covid.  It was the first leg of a B2B and we preferred to stay in Hawaii a week before flying home.

 

Just for clarity:  He was NOT in an inside cabin but was indeed in an OceanView.  He could order off of any menu on the ship including Luminae (we were in a Suite).  His meals were promptly served on ceramic plates, bowls, cups and so forth.  The cutlery was metal. Bottles of wine were delivered to his isolation cabin with glass wine glasses.  An electric kettle was delivered to him (he is a tea drinker) so he could enjoy a variety of teas both caffeinated and decaf.

 

I stayed in the Suite.

That is just great however there are multiple posts of people…not in suites that were put in inside or OV cabins. The pictures don’t lie. We always cruise in suites, 

[Homosassa]

49 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Fellow cruisers, I am curious.  No right or wrong answer.  How many people here have gone to their doctor before cruising in the past and requested Tamiflu (or generic version) to bring with them just in case they got influenza on their trip?  Did your doctor give it to you?  For those who contacted influenza on a cruise, did the ship have Tamiflu?  Which cruise line? Did you need to be tested before they gave it to you?  Maybe in the future if/when Paxlovid is fully approved it might be treated like Tamiflu but you really need to be aware of the conditions and risks for its use.  

I have never requested any "just in case" medication.

 

I did have a dentist that insisted on giving me  an Rx for an antibiotic to take with me on a cruise because he was extracting a wisdom tooth one week before my cruise.  He wanted me to have it just in  case I developed any infection.

[TeeRick]

5 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

I have never requested any "just in case" medication.

 

I did have a dentist that insisted on giving me  an Rx for an antibiotic to take with me on a cruise because he was extracting a wisdom tooth one week before my cruise.  He wanted me to have it just in  case I developed any infection.

I personally would not request a "just in case" prescription of a potentially life-saving medication like Paxlovid in short supply just to cruise.  If that worried, just don't cruise!

[chengkp75]

Everyone needs to understand that regardless of whether or not a drug is approved in the US or UK, or various countries, and whether that approval is emergency or normal, or whether the drug is readily available in any country, the medical center on the ship operates under the medication laws of the flag state, in this case Malta, and I have no idea whether they have approved any of these anti-virals.

[emmas gran]

I personally have not seen a doctor for 5/6 years and take no regular medication, being a senior I consider myself lucky. So the answer is no I wouldn't get a pre cruise just in case drug. 

[B x]

8 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Everyone needs to understand that regardless of whether or not a drug is approved in the US or UK, or various countries, and whether that approval is emergency or normal, or whether the drug is readily available in any country, the medical center on the ship operates under the medication laws of the flag state, in this case Malta, and I have no idea whether they have approved any of these anti-virals.

Plaxovid was approved for use in the EU of which Malta is part in January 2022: Paxlovid is now authorised across the EU. This follows the granting of a conditional marketing authorisation by the European

Edited May 8, 2022 by B x

[Jim_Iain]

21 hours ago, TeeRick said:

Fellow cruisers, I am curious.  No right or wrong answer.  How many people here have gone to their doctor before cruising in the past and requested Tamiflu (or generic version) to bring with them just in case they got influenza on their trip?  Did your doctor give it to you?  For those who contacted influenza on a cruise, did the ship have Tamiflu?  Which cruise line? Did you need to be tested before they gave it to you?  Maybe in the future if/when Paxlovid is fully approved it might be treated like Tamiflu but you really need to be aware of the conditions and risks for its use.  

 

Now we are going back in time.   When we had the big outbreak of Swine Flu I requested Tamiflu from my Doctor and he gave it to me.   Having said that -  I still have the bottle sitting in my medicine chest and need to dispose of it because it is probably 10 years old. 

 

I did asked about Pavlovid from the Doctor and was told they did not carry it. 

 

I was watching the news back home in Santa Clara County.   They just opened a new testing facility that also has Paxlovid.   You test and wait 15 minutes if in high risk and test positive they immediately dispense it  onsite.  

 

I think the key is Paxlovid is only used by those that are at HIGH RISK. 

[cruisemom42]

As someone who's been part of the medical (and pharmaceutical) community, I find it disturbing that so many people seem to have no issue with requesting "just in case" prescription products. Most products that are labeled for prescription use require that your doctor determine you actually have the disease/condition before prescribing the drug to treat or manage it. For paxlovid, the US FDA states that in order to qualify for a prescription, you must also have had a positive COVID-19 test result and be at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. Your doctor shouldn't prescribe it "just in case" -- only if you meet the criteria.

 

We've gotten ourselves into quite the pickle already through our careless overuse of antibiotics. I can see far too many people thinking -- if they have paxlovid lying around -- that they should take it "pre-emptively" if they are exposed to COVID, which is specifically contra-indicated on the drug label. 

 

Regarding availability of paxlovid on cruise ships:  New drugs or combinations of drugs (like paxlovid) don't exactly have a long history of safety, and have a long list of cautions and contra-indications. What's going to happen when a patient (who has COVID and is desperate to get paxlovid) "forgets" to mention to the onboard MD that they are taking a medication already that contra-indicates its use -- and then dies or develops serious health issues?  The cruise line will be sued, that's what.... 

 

Finally, I find it a little odd that people will refuse a vaccine because it is "experimental" but will take an experimental drug with which there is far less history!  

[TeeRick]

22 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

As someone who's been part of the medical (and pharmaceutical) community, I find it disturbing that so many people seem to have no issue with requesting "just in case" prescription products. Most products that are labeled for prescription use require that your doctor determine you actually have the disease/condition before prescribing the drug to treat or manage it. For paxlovid, the US FDA states that in order to qualify for a prescription, you must also have had a positive COVID-19 test result and be at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. Your doctor shouldn't prescribe it "just in case" -- only if you meet the criteria.

 

We've gotten ourselves into quite the pickle already through our careless overuse of antibiotics. I can see far too many people thinking -- if they have paxlovid lying around -- that they should take it "pre-emptively" if they are exposed to COVID, which is specifically contra-indicated on the drug label. 

 

Regarding availability of paxlovid on cruise ships:  New drugs or combinations of drugs (like paxlovid) don't exactly have a long history of safety, and have a long list of cautions and contra-indications. What's going to happen when a patient (who has COVID and is desperate to get paxlovid) "forgets" to mention to the onboard MD that they are taking a medication already that contra-indicates its use -- and then dies or develops serious health issues?  The cruise line will be sued, that's what.... 

 

Finally, I find it a little odd that people will refuse a vaccine because it is "experimental" but will take an experimental drug with which there is far less history!  

Everything you say is true and I agree as it seems do the majority of posters on this thread.  So why are you saying "so many people"? The discussion mostly was about whether ships would carry it now or in the future- presumably to use it on label for high risk patients only.  There was not a lot of discussion or support for getting a doctor to give some out in advance which would not be allowed anyway (in the US at least).  One poster (post #25) asked her doctor about potentially bringing some on board but was denied.  

[cruisemom42]

7 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Everything you say is true and I agree as it seems do the majority of posters on this thread.  So why are you saying "so many people"? The discussion mostly was about whether ships would carry it now or in the future- presumably to use it on label for high risk patients only.  There was not a lot of discussion or support for getting a doctor to give some out in advance which would not be allowed anyway (in the US at least).  One poster (post #25) asked her doctor about potentially bringing some on board but was denied.  

 

It's not the first time I've seen this question on these boards -- and I read more than just the Celebrity one.

[Mark_K]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

As someone who's been part of the medical (and pharmaceutical) community, I find it disturbing that so many people seem to have no issue with requesting "just in case" prescription products.

IMO, people, not being medical professionals, have every right to ask.  If anything should disturb you, it should be directed to the people who write the prescriptions.

[Homosassa]

For all of you so in love with Tamiflu, here is an inside view of the drug when it was approved by FDA:

 

It was a snicker fest and the source of inside jokes.

 

Flu lasts for a week. Treat with  OTC medications as Tylenol and cough medication or take Tamiflu (along with the OTC medications).

 

Tamiflu is prescribed for those within the first two days of being ill with the flu.  The course of treatment is five days (with possible side effects and contraindications).

 

Tamiflu shortened the time of being ill by 1 day for adults, 1.3 days for geriatric patients and 1.5 for children.

 

So: Flu equals one week of illness.  Taking Tamiflu equals up to two days of illness before being prescribed plus 5 days of treatment (still sick) to equal 5.5 - six days of  days of flu plus the possibility of adverse evets.

 

It was approved because maybe some people would consider the one day reduction of flu to be an advantage.

 

 

 

[canderson]

24 minutes ago, Mark_K said:

IMO, people, not being medical professionals, have every right to ask.  If anything should disturb you, it should be directed to the people who write the prescriptions.

And I'd note that the post you were referencing uses the word 'most'. 

There are prescriptions provided for 'just in case' use, only to be used 'in the event of' for patients at high risk due to one pre-existing condition or another.  An Epipen would be one very good example.  One could certainly imagine a time where Paxlovid would be prescribed to patients whose risk in the event of a breakout case would be significant enough to warrant it.

 

[sippican]

On 5/6/2022 at 10:28 PM, Laurab23 said:

I talked to my dr this week about getting the drug to take with me on the cruise just in case. She said it was nearly impossible to even get the drug and a lot of red tape to go through to get it. She also felt that I would most likely have a mild case if I did get Covid and not stress too much over it. She said go and enjoy the cruise and quit worrying about it. I cruise next week and will take her advice.

 

Laura

 

Strange, my doctor said it is very easy to get.  After avoiding covid for over two years, both my DH and I were recently infected (both vaccinated and double boosted).  We both were prescribed Paxlovid the same day as receiving a positive test. The doctor said he's prescribed it over 100 tines within the past few weeks, and everyone has tolerated it well. There is no cost for the medication. The concern is the possible interactions with many medications that those at risk may be currently taking.

 

FWIW - the drug studies showed an 89% reduction in serious illness and hospitalizations for the at risk group.  Well worth it IMHO.

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by sippican

[Kiran]

Though i have never had a just in case rx of a new to me medication:

 

Dentists would frequently prescribe a short course of antibiotics and pain killer to see if possible to knock down inflammation and infection and pain so i could keep the tooth rather than having it pulled

 

i wiuld keep back up rx in cupboard and if avtooth started acting up i would start taking prescription and call to make dentist appt

 

but almost always tooth calmed down

now my endodontist wont give a prescription stronger than 800 mg advil even for tooth removal and then insertion of implant because of addiction concerns

 

 

for  years i have always had a backup rx of a prednisone taper with me

 

so if i got an asthma flareup i could call pulmonologist for advice, start taking taper if he said so , and book an appt as soon as possible

 

oddly asthma flares usually noticed late at night especially friday night!

 

i am on a cruise now with a flareup and doing the prednisone taper as my doctor prescribed 

just prescribed in advance because so probable for a flareup to occur

[Guppy99]

10 hours ago, Mark_K said:

IMO, people, not being medical professionals, have every right to ask.  If anything should disturb you, it should be directed to the people who write the prescriptions.

Actually, I disagree. Hoarding prescription drugs just in case is dangerous on a number of fronts. The average person should know that.

[emmas gran]

Off topic antibiotics are readily available in Hong Kong and some Malaysia ports

[Kiran]

7 hours ago, Guppy99 said:

Actually, I disagree. Hoarding prescription drugs just in case is dangerous on a number of fronts. The average person should know that.

IMHO, hoarding would Only be if my obtaining a prescription just in case prevented someone else from obtaining it when they needed it.

 

Paxlovid varying widely in availability

 

If i buy and store a 2 year supply of toilet paper in preparation for Bird Flu or Y2K, that is not hoarding but prepping.

 

Hoarding in its negative connotation is if when toilet paper shortage is announced, i rush to Stop and Shop and clear the shelves leaving others without ability to buy toilet paper.

My supply actually allows me to stop buying toilet paper with usual groceries and leave it in stores for others to purchase.

 

 

[Bo1953]

Well, it needs to be noted that regardless if one has Paxlovid with them or not aboard, if we test positive we will be isolated.

 

While I Am sure there must have been at least one (1) person who could have or will need Paxlovid aboard, we have yet to read about the need.

 

As such, for now, we do know it is not aboard any X ship and may not be for some time. If one is concerned about 'needing ' it while sailing try to get it from your prescribing physician or nurse practitioner or other such prescriber or get it from an underground pharmacy etc...

 

If one is in the middle of the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic or Antarctic oceans/seas and become deftly ill from C-19 I Am sure that X and any other cruise line will keep you as comfortable as possible until it is safe enough to off load you or not... LOL

 

X nor any other cruise line will not want a repeat of the Princess Ship in Japan ... etc. most of the related sailings would be cancelled if there is a widespread breakout.

 

In health and bon voyage