Cruilse lines Call for CDC to change covid testing policy

[ace2542]

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

There's also the onboard stress of knowing if you end up testing positive, you get put in jail and treated like you have the plague when you have other people coughing up a lung left and right walking around with no one batting an eye.

Because no one reports them to the reception or staff members. You only end up in jail if you are stupid enough to go to the medical centre.

[PMGS247]

1 hour ago, Mira28 said:

 

This is a big issue. It is harder now to find tests.  Sure, you can use the proctored telehealth testing sites if you have access. If you are traveling in the days before boarding, as most are, that requires a lot of planning and causes additional stress. Most importantly, mandating the tests does not seem to prevent positive cases from happening later in the cruise.

I would voluntarily test myself, before, during, and after the cruise. Still , I get why many people want mandatory tests, and why others do not. The cruise lines will undoubtedly decide this based on what’s best for their bottom line. 

 

This isn't wrong but oversimplifies things a bit.  It's not a matter of whether it does or does not prevent on-board Covid. It's not a yes/no situation.  It's a matter of volume. Virus spreads exponentially.  Even a small reduction to your starting number of cases has a significant impact on your ending number.

[PTC DAWG]

I’ve sailed 3 times since the restart, 2 of those with larger groups, ZERO covid issues during nor after.  
 

Saying someone always gets covid isn’t accurate. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by PTC DAWG

[zeroed]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

There's also the onboard stress of knowing if you end up testing positive, you get put in jail and treated like you have the plague when you have other people coughing up a lung left and right walking around with no one batting an eye.

I thinks that’s by design. If they make the process a pain for you then you’re likely to avoid reporting it and they don’t have to quarantine you and more importantly, report cases to the cdc which can impact business.  To them, no news is good news.  

[PMGS247]

19 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

In an covid naive environment, yes. Not now.

On a societal scale, sure...but it still spreads pretty quick, especially in an enclosed mask free environment.

[RFerrington]

7 minutes ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", 

^^THIS^^

[smokeybandit]

17 minutes ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", and that is the problem I have with mandatory testing.  Putting people in quarantine due to a positive test but without sickness is just as bad as people who are sick continuing to socialize with others and communicate their infection, whether it's a cold, flu, Noro, Monkey Pox or the plague. 

 

And this is what the next and final step is to getting back to normal. Acknowledge the current state of what covid is and live with it and stop treating those who test positive so poorly.

[Mira28]

1 hour ago, PMGS247 said:

 

This isn't wrong but oversimplifies things a bit.  It's not a matter of whether it does or does not prevent on-board Covid. It's not a yes/no situation.  It's a matter of volume. Virus spreads exponentially.  Even a small reduction to your starting number of cases has a significant impact on your ending number.

Yes. I recognize that it’s complicated. There’s still so much unknown about COVID. As another posted here, we will probably know a lot more in retrospect. 
Most land based vacation sites and venues where many people gather (resorts, Disney, summer camps, schools, college dorms, sporting events, work places, concerts) don’t require screening testing anymore. Should  cruise ships be different? 
 

[pyrateslife4me84]

1 hour ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", and that is the problem I have with mandatory testing.  Putting people in quarantine due to a positive test but without sickness is just as bad as people who are sick continuing to socialize with others and communicate their infection, whether it's a cold, flu, Noro, Monkey Pox or the plague. 

Agreed. Anyone with a fever should quarantine until they feel better. I don’t really care which respiratory illness they have. Use the same rules as a K-12 school. If you’d be home from work or school, you shouldn’t be in the Windjammer. 
 

We shouldn’t be angry at people who are coughing, however. There are plenty of reasons to have a cough that are not communicable. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by pyrateslife4me84

[dodgestang]

It seems the media has significantly downplayed/not informed the public about the number of countries in the world who have shifted into treating covid as endemic and no longer a pandemic.

[ourfamilylovescruising]

my husband and I have done 3 cruises since the restart our spring break cruise we had 10 people with us no one came home with covid or got sick, we just got back from Alaska with 2 other couple no one is sick, and I have never been contacted about tracing, so I am guessing no one around me was sick

 

so, I guess after reading all of this I have just been lucky

[PMGS247]

1 hour ago, Mira28 said:

Yes. I recognize that it’s complicated. There’s still so much unknown about COVID. As another posted here, we will probably know a lot more in retrospect. 
Most land based vacation sites and venues where many people gather (resorts, Disney, summer camps, schools, college dorms, sporting events, work places, concerts) don’t require screening testing anymore. Should  cruise ships be different? 
 

 

Yep, overall I agree in theory even though dropping testing would increase cases...at this point to me it is what it is, people aren't generally getting seriously ill from this especially when you combine it with the vaccine requirement, but I can see why the cruise lines do it.  The reality is cruising gets closer scrutiny in the public eye and attracts instant negative PR every time a ship comes back with a bunch of cases.  It's not fair..this is happening everywhere it's just only tracked on cruise ships, but fair or not it is reality, and as a result there is a strong motivation to keep cases as low as possible.  Hopefully this dynamic evolves and more logical thought can prevail, but we're not there yet.

[Quirky Cruiser]

2 hours ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", and that is the problem I have with mandatory testing.  Putting people in quarantine due to a positive test but without sickness is just as bad as people who are sick continuing to socialize with others and communicate their infection, whether it's a cold, flu, Noro, Monkey Pox or the plague. 

^^THIS!^^ we just got off the Harmony yesterday and my children had to be tested on the last day for re-entry into the US. We tested and went on our merry way to swim, ride the carousel, go to breakfast, go rock climbing, and while we were sitting for the aqua show, they paged us to guest services. Our youngest tested positive despite not having even one symptom. Not even a sniffle. We demanded a re-test and they told us it was against policy. He was told to go into the red zone (7 years old so my husband went with him) while they tried to tell myself and my other son to quarantine in our room. Not happening. He was negative and I was fine. I was livid because we learned two years ago that you don’t put perfectly healthy people in with sick people - it’s a recipe for disaster. I entered the red zone many times to bring them food, drinks, towels (they weren’t given any and their toilet didn’t even work), and clothing. It is like a prison down there behind two water tight doors that beep constantly. After seeing the conditions they were in, I would never report anything to the medical unit. People were sick all over the boat, but my poor child who had to be tested was punished. Got off the ship yesterday, threw the mask away, and off we went. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Quirky Cruiser

[Tatka]

18 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Let's hope that they never scrap the testing requirements. Based on the number of people who complain that they test positive and can't cruise, the testing is doing it's job. Let's keep the positive passengers off the ships and then only deal with those who pick up a bug on the way to the ship.

 

We got off a cruise on Monday. After disembarking, I have received contact trace alerts on my phone for both our flight/airport on the way to the cruise and flight/airport from the cruise home. I fly for business all the time and always keep a n95 mask on at airports and on planes. Most people travel maskless, then complain when they get sick 2/3 through a cruise. 

 

 I think we need to do like China!!! With 0 Covid. LOL.

 

Seriously, I have been on 7 cruises since restart. Got sick on cruise with the most restrictions. People get infected even with total testing. Some report, some do not. Same like with a Flu, Noro etc.

 

 I like how people now wash their hands because of Covid. At least noro isn't a thing anymore. 🙂

 

 Unfortunately pharmacies are dropping COVID testing (and even last year scheduled tests were cancelled left and right), so we have to remember to order home tests every time, and hope that fluid is there. And that connections won't fail.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Tatka

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", and that is the problem I have with mandatory testing.  Putting people in quarantine due to a positive test but without sickness is just as bad as people who are sick continuing to socialize with others and communicate their infection, whether it's a cold, flu, Noro, Monkey Pox or the plague. 

 

2 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

And this is what the next and final step is to getting back to normal. Acknowledge the current state of what covid is and live with it and stop treating those who test positive so poorly.

Absolutely correct.  
 

The hospitals where I work; expect staff to be at work even with a positive test, if they are asymptomatic. 

[Jasukkie]

5 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

 

A lot of things that are a cold for most aren't a cold for some. But until you ask the cruise lines to be ready to treat every viral condition on board, then asking the same just for covid isn't worth it. Besides, paxlovid is nearly impossible to get on land (unless you're right or famous) none the less on a shi

I had Paxlovid in my hands in a matter of hours after returning to land. I'm sometimes right and never famous, promise. Same for the rest of my group. Telemedicine is a wonderful thing.

 

Again this all or nothing thinking that permeates so much thought on this issue. If we don't have iron lungs for polio onboard, we shouldn't have antiviral treatments for covid, even though a million Americans have died. What's wrong with trying to keep people healthy on a voluntary basis when they are far from medical care?

[smokeybandit]

3 minutes ago, Jasukkie said:

I had Paxlovid in my hands in a matter of hours after returning to land. I'm sometimes right and never famous, promise. Same for the rest of my group. Telemedicine is a wonderful thing.

 

Again this all or nothing thinking that permeates so much thought on this issue. If we don't have iron lungs for polio onboard, we shouldn't have antiviral treatments for covid, even though a million Americans have died. What's wrong with trying to keep people healthy on a voluntary basis when they are far from medical care?

Must be a regional thing.  It's very hard to find in my area, even though the local health departments keep promoting it.

And it's not at all a reasonable expectation that what amounts to a small clinic carry a full formulary of all drugs that someone could possibly need.  And paxlovid isn't even recommended for everyone.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2022 by smokeybandit

[Jasukkie]

46 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

 

Absolutely correct.  
 

The hospitals where I work; expect staff to be at work even with a positive test, if they are asymptomatic. 

Really? I could have tested out on day 7 or 8 but was still positive both days so it was a full ten days out of work for me. It's a real challenge for staffing but my employer has stuck by this. Do you still have workplace mask requirements?

[pcur]

12 hours ago, pbokie said:

Please explain the difference between how the vaccinated and unvaccinated spread the virus? It seems to me that the vaccinated should be tested more than the unvaccinated since the vaccinated have a stronger probability of showing mild or no symptoms thus not aware that they have Covid.

There is no difference regarding spreading the virus.  It's the individual's reaction to the virus that is different:  vaccinated don't get nearly as sick (usually).

 

My caveat is my friend's sister.  Friend, sister, and all the female cousins had BAD reactions to the vaccines and boosters. Hard to keep getting something when you know you're deliberately making yourself sick, but the sister has a passle of little, very young grandbabies and toddlers.  It goes back to my "it takes a village" philosophy above.  

 

Anyway sister got covid a week ago.  REALLY sick, but she knew without the vaccines and boosters, she didn't want to even think of the alternative.  Big family vacation, all vaccinated except the teeniest one.  12 out of 14 got COVID.  All but sister are recovered.

 

So, we all should keep this in mind:  it's responsible to protect other people as well as yourself.

[pcur]

6 hours ago, Mira28 said:

 

This is a big issue. It is harder now to find tests.  Sure, you can use the proctored telehealth testing sites if you have access. If you are traveling in the days before boarding, as most are, that requires a lot of planning and causes additional stress. Most importantly, mandating the tests does not seem to prevent positive cases from happening later in the cruise.

I would voluntarily test myself, before, during, and after the cruise. Still , I get why many people want mandatory tests, and why others do not. The cruise lines will undoubtedly decide this based on what’s best for their bottom line. 

The free US government test kits are available every month. Onpoint testing will proctor with the government test kits for $10.

 

https://onpoint-testing.com/product/certified-teleservice-covid-testing/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQLHNcbL0t56V4FojzX-DKpdK-ZUfzdq8aDdqvuRs8aVmCCAg_fRB3AaAiFIEALw_wcB

 

[billslowsky]

3 hours ago, rudeney said:

There is a vast difference between "testing positive" and "being sick", and that is the problem I have with mandatory testing.  Putting people in quarantine due to a positive test but without sickness is just as bad as people who are sick continuing to socialize with others and communicate their infection, whether it's a cold, flu, Noro, Monkey Pox or the plague. 

There is a vast difference between "not feeling sick" and "not being contagious".

[ravenjls]

33 minutes ago, pcur said:

The free US government test kits are available every month. Onpoint testing will proctor with the government test kits for $10.

 

https://onpoint-testing.com/product/certified-teleservice-covid-testing/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQLHNcbL0t56V4FojzX-DKpdK-ZUfzdq8aDdqvuRs8aVmCCAg_fRB3AaAiFIEALw_wcB

 

I wonder if they include all the information that is necessary for RCI on the report?

[not-enough-cruising]

53 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

There is a vast difference between "not feeling sick" and "not being contagious".

See posts 40 and 50, the medical and scientific community do not agree

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Jasukkie said:

Really? I could have tested out on day 7 or 8 but was still positive both days so it was a full ten days out of work for me. It's a real challenge for staffing but my employer has stuck by this. Do you still have workplace mask requirements?

No mask requirements in my office or sub-acute areas of the hospital

[lovesthebeach2]

1 hour ago, pcur said:

The free US government test kits are available every month. Onpoint testing will proctor with the government test kits for $10.

 

https://onpoint-testing.com/product/certified-teleservice-covid-testing/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw1ZeUBhDyARIsAOzAqQLHNcbL0t56V4FojzX-DKpdK-ZUfzdq8aDdqvuRs8aVmCCAg_fRB3AaAiFIEALw_wcB

 

Have you used this for a cruise on Royal?