How many have Covid after Queen Anne H420, 18th-28th Aug 24?

[Ukulele girl]

After a lovely holiday on QA I have tested positive for Covid today. Not been well since disembarking on Wednesday but assumed it was a cold as I have never had Covid before. I am part of a well known social media group for this cruise and many of them have also tested positive. The use of sanitiser or hand washing facilities was almost non existent and this is obviously the outcome. I am paranoic about not using handrails, hardly used the lifts and use sanitiser everywhere and wash my hands (happy birthday twice) with soap very frequently whilst on board. Our last cruise on QE to Alaska in 2022 gave my husband Covid for the first time with dire consequences and now I have caught it on this one. I think our cruising days are probably over. 

 

Has anyone else who was on the cruise caught it?  

[Victoria2]

37 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

After a lovely holiday on QA I have tested positive for Covid today. Not been well since disembarking on Wednesday but assumed it was a cold as I have never had Covid before. I am part of a well known social media group for this cruise and many of them have also tested positive. The use of sanitiser or hand washing facilities was almost non existent and this is obviously the outcome. I am paranoic about not using handrails, hardly used the lifts and use sanitiser everywhere and wash my hands (happy birthday twice) with soap very frequently whilst on board. Our last cruise on QE to Alaska in 2022 gave my husband Covid for the first time with dire consequences and now I have caught it on this one. I think our cruising days are probably over. 

 

Has anyone else who was on the cruise caught it?  

Ukulele girl, you've been very unlucky. Could be one of your social  group managed to pass their bugs on?

 

I don't use hand sanitizer but I do wash my hands although I'm long past being concerned about touching handrails as I prefer to be safe rather than trip. We used the lifts all the time and I pressed buttons with gusto.

We have yet to contract Covid at all and I'm sure one day it will hit us but until then it must be luck of the draw so take a deep breath before giving up your cruising days.

You have been, as I said, unlucky.

[Ukulele girl]

I realise I have been unlucky but so was my husband last time. We didn't have a social group on board, ate at a table for 2 away from other tables, didn't socialise in bars etc so I am very unlucky (this makes us sound very 'sad'). If everyone used the sanitizer it would reduce the risk of transmission considerably. I am delighted you have continued to be lucky but I don't think we will be cruising again.

Edited August 31 by Ukulele girl

[majortom10]

You could have honestly caught it anywhere not necessarily on the ship and could very easily caught it off one of your friends.

[CABINET]

Covid is an airborne disease.  You could wash and/or sanitise your hands all day long and it won't make any difference.  It will at least improve your chances of not getting norovirus though.

 

Most of the public areas used in the evenings have little or no fresh air at all - main restaurants, theatres, bars etc and so it will be easy to pick something up in one of those locations.

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, Ukulele girl said:

After a lovely holiday on QA I have tested positive for Covid today. Not been well since disembarking on Wednesday but assumed it was a cold as I have never had Covid before. I am part of a well known social media group for this cruise and many of them have also tested positive. The use of sanitiser or hand washing facilities was almost non existent and this is obviously the outcome. I am paranoic about not using handrails, hardly used the lifts and use sanitiser everywhere and wash my hands (happy birthday twice) with soap very frequently whilst on board. Our last cruise on QE to Alaska in 2022 gave my husband Covid for the first time with dire consequences and now I have caught it on this one. I think our cruising days are probably over. 

 

Has anyone else who was on the cruise caught it?  

I belong to a general Queen Anne group of a well know social media site, and Covid has been mentioned on that group, in relation to the cruise ending on 28th of August.  The person who wrote the post said that she is aware of 22 people  who have tested positive since returning home, and six more people have come forward who are also positive.

 

Unfortunately, cruises are closed communities where people live closely together, and nothing meaningful is done to stop the spread of airborne viruses - ideal conditions for this sort of virus to spread.

 

My husband and I tested positive for the first (and only) time last year after our first cruise in the covid era.   We have a short cruise booked for 2026, but apart from that, we probably won't cruise very much at all.

 

Hope you feel better soon

 

 

 

[NavyPanda]

I was on this cruise, and as far as I'm aware I haven't picked up Covid (or anything similar). Covid can be transmitted by physical proximity to another person so even with the best hand hygiene in the world, you can easily pick up Covid or another respiratory virus. When thinking about handwashing (or lack of) my worry isn't Covid, but other viruses generally transmitted through the fecal-oral such as norovirus. 

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I belong to a general Queen Anne group of a well know social media site, and Covid has been mentioned on that group, in relation to the cruise ending on 28th of August.  The person who wrote the post said that she is aware of 22 people  who have tested positive since returning home, and six more people have come forward who are also positive.

 

Unfortunately, cruises are closed communities where people live closely together, and nothing meaningful is done to stop the spread of airborne viruses - ideal conditions for this sort of virus to spread.

 

My husband and I tested positive for the first (and only) time last year after our first cruise in the covid era.   We have a short cruise booked for 2026, but apart from that, we probably won't cruise very much at all.

 

Hope you feel better soon

 

 

 

I accept people generally live quite closely together on board a cruise ship, but how they be called closed communities, when there are many port days, when probably the bulk of people get off and mingle randomly in strange places?

Edited August 31 by exlondoner

[Dermotsgirl]

6 minutes ago, CABINET said:

Covid is an airborne disease.  You could wash and/or sanitise your hands all day long and it won't make any difference.  It will at least improve your chances of not getting norovirus though.

 

Most of the public areas used in the evenings have little or no fresh air at all - main restaurants, theatres, bars etc and so it will be easy to pick something up in one of those locations.

I'm glad you have said that, as I was just going to make the same point. 

 

In order to reduce the risk of catching an airborne virus, we need to do things like distancing, and keep to well ventilated areas - all difficult on a crowded cruise ship.  I won't even mention mask wearing, as people won't even entertain that idea! 

 

To be honest, after nearly 5 years Covid, it still surprises me that people don't really know how to protect themselves from an airborne virus

[Dermotsgirl]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

I accept people generally live quite closely together on board a cruise ship, but how they be called closed communities, when there are many port days, when probably the bulk of people get off and mingle randomly in strange places.

It's a closed community in that people live there for a set period of time, i.e the length of cruise. So they all have ample opportunity to pass on any viruses that they have to the rest of the community, and the people they infect can go on to infect others in the community and so on.

 

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[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

It's a closed community in that people live there for a set period of time, i.e the length of cruise. So they all have ample opportunity to pass on any viruses that they have to the rest of the community, and the people they infect can go on to infect others in the community and so on.

 

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How does that differ from the rest of life? An office or a school or a department store if any still exist?

[Dermotsgirl]

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

How does that differ from the rest of life? An office or a school or a department store if any still exist?

Offices and schools are higher risk settings as people work / learn together often in close proximity. But, unless it's a boarding school, they are not living in the same community day and night. (like a cruise ship.)

 

With department stores, from the perspective of a customer, you are only in there for a short period of time and can keep a distance from other people if you wish.  Probably a lower risk scenario.

 

 

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Offices and schools are higher risk settings as people work / learn together often in close proximity. But, unless it's a boarding school, they are not living in the same community day and night. (like a cruise ship.)

 

With department stores, from the perspective of a customer, you are only in there for a short period of time and can keep a distance from other people if you wish.  Probably a lower risk scenario.

 

 

But on a cruise ship, as opposed to a crossing, as I mentioned above, you are not living together day and night. People disperse during the day.

[Dermotsgirl]

10 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

But on a cruise ship, as opposed to a crossing, as I mentioned above, you are not living together day and night. People disperse during the day.

They come back at night, and congregate large numbers in close proximity to each other in poorly ventilated spaces, and will do it on sea days too.

 

If one is looking at risk factors, I'd say that was a higher risk factor than popping into a department store for 15 minutes or being in a well ventilated office with 10 colleagues.  

 

For me it's all about weighing up the risks. Going on a cruise was the riskiest thing I did since 2020, and it didn't pay off, as I caught Covid during the course of the cruise. 

[CABINET]

I personally support Dermotsgirl and her view.   The first time we boarded a ship after lockdown, not a cruise but a ferry on the way to Spain, we made sure to keep to our cabin as we wanted to try and avoid covid ruining our holiday.  On our way back we threw caution to the wind, visited the public areas and contracted covid.

 

I am pretty sure we caught it whilst in a bar or restaurant onboard because for the duration of our holiday we self catered or ate in outside venues. 

 

Bars and restaurants are unventilated spaces full of people who are in close proximity.  It just isn't easy to avoid getting up close and personal. 

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

They come back at night, and congregate large numbers in close proximity to each other in poorly ventilated spaces, and will do it on sea days too.

 

If one is looking at risk factors, I'd say that was a higher risk factor than popping into a department store for 15 minutes or being in a well ventilated office with 10 colleagues.  

 

For me it's all about weighing up the risks. Going on a cruise was the riskiest thing I did since 2020, and it didn't pay off, as I caught Covid during the course of the cruise. 

I’ve had it twice on cruises. On the first occasion it seems pretty likely I caught it in a very crowded terminal rather than the ship itself. The second time was near the begin of the cruise, so again I might have caught it before the cruise. On the other hand, I’ve had it on land, when I’ve hardly been near anyone at all for days. 

[NE John]

DW came down with Covid after Alaska but showed no symptoms onboard QE. We were on Vancouver for two days after the cruise and then took a transcontinental flight home. 
Bottom line - We have no idea where she picked it up. There was the dreaded “Cunard Cough” prevalent onboard though but no outward signs of Covid on QE. All good after several days of fluish symptoms. 

[KarlK]

Knocking on wood, never had it, nor did the wife or kids or even my 2 brothers and my sister. Been forever since our county even had a case reported.

[exlondoner]

Just now, KarlK said:

Knocking on wood, never had it, nor did the wife or kids or even my 2 brothers and my sister. Been forever since our county even had a case reported.

Which may simply mean it is mild and not recognised.

[Pushpit]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

How does that differ from the rest of life? An office or a school or a department store if any still exist?

I work for the NHS in this area. Schools are the single greatest method of respiratory viral transmission, workplaces not far off, and hotels, cruise ships are also going to be in the frame here. But mostly people catch respiratory viruses from someone they live with, someone they have sex with, someone they work with, someone they study with.  Viruses vary somewhat, and COVID-19 has many variants, which also have some variation in transmission patterns.  But getting in a lift is an example of being in close physical proximity, whether in an office or on a ship.

 

For the OP, the steps you took to avoid infection were good ones, for Norovirus in particular, but don't greatly affect COVID-19 transmission.  Noro can kill, and is a risk in any mass catering / residential scenario. Unlike COVID-19 that virus is very robust. I'm sorry to hear you have now caught it, about 5% of the UK have never caught COVID-19, and I'm one of the 5% despite treating thousands of people with COVID-19.  You get similar percentages for cold and flu epidemics, it just seems to escape some lucky people most of the time. 

 

Unless you have an extremely serious immune issue (so sub 1% of the general population) I would hope it won't greatly affect your life, while accepting this is annoying and distressing. Would the threat of flu stop you from travelling? By all means speak to your GP for the latest information (COVID-19 has changed a lot in recent months). They can refer you to an immunologist in severe circumstances, but COVID-19 for most people is now a minor viral infection, with vaccinations available for those in the highest risk groups. 

 

It's also the case that after your first infection there is often quite natural soul searching going on. It's not your fault, it just happens. Some people have now had COVID-19 over 10 times (just as some people have had influenza many times). Having a think about how to minimise future infections is always good, but I wouldn't over-analyse this, there is a lot of it about. In England the peak week of the current surge was about 9 August 2024, the number of infections is now going down.

Edited August 31 by Pushpit

[TowandaUK]

I contracted covid on a cruise shortly after cruising restarted after lockdown. We had to get tested at a pharmacy and certified clear before boarding. We were careful to mask up, washed hands rather than sanitised, avoided crowded lifts, and moved when nearby folks were coughing a covid type cough. We were fine for the duration of the cruise. We came straight home from the cruise and never went anywhere once home. I felt unwell but tested ok 2 days after coming home, 4th day I tested positive. I strongly suspect picking it up in the heavily crowded baggage collect area, when I had removed my mask. There was a lot of push and shove in the queue, and think that’s where I got it. My husband did not get it on that occasion. 

Edited August 31 by TowandaUK
Efit

[Pushpit]

1 minute ago, TowandaUK said:

. I felt unwell but tested ok 2 days after coming home, 4th day I tested positive. I strongly suspect picking it up in the heavily crowded baggage collect area, when I had removed my mask. There was a lot of push and shove in the queue, and think that’s where I got it. 

We know from people in hospitals who take Lateral Flow tests daily that symptoms show on LF kits typically day 3 or 4 of the infection. They can show on day 2, but the current variants rarely do so. So yes, that sounds like either your final day on board, or someone else you met that day, or the day after. Mostly you will know the person that infected you.

[Ukulele girl]

Whilst I understand that Covid is an airborne transmitter, if people are coughing or sneezing into their hands then not washing or sanitising those hands they will transfer the virus to surfaces, lift buttons, handles etc. which others can then pick up. I feel that more use of hand washing and sanitiser would help reduce the number of cases of both Covid and Norovirus. 

[Pushpit]

14 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

Whilst I understand that Covid is an airborne transmitter, if people are coughing or sneezing into their hands then not washing or sanitising those hands they will transfer the virus to surfaces, lift buttons, handles etc. which others can then pick up. I feel that more use of hand washing and sanitiser would help reduce the number of cases of both Covid and Norovirus. 

No, that is not correct for COVID-19, but it is for Norovirus, they are quite different sorts of viruses. Noro can survive for weeks submersed in a cold tank of water, Covid-19, outside the body, dies in about 20 minutes, and becomes nearly ineffective after a few minutes.  There have been a lot of studies in this area, and while back in 2022 we did feel that "fomite" transmission, to use the technical term, was possible, the evidence now is overwhelming that transmission is purely respiratory, not fomite.

 

COVID-19 is quite an amazing piece of pathogen design, it's spiky and uneven, so it latches on to soft tissue such as nasal channels and the trachea very easily. But if the virus ended up on say a smooth banister it will bounce off and die within minutes. So the virus has evolved to respiratory purposes, quite deliberately, since it is wasted in non respiratory contexts.  There was one study specifically done about fomite transmission on public transport in Prague (Pilipenco and others, JoTM, July 2023). Even after swabbing 482 surfaces on trams, buses and metro systems in the midst of the pandemic they could not find a single viable COVID-19 particle capable of infecting someone. So no, quite definitely sanitiser makes no difference in this context. Ventilation and social distancing are the best ways to minimise COVID-19 when indoors, pretty much nothing else works.

 

Sanitiser isn't that good for Noro either, washing hands with soap and water is much more effective.

[Victoria2]

51 minutes ago, Ukulele girl said:

Whilst I understand that Covid is an airborne transmitter, if people are coughing or sneezing into their hands then not washing or sanitising those hands they will transfer the virus to surfaces, lift buttons, handles etc. which others can then pick up. I feel that more use of hand washing and sanitiser would help reduce the number of cases of both Covid and Norovirus. 

and what about those who can't use the sanitizer. I have been visiting a friend in hospital and for the first few visits, used the hand sanitizers which are all over the hospital. Within two days my skin started breaking down and now I am on a concentrated effort to repair the damage which could take weeks.

There comes a time when one has to take personal responsibility and not rely on others. Hand washing is the key. Sanitizers give a false sense of security.

 

Live life, press buttons, use the lift and use stair rails so 'you' don't trip and wash hands. Life is too transitory to go with any what if scenario and I speak as a 5 %'er who knows one day, we will catch Covid but as we're jabbed up to the eyeballs, hopefully, it will be a mild case.

Edited August 31 by Victoria2
darned spellin missteak