mimbecky

I thought this was an interesting video albeit a bit long.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/covid-19-vaccine-distribution-60-minutes-2020-11-08/

My understanding is that the vaccines won’t keep you from getting the disease but rather just the severity. Doesn’t that just mean we’re going to have a lot more people out there who are asymptomatic and passing the virus?

In other words if everyone is vaccinated in order to go on a cruise, it seems it will still be possible to contract it and pass it to other passengers. Does that mean there is no end to masks in sight? Ugggg

Appreciate feedback from those in the know.

M

I wasn't sure if I should post this since it isn't regarding a vaccine but I found it fascinating enough to do so regardless.  A nasal spray that keeps COVID from being expelled from the nose for 6 hours.  Possible use for restaurants etc (cruises?).  I think it is a little pie in the sky but since people on this thread seem to enjoy reading about such technologies I figured "Why not?".

https://www.fastcompany.com/90565565/i-tested-a-harvard-designed-nasal-spray-to-help-stop-the-spread-of-covid-19

M

13 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

mimbecky,  Thanks for sharing!

If you are referring to Dr Fauci's answer at around 9 mins in the video, he does not say anything about the actual clinical trial data of the current potential vaccines.  What he says is that the trials are powered to see efficacy at a minimum of 50% and some higher and he would love to see 75% or higher.  He has said this in many of his public presentations.  Nobody has knowledge yet of the efficacy data from these blinded trials including Dr. Fauci.    He is trying to point out that the level of vaccine-acquired herd immunity in a population will depend on the % efficacy of the vaccine and the number of people vaccinated overall plus the number with naturally acquired immunity (from infection).  

I went back and listened again....you are right.  Thank goodness as what they are "geared to detect" and where they may end up could be significantly different.  

There is another forum on Princess regarding vaccines that started recently.  I happened across it and let them know about this one.  We may have an influx of new followers. I have been impressed by how informative and respectful this forum has been!

Thanks to all of you....

I am including a video- if it will post. It is a bit lengthy and basically about mask wearing.  I am not posting because of that...we all have our opinions.  However, if you get towards the end, Fauci talks about the top 3 vaccines and says 2 appear currently to have 60 percent efficacy and the other closer to 50.  I was a bit bummed.  Anyone hear anything else from a reputable source? I think this was recorded Oct. 22.

I just read that J&J has resumed its trials. YAY

M

16 hours ago, greykitty said:

Also, if two doses are required, it'll be a logistical issue to track each person receiving the shot and ensuring they show up on time for shot 2

Not to mention that they receive the correct second booster as it appears there will be several vaccines out.

5 hours ago, d9704011 said:

I don’t understand.  Your experience sounds pretty normal to me but I don’t see how that may connect to the testing percentage and a desire to keep it down/supressed.

I didn’t mean keep testing percentage down, rather testing positivity rates down.

Right now anyone in San Diego can get tested without symptoms or “reason”. Testing positivity is a county metric for reopening.  This metric is the percentage of positive cases vs all those tested. If just anyone is getting tested, chances are that that metric will be lower than if they were only testing symptomatic people.

The STATE  has a case rate metric which is the percentage of positive cases vs population. That is much higher for us.

I’m not for, or against, opening faster so please don’t take it a political statement.

Hope that clarifies.

M

20 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

Now where to stay before the cruise. The Lower Queen Anne area. You are close to Seattle center/ Chihuly Garden and Glass, access to the Seattle Monorail and Olympic Sculpture Park. You are also close Pier 91. Pike Street Market is nice to see. Do check out Post Ally area.

15 hours ago, TeaBag said:

We liked the Marriott Waterfront

I assume these area are not near the unrest?  At least for now.....

22 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

What I find interesting is that in Alabama most of us normal folks can't even call to get an appointment to get a COVID test unless we have some of the related symptoms. But yet some folks are saying up to 40% of the those that test positive are asymptomatic. Could there be a lot more folks that have had COVID, but didn't get tested because they didn't have any symptoms? Just curious how so many folks think they need to get tested if they aren't displaying any symptoms?

I just tested for the first time here in California.  We took a trip back east to see my brother in law who has entered hospice.  There unfortunately were unmasked people near us on all 4 flights and honestly at one point I was in a room of 12 unmasked people (family gathering) while at our destination.  I have no symptoms, but one of the places I volunteer asked me to either quarantine for 14 days or test (5 days after returning home) in order to come back.  I went through a county website, and didn't have to have symptoms or have "reason" to test. Nor did I have to pay-although they did take my insurance information.  They said I'd have results in 48-72 hours.  I have friends who have gone several times per work request (education field, Physical Therapy)- same spiel. 

IMO I think California may be going this route to keep the testing percentages down?

M

8 hours ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

No dog in this discussion just a heads up for those wanting to go forward on mid 2021 cruises.  There is currently a 20% off sale on some Celebrity shore excursions.  I found the discount on an excursion I had been watching on an April 2021 TA and booked it with OBC.  This might give some people a  back up plan for cruises they have booked.  I know it is not a bubble but it might be a fact on future cruises.

Didn’t think about that- if you cancel is it 100% refundable??

57 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

 

It is possible that these countries and regions could approve these vaccines prior to the US FDA.  Particularly since it is an unfortunate political situation as you say.  We shall see.  

 

I think the cases of re-infection seem to be rare and not widespread.  We would have seen this trend by now if it was a common occurrence.   They are not well understood.  Possible that they never really cleared the original infection.  We will all know more in the coming months for sure.

Well any approval is a move forward so that is good news.  I would think early approval elsewhere would provide more data for the US to comfortably move forward as well.

The re-infections seem to be a slightly different strain (sequenced). The previous infection didn't seem to provide a lesser infection which is what would be expected.  More good new is that it doesn't seem a problem in vaccine groups, especially since it is something they have been alerted to in a previous experimental vaccine (Dengue, as previously posted).

I also just heard right now on the news that Pfizer is hoping to apply for EAU next month!

M

I have read about a few cases of reinfection where the second infection is much worse than the first opening the "hypothesis of a mechanism known as antibody dependent enhancement—that is, when antibodies actually make subsequent infections worse".  I know that has been a concern with a vaccine from the get go.  Thoughts?

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-10-covid-reinfection-virus-immunity.html

5 hours ago, bigbenboys said:

The area where we have had unrest is in the Capital Hill/Broadway area of Seattle.

Read this post after lifting and shifting out of Seattle.  Too late now so I guess we will be staying the night there before the cruise.  Any suggestions on what areas to stay?  I did want to see the glass factory and a few things there but not if that is where the unrest is.  So sad.

M

45 minutes ago, thepoint said:

With private tours you make up your own itinerary.  I research what we want to see and that’s exactly where we are taken.  A lot of times the guide will know of a special place off the beaten path that he/she wants you to see.  Getting back to the ship on time has never been a problem. Their reputation depends on it.  In addition, if boarding time is at 4 pm I will insists we get back no later than 3pm.  So everything is planned according to your schedule.  

Totally agree. I have never had a problem when heading up a small group of “strangers”. Had a gal break an ankle in Ireland the day before our scheduled tour- they paid anyway.  I would do the same. 
Look forward to private tour info for the canal! I included my email above if you don’t want to post.

Thanks

Another article regarding live vaccines (BCG, measles and some flu) and COVID

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/10/08/917831035/could-the-live-flu-vaccine-help-you-fight-off-covid-19

18 hours ago, thepoint said:

the excitement is in looking forward to taking some of the same private tours

Panama Canal is on our bucket list! Can you share your favorite private tours please?

mimlauff at aol dot com

Thanks!!

Miriam

On 10/3/2020 at 12:37 PM, nocl said:

In the case of military you have low individual risk for harm, but due to the mission requirements and the military housing structure, especially for Navy and Marines, you do have high risk for exposure.

This got me to thinking.  I volunteer weekly both at Navy/Marine Corps Relief Society as well as the USO (currently one employs  a walk up window and the other is currently serving outside).  I wonder if that would be somehow considered in the prioritizing, or if because it is voluntary and my choice, it would not. I am not yet 65 and have no underlying so figured I would be dead (oops, let's hope not) last.

M

That is a rough one.  We really only book private tours (usually adding a few people from Cruise Critic to join us).  They are typically smaller, less expensive and more in depth.   In general, Celebrity tours are at least twice as much.  If they have you over a barrel, then they would probably jack the price up even more. It will be interesting to read what the first cruisers have to say about this.

M

6 hours ago, mikkelhansen said:

What is your currently booked cruise; ship and date?

Norway out of Amsterdam. Reflection, May 29 2021

M

13 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Are you expecting Celebrity to add cruises? While they have extended the booking date, the "sail by" date remains the same.

They will have to add cruises in that area eventually.  There is NOTHING in the Norway area 2022.  That being said, I am not expecting anything especially until things are looking up.  A girl can dream.

I also didn't realize there was a sail by date.  I thought you could sail one year forward.  There are a lot of cruises scheduled in 2022, just not in that area.

3 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

Lift and Shift (and the entire Cruise with Confidence program) has just been extended until Nov 30.  Celebrity website has been updated.

Maybe by then there will be something for me to lift and shift to.

Both TA and Celebrity site says there is nothing available.

1 hour ago, york survey said:

I've done two lift and shifts. Both online via the celebrity site even though I booked through a travel agent. Both were updated with my first choice and showed in "my celebrity" within 24 hours. I was then contacted by my TA to be advised if the changes in tax etc. One went up slightly, One came down slightly.

 

1. October 9th 2020 Silhouette 10 nights out of Southampton to Spain - Moved to 4th October 2021 Constellation 10 nights out of Venice to Greece .... I was surprised this was offered as a very different cruise but it was and I grabbed it!

 

2. April 9th 2021 Constellation 10 nights out of Tampa - Moved to March 21st 2022 10 nights out of Fort Lauderdale 

 

WOW. Good for you.  I may try this.  I called my TA and was told she called Celebrity who told her it had to be same nights same area.  I then confirmed there was nothing available to lift and shift to (I am on May 2021 Norway for 8 nights). I am hoping to know what to do by final payment.  If a good perk sale comes up before then, I will go for something totally different in 2022 and cancel. 

14 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

The silence is driving me nuts.  No new news on COVID stage 3 vaccine testing in the last few days. No new news on CDC and the No Sail Order. Us for over in the peanut gallery need updates! ☺️☺️

Well Inovio isn't in phase 3 yet (I don't think) but they are paused now. 

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/inovio-stock-price-coronavirus-vaccine-trial-pause-trading-halted-biotech-2020-9-1029626833#

Sounds like Pfizer will maybe be the first with hopefully substantial news in about a month.

I'm with you, anxious for play by play.  LOL

Great insight about the prison system!

M

I read another article that will certainly stir things up down the line...

"Should young, healthy athletes be a priority for the vaccine, which would help the IOC hold the Olympics and fulfill lucrative contracts with broadcasters who have paid billions for the rights?"

https://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Tokyo-Olympics-Q-A-Should-athletes-be-priority-15602097.php

So many wanting a shot (pun intended) at the vaccine.  It is going to get interesting for sure.

M