riverotter

Thank you so much for this rundown of covid transmission on cruise ships. I wish you were working for the agencies that are supposed to educate us on ventilation in other spaces. That was superb!

Omicron has changed all the rules of infection. It's now as infectious as measles, and I'm sure you remember how infectious that was. Indoors you can get infected simply from walking by somebody. You can even get infected from someone who walked by an hour ago indoors. You can get infected in an empty elevator from a previous passenger. You can get infected outside, but not as easily. Surgical masks are no longer protective of covid. You will need an N95 or KN95. And you are very on point to be afraid. Studies just came out that show every one of us, old and young, even asymptomatic have a 60% higher risk of stroke or heart attack after covid for at least a year. And I think we know most of the people who cruise are not starting from zero risk from either of those diseases. Still, I think you could cruise safely. There is an elastomeric mask now out, that kind with the big pink circles that make you look like an insect, but they have recently made one the same size as a regular mask that looks normal, but it will protect you even better than an N95. It's called a GVS P100. So you could wear that any time you are inside. But you are not going to be able to eat in any restaurant or drink inside at all. Many, many people are getting covid from dining room and restaurant from eating without their mask. You will have to wear the mask, get the food at the buffet and go in your room or outside, not close to other people or else get room service. You will also need to at least get a balcony and when you go in your room wear the mask until the room is aired out in case your steward is sick. Personally I'm too at risk to try it after struggling for two years with long covid. All I can do is live vicariously through everyone else on cruise critic.