PRINCESS SHIPS & CORONA VIRUS

[bluesea321]

I recommend watching this video by Professor Iwata, it is eye opening!!! <<

12 minutes long but well worth your time (skip the first 4 minutes if pressed for time).

Iwata has impeccable credentials (worked on Ebola, SARS, MERS, etc), 20 years experience on infectious diseases.

 

I hope for the sake of Japan and the world that a new and effective quarantine for passengers is implemented away from the ship much like the US, Australia, Canada, etc. are now doing. Roaming free in Japan would be a disaster.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI&feature=youtu.be

 

[GeezerCouple]

32 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

I recommend watching this video by Professor Iwata, it is eye opening!!! <<

12 minutes long but well worth your time (skip the first 4 minutes if pressed for time).

Iwata has impeccable credentials (worked on Ebola, SARS, MERS, etc), 20 years experience on infectious diseases.

 

I hope for the sake of Japan and the world that a new and effective quarantine for passengers is implemented away from the ship much like the US, Australia, Canada, etc. are now doing. Roaming free in Japan would be a disaster.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI&feature=youtu.be

 

 

Here is a video of an interview by Anderson Cooper with an infections disease specialist from Columbia U, someone who was in China for COVID-19, and also worked with SARS and Ebola, etc.

 

He's currently in self isolation back home.

 

https://www.cnn.com/videos/world/2020/02/17/dr-ian-lipkin-virus-hunter-china-coronavirus-full-episode-acfc-vpx.cnn

 

GC

[Sunny AZ Girl]

42 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

I recommend watching this video by Professor Iwata, it is eye opening!!! <<

12 minutes long but well worth your time (skip the first 4 minutes if pressed for time).

Iwata has impeccable credentials (worked on Ebola, SARS, MERS, etc), 20 years experience on infectious diseases.

 

I hope for the sake of Japan and the world that a new and effective quarantine for passengers is implemented away from the ship much like the US, Australia, Canada, etc. are now doing. Roaming free in Japan would be a disaster.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vtHYZkLuKcI&feature=youtu.be

 

Wow!  Thank you for posting that.  Now I am really scared for the people on the ship and the people of Japan.  I never dreamed that there are so few precautions being implemented onboard and now it is obvious why the disease has spread the way it has.  I am not an infectious disease specialist by any means, but in my career I have worked with many patients with infectious diseases and I have never felt at risk due to the stringent controls put in place and enforced by our Infectious Disease experts at any hospital I have worked.  I guess I just assumed similar precautions were put in place onboard the Diamond Princess. And I know better to assume anything.    Silly me.  I am glad the US government got the US citizens off that ship who wanted to go.  Hopefully Infection Control will be better implemented in our home country.  Same for the other nations who have rescued their citizens.  

[azbirdmom]

14 minutes ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

Wow!  Thank you for posting that.  Now I am really scared for the people on the ship and the people of Japan.  I never dreamed that there are so few precautions being implemented onboard and now it is obvious why the disease has spread the way it has.  I am not an infectious disease specialist by any means, but in my career I have worked with many patients with infectious diseases and I have never felt at risk due to the stringent controls put in place and enforced by our Infectious Disease experts at any hospital I have worked.  I guess I just assumed similar precautions were put in place onboard the Diamond Princess. And I know better to assume anything.    Silly me.  I am glad the US government got the US citizens off that ship who wanted to go.  Hopefully Infection Control will be better implemented in our home country.  Same for the other nations who have rescued their citizens.  

 

Jan Swartz mentioned in her video over the weekend that Japan gave them rules to follow for passengers but not for crew.  Perhaps she was getting ahead of this as she already knew that what they hadn't been instructed to do created a bigger problem.  I feel bad for all involved.

 

Off topic but I recall you were a very active member of the Arizona group here on CC.  I went over to check and didn't see any new posts for quite some time.  Was it disbanded?

[Sunny AZ Girl]

1 hour ago, azbirdmom said:

off topic but I recall you were a very active member of the Arizona group here on CC.  I went over to check and didn't see any new posts for quite some time.  Was it disbanded?

Not disbanded, but since CC changed the format they lost so many of our regular members that the forum as kind of gone away.  Sad, I think.  Most of the original group and more active members stay in touch offline and via e-mail.  Some of us ladies get together for lunch on a regular basis and we still have parties about 3X a year.

 

Back to our regular program.......

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by Sunny AZ Girl

[Deborahw58]

1 hour ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

Not disbanded, but since CC changed the format they lost so many of our regular members that the forum as kind of gone away.  Sad, I think.  Most of the original group and more active members stay in touch offline and via e-mail.  Some of us ladies get together for lunch on a regular basis and we still have parties about 3X a year.

 

Back to our regular program.......

 

I'm really shocked about there being no infection disease officer. It sounds like the whole ship is in chaos. 

[Cruise Raider]

18 minutes ago, Deborahw58 said:

I'm really shocked about there being no infection disease officer. It sounds like the whole ship is in chaos. 

 

I understand that nobody knew exactly how severe and now devastating this virus would be but, you are right ... it sounds like it's in a state of chaos.  

I find it hard to believe they put people on planes back to the US and mixed those that were infected with those that were not.  From what I saw, there was a couple that 'made up' that they were cleared to go ... so obviously, negative test results were required to ride on the bus to the plane and then they somehow separated those that were infectious from the other passengers on the way home.  Now, they took those 14 that tested positive to a facility in Omaha but, there may be more passengers that have already tested positive at Travis airforce base where the other passengers are in a simple quarantine, not isolation.  It all sounds a little Willie Nillie to me ... 

I wouldn't be surprised to see a good 50% of those involved with the Diamond Princess to end up being infected with the CoVid19.  I'm not really criticizing any one entity ... whether it be the Japanese Ministry of Health or Princess Cruiselines ... but, as it started becoming evident that it was very infectious and with a higher mortality rate than first suspected, you would think there would be some stringent protocols put in place to at least separate infected passengers from those that were healthy upon returning to the US (or other countries).  

Dr Iwata's comments were absolutely eye opening and there are too many unqualified personnel running the show.  

[alexkrn46]

I think American Government took control and thought people would be better in the homeland. It seems like infection control was hit or miss,and the plane ride was a calculated risk,

[bluesea321]

22 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see a good 50% of those involved with the Diamond Princess to end up being infected with the CoVid19.

 

Dr Iwata's comments were absolutely eye opening and there are too many unqualified personnel running the show.  

 

Dr. Iwata's comments were indeed eye opening!!!  Total chaos below deck.

 

Here is the latest from the US HHS:

 

 

[kearney]

I suspect part of the problem is it being a completely unknown virus with no established protocol... being handled by a crew with experience in norovirus an not much more. Doubt they had anyone knowledgeble about infection control procedures...nor did they have the equipment ...other than masks and gloves... to handle it... Plus..all this is going on on a ship registered in another country... run by a company headquartered in yet another country... with maritime law and local laws and health regulations... a messy confusing situation... who takes charge in this situation and who is qualified to do so....   The only upside... is that hopefully, the cruise, airline and other transporation industries will take notice and ... at least for the next few years... have an infection control officer and appropriate equipment on board to handle this type of situation.... Something that didn't occur to me... is that while the cabin air may be recirculated within the cabin... every time you open the cabin door and the window... therer is a huge draft...moving air well beyond the cabin... Not sure if it was good to stay or better to leave... really a tough call. I just pray for the best for all and frankly the rest of the world... this baby is just getting started and it is a race to develop effective treatments... If 15% who get this require hospitalization and the say is 3 weeks... there isn't a health care system that can handle that... and a vaccine is years away.

[Cruise Raider]

4 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

Dr. Iwata's comments were indeed eye opening!!!  Total chaos below deck.

 

Here is the latest from the US HHS:

 

 

 

I hate to say it because those passengers have already gone through so much ... but, this is a necessity!  Someone has to enforce some hard and fast rules to get this thing under control.  If not, they will just be creating an all out pandemic.  

 

[bluesea321]

4 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

I hate to say it because those passengers have already gone through so much ... but, this is a necessity!  Someone has to enforce some hard and fast rules to get this thing under control.  If not, they will just be creating an all out pandemic.

 

The problem now is that if they are allowed to roam through Tokyo at will some of them will be spreading the virus to the general population. Does not make sense to me but that is what the Minister of Health is saying:

 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/02/26acf5d217e4-virus-hit-diamond-princess-passengers-to-disembark-from-wed.html

 

[Cruise Raider]

1 minute ago, bluesea321 said:

 

The problem now is that if they are allowed to roam through Tokyo at will some of them will be spreading the virus to the general population. Does not make sense to me but that is what the Minister of Health is saying:

 

https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/02/26acf5d217e4-virus-hit-diamond-princess-passengers-to-disembark-from-wed.html

 

 

I am shocked that Japan is allowing that!  Obviously, there are some passengers that were more recently infected.  If they do this, I sure hope they test every single passenger, crew member and staff in a controlled lab with some strict protocols.  Results should be known in advance of letting anybody off that ship.  

[Maya1234]

8 hours ago, Sunny AZ Girl said:

The hostel is a newer update since I posted.  That is where they are going now.  He is convinced it is a set up to quiet him.  No way to know what is really going on.  Not being able to communicate with the outside world seems cruel.  At least they will be together as long as they are symptom free.  Being separated was his biggest fear. 

According to a more recent post that was a misunderstanding on his part after speaking to a Japanese official whose English was understandably not perfect. Sally and David now believe they are negative according to the FB post but will be going to a hostel for now. 

[bluesea321]

7 minutes ago, Maya1234 said:

According to a more recent post that was a misunderstanding on his part after speaking to a Japanese official whose English was understandably not perfect. Sally and David now believe they are negative according to the FB post but will be going to a hostel for now. 

 

I read the same and I hope and pray that they do not have the virus however I think David is just wishful thinking. They would not have received a "notification of transfer to a hostel" unless they were positive. If they were negative they would have heard nothing.

[Pushka]

7 minutes ago, bluesea321 said:

 

I read the same and I hope and pray that they do not have the virus however I think David is just wishful thinking. They would not have received a "notification of transfer to a hostel" unless they were positive. If they were negative they would have heard nothing.

 

I think the major confirmation that this is demonstrating is a MAJOR flaw in their communication and which is leaving passengers being thoroughly confused and upset at what is happening. 

[lucky181]

David Abel has posted to facebook again. They found a doctor who speaks English and yes, they do have the virus but are feeling fine. They will be moving to a hostel for 4-5 days until they can then go to a hospital.  

[NorthwestCruiser]

2 minutes ago, lucky181 said:

David Abel has posted to facebook again. They found a doctor who speaks English and yes, they do have the virus but are feeling fine. They will be moving to a hostel for 4-5 days until they can then go to a hospital.  

So a confirmed infected passenger is moving to a hostel.   Fantastic.

[Pushka]

50 minutes ago, NorthwestCruiser said:

So a confirmed infected passenger is moving to a hostel.   Fantastic.

And then to hospital after a few days time which I suspect is the timing for complications if they are going to occur. 

[slidebite]

Why do I think we're still only about 10-15 minutes into a 60 minutes NOVA or Frontline show?

[dog]

2 hours ago, Pushka said:

And then to hospital after a few days time which I suspect is the timing for complications if they are going to occur. 

He said no hospital beds available for 4-5 days, I belive

[Cairn Mom]

I have been following David from the beginning. Both he and Sally have been coughing for days. Early on, David was also sick to his stomach. I highly doubt they are in the beginning stages of Covid 19. I think they’ve had it for awhile. There’s been some reports that it gets better and then comes back. I hope that’s not the case for them. David & Sally  are my first and only reality show. I want a happy ending- they get better and go home! Then, no more reality shows for me!

[Aus Traveller]

4 minutes ago, Cairn Mom said:

I have been following David from the beginning. Both he and Sally have been coughing for days. Early on, David was also sick to his stomach. I highly doubt they are in the beginning stages of Covid 19. I think they’ve had it for awhile. There’s been some reports that it gets better and then comes back. I hope that’s not the case for them. David & Sally  are my first and only reality show. I want a happy ending- they get better and go home! Then, no more reality shows for me!

I agree with you that it is likely David and Sally have had the virus for some time, and possibly before the quarantine went into place. David has had stomach upsets (one of the symptoms of coronavirus), he had a persistent cough and he has reported that he was very tired (another symptom of flu-type viruses). The only medical check they had at the start of the quarantine was a '45 second' visit to check their temperature.

 

I hope they recover very soon.

[caribill]

8 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

From what I saw, there was a couple that 'made up' that they were cleared to go ... so obviously, negative test results were required to ride on the bus to the plane and then they somehow separated those that were infectious from the other passengers on the way home. 

 

They later explained that having been told the results of their testing but being let off the ship for the trip to the USA that they assumed it meant they had tested negative. They did not lie to say they were not infected, they thought no news was good news since they were allowed to leave the ship.

 

The separation on the plane seemed to be a curtain between them and the other passengers. With only four portable restrooms on the plane, we do not know if one was reserved just for them or not.

 

I suspect that they were allowed to get on the plane because paperwise they had been processed to leave Japan before getting on a bus to the airport including giving up their passports until reaching the USA. The bureaucracy required to get them readmitted to Japan may have been too difficult to go through. Again, just speculation on my part as to why the 14 infected passengers were allowed to fly..

[dog]

52 minutes ago, caribill said:

 

They later explained that having been told the results of their testing but being let off the ship for the trip to the USA that they assumed it meant they had tested negative. They did not lie to say they were not infected, they thought no news was good news since they were allowed to leave the ship.

 

The separation on the plane seemed to be a curtain between them and the other passengers. With only four portable restrooms on the plane, we do not know if one was reserved just for them or not.

 

I suspect that they were allowed to get on the plane because paperwise they had been processed to leave Japan before getting on a bus to the airport including giving up their passports until reaching the USA. The bureaucracy required to get them readmitted to Japan may have been too difficult to go through. Again, just speculation on my part as to why the 14 infected passengers were allowed to fly..

The Goldmans & Mark were in close contact with Mark's wife who tested positive----there were  announcements on the ship that quarantine would be reset at the time a cabinmate who tested positive went to the hospital. The Captain could be heard on social media ie: yardley Wong etc twitter.

Princess website info on disembarking--Feb 19th---says they need to show certificate for test being negative to disembark. Was this not the case for the Goldman's?  Someone slipped up, letting them disembark the ship.