Yikes! Over age 70 passengers need doctor’s note (Merged threads)

[bikerunner]

5 minutes ago, anniegb said:

No worries.

 

My source:

https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/coronavirus-age-sex-demographics/

 

FWIW I wish the media would highlight that yes there have been over 126,000 cases but less than 55,000 cases are current.  The balance are closed cases.

 

Annie

 

And have the media not over blow something like this. They need to make money.  They are enjoying sensationalizing this along with anything else. They need to draw views to make money.  The media is terrible.  I been in meetings half the day setting up protocols for the hospitals I work for.  There is a lot being locked down with travel groups meetings etc.  that much I will say should be done.  Especially with keeping the hc workwrs healthy as possible.  

[$hip$hape]

8 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

Pro-Tip: it's a good idea for everyone not to have their heart stop.
Also, most people, even those over 65 (GASP!) don't need to spend their time making sure that doesn't happen. 

Thank you for the tip. 

I am sure it would be more convenient 

for my family to have my heart stop at home. 🙂

Edited March 11, 2020 by $hip$hape

[pasta1]

  I totally agree, they make people worry more which lowers your immune system. Why would you send news people into a known containment area is beyond me!

[$hip$hape]

9 minutes ago, pasta1 said:

  I totally agree, they make people worry more which lowers your immune system.
Why would you send news people into a known containment area is beyond me!

Truth ?

[zap99]

13 minutes ago, MamaFej said:

+1
My cousins were 17 and 30 when they had their heart attacks. Our mutual grandmother lived until 4 days shy of her 94th birthday.

 

Sure, the risk for many health problems increases with age, but the idea that, "In general, people who are 65+ have to be sure that their heart won't stop" is alarmist. 

Pro-Tip: it's a good idea for everyone not to have their heart stop. Also, most people, even those over 65 (GASP!) don't need to spend their time making sure that doesn't happen. 

I'm now 70 and my heart will stop someday. Perhaps the plane won't crash until we are one the way home. Maybe and perhaps don't help make decisions. Common sense helps,but panic doesn't.

[markeb]

1 hour ago, jelayne said:

Really!  People over 65 have to make sure their heart won’t stop, unfortunately heart attacks happen at every age.   My doctor was on a plane last month when a man in his early 40s had a heart attack. A friend died of a heart attack last year at 49, perfectly healthy.   
 

 

Click on the poster's history. Less than a month, and most of their posts are equally nonsensical or unrelated to the topic. Probably an ignore button candidate. Not something I say lightly around here...

[az_tchr]

CLIA met with the Feds yesterday. Have got to think we will see more information about an agreement on cruising tonight. Hope representatives of both political parties were part of the decisions.

More ports announced closures today including two favorite ports in Norway.  If that continues it won't matter.

[anniegb]

8 minutes ago, az_tchr said:

CLIA met with the Feds yesterday. Have got to think we will see more information about an agreement on cruising tonight. Hope representatives of both political parties were part of the decisions.

More ports announced closures today including two favorite ports in Norway.  If that continues it won't matter.

FWIW Norway is currently experiencing a very high incidence rate far in excess of the UK.

 

Annie

[LMaxwell]

These are early days.  Each day is a new "baby step" in incremental screening, closures, and restrictions.  When are the execs going to just face the reality of the situation as bleak as it is

[markeb]

2 minutes ago, LMaxwell said:

These are early days.  Each day is a new "baby step" in incremental screening, closures, and restrictions.  When are the execs going to just face the reality of the situation as bleak as it is

 

I'm going to cut them just a little bit of slack. You plan largely based on precedent. This is largely, although not completely, unprecedented. It's still early, it's continuing to spread (and there was probably a SARS, MERS-CoV hope factor), and it's showing some predictable but still surprising severity in some populations, including those that cruise a lot. And no one wants to come out too early and destroy their business. This action would really be a severity response, not a transmission response. And based on replies already where people are having no issues getting a physician to give them a letter, probably not a very effective one.

 

But, yes, if you simply extend the last 6 weeks or so, I think you're leaning closer and closer to losing a cruise season, with devastating financial results to the industry. Which would be unprecedented...

[LMaxwell]

3 minutes ago, markeb said:

 

. And no one wants to come out too early and destroy their business.

Fair point 

[sheffield]

NCL have already implemented it. You have to get a form filled out before travel, stating you are healthy and no respiratory problems. Cruise fare refunded by FCC if unable to travel. See their cruise critic forum.

Edited March 12, 2020 by sheffield

[helen haywood]

Well, I hope if Celebrity is planning on implementing this that we will get sufficient notice to try to get the letter/form.  I looked on their website and on the app and see no mention of it.

[sheffield]

Here is Norwegian’s form

[Fouremco]

12 minutes ago, sheffield said:

Here is Norwegian’s form

Excuse the cynicism, but just how hard would it be for someone to falsify the doctors signature, etc., and how does NCL plan to verify? If someone wants to get onboard, this form will barely slow them down IMO. I'm not saying that it's right, just that it's highly predictable.

[helen haywood]

Thanks.  I’d gone over to the NCL boards and emailed it to myself.  I still hope Celebrity puts such a notification on their website if they implement this, with a link to their form.  I don’t want to arrive at the port and be told my form letter is inadequate.

[MamaFej]

6 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Excuse the cynicism, but just how hard would it be for someone to falsify the doctors signature, etc., and how does NCL plan to verify? If someone wants to get onboard, this form will barely slow them down IMO. I'm not saying that it's right, just that it's highly predictable.

There is a spot at the bottom for the practitioner's ID stamp. I know that physical exam forms, medication forms, etc. where I live are required to have these distinct stamps in order to be accepted by schools, scouts, athletic organizations, etc. 

Perhaps that's the sort of thing they are looking for?

[Fouremco]

1 minute ago, MamaFej said:

There is a spot at the bottom for the practitioner's ID stamp. I know that physical exam forms, medication forms, etc. where I live are required to have these distinct stamps in order to be accepted by schools, scouts, athletic organizations, etc. 

Perhaps that's the sort of thing they are looking for?

Agreed, but easily forged. It's not like NCL knows what stamps from doctors around the world look like.

[MamaFej]

44 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Agreed, but easily forged. It's not like NCL knows what stamps from doctors around the world look like.

I would almost have to admire the determination of someone who would go to the time, effort, and expense required to have such a stamp manufactured. 

 

Almost.

[yvrcruzer]

so if you can't get a doctor to sign off on the form you get a FCC? What good is that if you can never cruise again without getting a doctor to sign the form? Can the cruise lines spell bankruptcy and lawsuits?

[az_tchr]

1 hour ago, MamaFej said:

There is a spot at the bottom for the practitioner's ID stamp. I know that physical exam forms, medication forms, etc. where I live are required to have these distinct stamps in order to be accepted by schools, scouts, athletic organizations, etc. 

Perhaps that's the sort of thing they are looking for?

If someone forges a form it will not be an issue until or unless something goes wrong. At that point the doctor is contacted and the forger pays the price. Would not be hard to spot check those passengers that fit a certain profile.

[Roger88]

9 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Excuse the cynicism, but just how hard would it be for someone to falsify the doctors signature, etc., and how does NCL plan to verify? If someone wants to get onboard, this form will barely slow them down IMO. I'm not saying that it's right, just that it's highly predictable.

I mean I understand everything but is it really that hard to sign up this small and little paper? As far as the responsibility goes be sure if the passanger suddenly dies or smth else happens to him due to his health condition - the person who signed this small little paper will be arrested and put for a trial. You can be sure about that. Never the less, just go to your local medical office and have a general check. It wont cost you a lot of money and will get a legal signature and a stamp

[hcat]

Any drs weighing in on how extensive their exam would need to be before they would sign off..chest x ray, blood work, Ekg,?

[DaKahuna]

I agree with others that this smacks of age discrimination.  Why 70?  Why not 35, 40, 45, ...etc.  What makes 70 the magic number.  

 

I do not have a Celebrity or Royal Caribbean cruise until July but I am sure my primary care physician has more important medical issues to deal with than having me show up asking him to sign a form in order to take a cruise.   Although, one of his first questions when I go in for my blood work and check us is to ask about what cruises I had been on lately. 

 

[downsmead]

9 minutes ago, hcat said:

Any drs weighing in on how extensive their exam would need to be before they would sign off..chest x ray, blood work, Ekg,?

The NHS is already stretched and GP appointments are like gold dust. We would most likely be charged for them signing this, no issues there, but there are far better uses of their time than having to perform a check up on people who wish to travel.