Cruising - Vaccine - Issue Older Persons Immune System

[fragilek]

This is not just a problem for the elderly.  I got Leukemia in my 40's now been in remission for 2 yrs.  I was allowed to start cruising again last year. 

 

However, due to the treatment (trial drug that saved my life as without I had less than 5% chance so not complaining that its left a few issues) I have been left with no Lymphocytes.  As a result there is a high chance vaccines may not work as I probably don't make enough T-cells. I am not allowed to travel anywhere that has  endemic Rabies (it would be against consultants advice thus apart for being a stupid thing to do  I would also not be insured) as post bite injections may not work.  I am also not allowed to go in a swimming pool, as virus and mold would be too high a risk for me (I used to swim about 1/2 mile every week day too  & miss it really badly). It won't matter how much vit C, D zinc or anything else I would take, I would still have very little immunity. 

 

I am sadly expecting to be told by my consultant team that my cruise days may be over at least for a few years until we see how this plays out.  At the min  (under consultants instruction) I have been in lockdown in my house (& garden) since 28th feb, no visitors allowed until last weekend and now only 1 other household in garden 2m away.

 

So its not only the over seventies that will be affected if a vaccine that works without the activating of t-cells can't be found- There are a few being investigated  but they always lag behind the main t-cell instigator type as the requirement to get a bulk vaccine that hits the spot for about 70% is understandably more of a priority right now. 

[Covepointcruiser]

Yes it would be foolhardy for anyone with a compromised immune system to cruise while the COVID 19 or Flu is out there.   Cruise ships in their pre pandemic configurations were great for spreading diseases.   I don’t know how much of this can be fixed given the population we are dealing with.

[phoenix_dream]

7 hours ago, fragilek said:

This is not just a problem for the elderly.  I got Leukemia in my 40's now been in remission for 2 yrs.  I was allowed to start cruising again last year. 

 

However, due to the treatment (trial drug that saved my life as without I had less than 5% chance so not complaining that its left a few issues) I have been left with no Lymphocytes.  As a result there is a high chance vaccines may not work as I probably don't make enough T-cells. I am not allowed to travel anywhere that has  endemic Rabies (it would be against consultants advice thus apart for being a stupid thing to do  I would also not be insured) as post bite injections may not work.  I am also not allowed to go in a swimming pool, as virus and mold would be too high a risk for me (I used to swim about 1/2 mile every week day too  & miss it really badly). It won't matter how much vit C, D zinc or anything else I would take, I would still have very little immunity. 

 

I am sadly expecting to be told by my consultant team that my cruise days may be over at least for a few years until we see how this plays out.  At the min  (under consultants instruction) I have been in lockdown in my house (& garden) since 28th feb, no visitors allowed until last weekend and now only 1 other household in garden 2m away.

 

So its not only the over seventies that will be affected if a vaccine that works without the activating of t-cells can't be found- There are a few being investigated  but they always lag behind the main t-cell instigator type as the requirement to get a bulk vaccine that hits the spot for about 70% is understandably more of a priority right now. 

So sorry to hear of all your troubles.  I hope you stay well and hope in the not too distant future you can enjoy the cruise life again!

[dandee2]

On 6/29/2020 at 4:25 PM, sippican said:

 

Can you clarify please?

IMHO, it's pretty unlucky to be a target group no matter your age. The senior population is no more expendable or less tragic. Of course, some may not see it that way.

Lucky was not what I meant. Figure of speach.

I was refering to this article:

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html#:~:text=Read about the 1918 influenza,unique feature of this pandemi

[TeeRick]

23 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Even if they were to develop an effective anti-viral drug in advance of a vaccine, I wonder how many people would want to cruise. My goal is to not catch COVID-19, not to risk catching it and be cured.  

I said in the absence of a vaccine.  If I go on a cruise and catch the virus, but then I can go on an effective drug for a few days and be OK, I personally would take that risk in a minute.  Everybody is different.

[Fouremco]

23 hours ago, Fouremco said:

Even if they were to develop an effective anti-viral drug in advance of a vaccine, I wonder how many people would want to cruise. My goal is to not catch COVID-19, not to risk catching it and be cured.  

 

3 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I said in the absence of a vaccine.  If I go on a cruise and catch the virus, but then I can go on an effective drug for a few days and be OK, I personally would take that risk in a minute.  Everybody is different.

As my post indicates, I fully realize that you are talking about in the absence of a vaccine. You apparently are willing to go on a cruise and to risk catching COVID-19, then taking an anti-viral drug to get cured. I, on the other hand, am not willing to risk catching it in the first place, and speculate that many others would be likeminded. Ideally, at some point in time there will be both a vaccine and an anti-viral drug, but without the vaccine, I won't be cruising. YMMV 

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, Fouremco said:

 

As my post indicates, I fully realize that you are talking about in the absence of a vaccine. You apparently are willing to go on a cruise and to risk catching COVID-19, then taking an anti-viral drug to get cured. I, on the other hand, am not willing to risk catching it in the first place, and speculate that many others would be likeminded. Ideally, at some point in time there will be both a vaccine and an anti-viral drug, but without the vaccine, I won't be cruising. YMMV 

Yes I totally understand your position on this and many others will feel the same.  We are all different.  There are a lot of posters here who have stated they will cruise again even without a vaccine or drug therapy.    All about one's personal risk tolerance and baseline health of course.  I definitely would be much more comfortable in my personal risk assessment if there was a vaccine.

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Yes I totally understand your position on this and many others will feel the same.  We are all different.  There are a lot of posters here who have stated they will cruise again even without a vaccine or drug therapy.    All about one's personal risk tolerance and baseline health of course.  I definitely would be much more comfortable in my personal risk assessment if there was a vaccine.

Hopefully, we will both be back aboard in the not-too-distant future, enjoying our cruise and both well within our respective comfort zones.

[TeeRick]

There was some positive but very early clinical results announced yesterday for the Pfizer vaccine.  It produced antibody levels that were higher than those seen in infected/recovered COVID patients.  But a very long way to go at this point.

[fragilek]

39 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

There was some positive but very early clinical results announced yesterday for the Pfizer vaccine.  It produced antibody levels that were higher than those seen in infected/recovered COVID patients.  But a very long way to go at this point.

Off - topic but just wanted to say I worked for them as a research Scientist my whole career but had to give up when my eldest daughter took ill.   I was so proud to be doing my dream job of looking for cures, it was all I ever planned to do since about 12yrs old and I was so sad to let my career go but knew I had too. 

 A few years ago I took ill with a rare form of ALM leukemia my chances were next to nill.  I was put on a trial drug - nicknamed the Nuclear option as not too many people seemed to get through the trial but those that did make it seemed to do better than expected. 

 

It was a no brainer, I went on the randomized  trial hoping I would get the new treatment.  I did & that was now 2 yrs ago 😊 during my treatment I asked to be told nothing about the trial or my chances (I read the risk page only to sign and ignored the other pages). Being from field would have made it very hard to not start reading all the research papers I could find, and I knew mentally and physically I did not have the strength to do that. 

 

When my eldest took ill I did all that, and even fought  her corner and won as my background allowed me to put a portfolio of a very convincing case together to get a treatment that was not yet available in the uk free. But I knew how much I got involved and how much it took out of me .  Only after 1 yr remission did I ask for info about the trial I was on .... Karma.... it was a trial involving a Pfizer drug I couldn't believe it. 

[yorky]

4 hours ago, fragilek said:

Off - topic but just wanted to say I worked for them as a research Scientist my whole career but had to give up when my eldest daughter took ill.   I was so proud to be doing my dream job of looking for cures, it was all I ever planned to do since about 12yrs old and I was so sad to let my career go but knew I had too. 

 A few years ago I took ill with a rare form of ALM leukemia my chances were next to nill.  I was put on a trial drug - nicknamed the Nuclear option as not too many people seemed to get through the trial but those that did make it seemed to do better than expected. 

 

It was a no brainer, I went on the randomized  trial hoping I would get the new treatment.  I did & that was now 2 yrs ago 😊 during my treatment I asked to be told nothing about the trial or my chances (I read the risk page only to sign and ignored the other pages). Being from field would have made it very hard to not start reading all the research papers I could find, and I knew mentally and physically I did not have the strength to do that. 

 

When my eldest took ill I did all that, and even fought  her corner and won as my background allowed me to put a portfolio of a very convincing case together to get a treatment that was not yet available in the uk free. But I knew how much I got involved and how much it took out of me .  Only after 1 yr remission did I ask for info about the trial I was on .... Karma.... it was a trial involving a Pfizer drug I couldn't believe it. 

Great story.

[fragilek]

33 minutes ago, yorky said:

Great story.

 Yip, I owe my life to that drug and to the QE(II) Glasgow NHS staff who got me through a 6 month (bar the odd day out here and there) stay.

[ipeeinthepool]

On 7/1/2020 at 9:40 AM, TeeRick said:

I said in the absence of a vaccine.  If I go on a cruise and catch the virus, but then I can go on an effective drug for a few days and be OK, I personally would take that risk in a minute.  Everybody is different.

 

I'm with you.  Where do you want to cruise?  At this point I'll go anywhere.

[TeeRick]

14 hours ago, ipeeinthepool said:

 

I'm with you.  Where do you want to cruise?  At this point I'll go anywhere.

Our next cruise that we have signed up for is Norway in Aug 2021 on the Silhouette.  Hoping we can make that one!

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, fragilek said:

Off - topic but just wanted to say I worked for them as a research Scientist my whole career but had to give up when my eldest daughter took ill.   I was so proud to be doing my dream job of looking for cures, it was all I ever planned to do since about 12yrs old and I was so sad to let my career go but knew I had too. 

 A few years ago I took ill with a rare form of ALM leukemia my chances were next to nill.  I was put on a trial drug - nicknamed the Nuclear option as not too many people seemed to get through the trial but those that did make it seemed to do better than expected. 

 

It was a no brainer, I went on the randomized  trial hoping I would get the new treatment.  I did & that was now 2 yrs ago 😊 during my treatment I asked to be told nothing about the trial or my chances (I read the risk page only to sign and ignored the other pages). Being from field would have made it very hard to not start reading all the research papers I could find, and I knew mentally and physically I did not have the strength to do that. 

 

When my eldest took ill I did all that, and even fought  her corner and won as my background allowed me to put a portfolio of a very convincing case together to get a treatment that was not yet available in the uk free. But I knew how much I got involved and how much it took out of me .  Only after 1 yr remission did I ask for info about the trial I was on .... Karma.... it was a trial involving a Pfizer drug I couldn't believe it. 

I was also at Pfizer in R&D and later in Global Operations.  Were you in Sandwich?  I visited there a few times.  Home of *****!  Nice to hear your story- are you OK now?

[fragilek]

5 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I was also at Pfizer in R&D and later in Global Operations.  Were you in Sandwich?  I visited there a few times.  Home of *****!  Nice to hear your story- are you OK now?

I was in Sandwich in R&D and later in Reg CMC Sandwich.  We probably crossed paths either in Sandwich, Groton or at a DSTF lol

 

2 year Remission now, got to see my  youngest daughter 21st her graduation and her and my elder daughters engagements and also squeezed a  few cruises in - so all and all a very good 2 years.

Edited July 3, 2020 by fragilek
added info

[ipeeinthepool]

1 hour ago, fragilek said:

I was in Sandwich in R&D and later in Reg CMC Sandwich.  We probably crossed paths either in Sandwich, Groton or at a DSTF lol

 

2 year Remission now, got to see my  youngest daughter 21st her graduation and her and my elder daughters engagements and also squeezed a  few cruises in - so all and all a very good 2 years.

 

I hope you have continued good health