CDC releases Conditional Sailing Order

[jeb_bud]

IMO cruising is going to be a risky venture until vaccine availability has increased to the point that cruise lines can require proof of vaccination at boarding. 

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

I agree.... normal cruising will be widely available After a vaccine is widely available. Should be in April. Can’t wait!

sheila

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I doubt it will be April.  There are something like 7 billion people on the planet who need this.  Pfizer says perhaps 1.7 billion doses can be produced in 2021, then there's Moderna Astra Zeneca, etc. The first two at least require two shots, and perhaps repeated yearly.  So eventually we need 14 billion doses or so, and then perhaps the same yearly thereafter.

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

Wendy... I don’t think the whole world cruises. Herb and I are in our 80’s. We both have health issues. According to knowledgeable sources, we should be able to get early vaccines. I am sure many  people on RSSC are in similar positions.
I hope the whole world gets vaccines as soon as possible. However, this is not what cruise critic is about.... 

[SusieQft]

The whole world does not cruise, but cruises go all over the world, so conditions all around the world will affect our ability to go there.  It will be a lot more complicated than just vaccinating all the crew and passengers, which in itself might be a challenge.

[Pcardad]

I mean no disrespect to anyone, but history has taught us that certain countries get certain medicine before others.....I doubt the USA is going to be anywhere but the top of the list....and certain groups within the USA will be first. How this affects cruising remains to be seen.

[greykitty]

I hope there will be great emphasis on ensuring the vaccines get to the people who need them most on an equitable basis.  I suspect I'll be in a fairly early tier based on health risks, but there are a lot of people in other demographic groups who also desperately need first shot at the vaccine after HCW and first responders.  

 

https://www.msn.com/en-au/lifestyle/wellbeing/ethnic-minorities-disproportionately-affected-by-coronavirus-the-lancet/ar-BB1aXYyc

 

That said, I'm not counting on getting a vaccination, even if all goes swimmingly, til April/May at the earliest, even assuming I'm correct  in thinking I'm in an early tier.  And then there's the 28 days between shots, for the two-shot protocol.  

Edited November 17, 2020 by greykitty

[howiefrommd]

I was on a COVID-19 teleconference call today and one of the presenters said they are reviewing the hierarchy of Vaccine distribution/administration.  A group of epidemiologists are saying that since the younger people represent the largest group of community transmission, it might be wise to vaccinate them right after health care, first responders and residents of group congregate living (e.g. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities).

Edited November 17, 2020 by howiefrommd

[greykitty]

@howiefrommd, I've seen articles in the popular press as well saying that it might be wiser to vaccinate the 'super spreaders' and younger folks very early in the game.  As I said, based on early articles I thought I might be in an early tier due to risk factors - but I wouldn't be surprised if the tiers are altered. 

 

I'm getting up there, but living on my own so not that high up in the 'must vaccinate' grouping.

Edited November 17, 2020 by greykitty

[Kwaj girl]

16 minutes ago, greykitty said:

@howiefrommd, I've seen articles in the popular press as well saying that it might be wiser to vaccinate the 'super spreaders' and younger folks very early in the game.  As I said, based on early articles I thought I might be in an early tier due to risk factors - but I wouldn't be surprised if the tiers are altered. 

 

I'm getting up there, but living on my own so not that high up in the 'must vaccinate' grouping.

 

Maybe we dedicated cruisers that spend weeks on end sailing and visiting port after port could be considered "super spreaders" .😉

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 11/17/2020 at 6:15 PM, howiefrommd said:

...  A group of epidemiologists are saying that since the younger people represent the largest group of community transmission, it might be wise to vaccinate them right after health care, first responders and residents of group congregate living (e.g. Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities).

 

I've come to the similar conclusion, although I would put front-line workers first, before the super-

spreaders, i.e., grocery store clerks, food manufacturing workers, drugstore clerks, etc.  Then the superspreaders.

 

On 11/17/2020 at 7:03 PM, Kwaj girl said:

 

Maybe we dedicated cruisers that spend weeks on end sailing and visiting port after port could be considered "super spreaders" .😉

 

On 11/17/2020 at 4:46 PM, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Wendy... I don’t think the whole world cruises. Herb and I are in our 80’s. We both have health issues. According to knowledgeable sources, we should be able to get early vaccines. I am sure many  people on RSSC are in similar positions.
I hope the whole world gets vaccines as soon as possible. However, this is not what cruise critic is about.... 

 

You're both kidding, right?  Does your sense of privilege really go that deep?

[Ladys Mom]

4 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I've come to the similar conclusion, although I would put front-line workers first, before the super-

spreaders, i.e., grocery store clerks, food manufacturing workers, drugstore clerks, etc.  Then the superspreaders.

 

 

 

You're both kidding, right?  Does your sense of privilege really go that deep?

The plan in Alabama says 1st responders, health care providers, nursing home residents, then "old" people like us.  The sooner the better, since our positivity rate is greater than 23%.

[Kwaj girl]

16 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I've come to the similar conclusion, although I would put front-line workers first, before the super-

spreaders, i.e., grocery store clerks, food manufacturing workers, drugstore clerks, etc.  Then the superspreaders.

 

 

 

You're both kidding, right?  Does your sense of privilege really go that deep?

@Wendy The Wanderer who said anything about "privilege?"

[Kwaj girl]

12 minutes ago, Ladys Mom said:

The plan in Alabama says 1st responders, health care providers, nursing home residents, then "old" people like us.  The sooner the better, since our positivity rate is greater than 23%.

 

We live in AL - where did you see our state's distribution plan details (including their definition of old people,  e.g. age)?

[mrlevin]

23 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

You're both kidding, right?  Does your sense of privilege really go that deep?

 

Wendy, are you and David locked down or did you escape to the beautiful US of A?

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

56 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I've come to the similar conclusion, although I would put front-line workers first, before the super-

spreaders, i.e., grocery store clerks, food manufacturing workers, drugstore clerks, etc.  Then the superspreaders.

 

 

 

You're both kidding, right?  Does your sense of privilege really go that deep?

You must be kidding! What sense of privilege? I don’t think you meant Herb and I.....
I am 83, on oxygen 24/7. I use a mobility scooter to get around. My husband, 86, has a pacemaker and a rare heart disease, which cannot be reversed. 
We look so forward to the end of this self isolation, Which has lasted almost a year. We do not leave our home and can’t allow our children and grown grandchildren to visit.

Many of their friends have had covid and got through it quickly and easily. They are the group that will eventually have this herd immunity. 

Correctly, the. first group that will get the vaccine will be the health care workers. Second, it is estimated to be those in nursing homes etc. 

 It is my understanding that health workers are first, then nursing homes and then those over 65, with vulnerable immune systems. .  That’s us..

or, do think we are too old to qualify? 

 

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

By the way..... we are not ready to give up our lives just yet. We have been so looking forward to enjoying life a bit longer. That includes cruising. 
 

 

[greykitty]

I thought this article did a fairly good, if brief, overview of some of the issues regarding an equitable, efficient distribution of vaccines.  I'll go as soon as I'm 'eligible', and hoping that the states will get the assistance they need to deal with this immense logistical challenge.

 

CDC advisory committee discusses who should get first vaccine doses (inquirer.com)

 

And now there seems to be some concern that some will not be happy with the side effects of the shot and may not come back with round two. The side effects, to me, sounded like what I experienced with Shingrex; if so, all I did was make sure I had some soup to warm up, some warm blankies, and TV set up for my 'recuperation days'.  Hopefully side effects won't really be too much worse.  I will not waste a dose if I humanly can avoid that.

 

Covid vaccine: CDC should warn people the side effects from shots won't be 'walk in the park' (cnbc.com)

 

“If this proves to work, people are going to have to toughen up,” she said. “The first dose is no big deal. And then the second dose will definitely put you down for the day for sure. ... You will need to take a day off after the second dose.”

 

 

[SusieQft]

Being immune to COVID-19 and doing my part in contributing to the broader goal of herd immunity are well worth feeling a little bad for a day or two.  It would be very short sighted to avoid the vaccine or skip the second dose for this reason.

 

I have had Shingrix (also two shots) with its side effects, and IMO that was also well worth the marked reduction in my risk of getting Shingles, which is not nearly as potentially serious as COVID.

[Ladys Mom]

15 hours ago, Kwaj girl said:

 

We live in AL - where did you see our state's distribution plan details (including their definition of old people,  e.g. age)?

It was on a local news show per the state dept. of health.  It sounded like it was preliminary, but they wanted to show the state was on top of things.  Ha ha!  If you look at our ongoing rate of percentage of folks who test positive.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

16 hours ago, mrlevin said:

 

Wendy, are you and David locked down or did you escape to the beautiful US of A?

We are locked down, but weighing an escape perhaps in a couple of weeks. Our Florida home is in worse shape than here, but not by much, and once we're settled, we belive we can be very safe (and warm.)

[Wendy The Wanderer]

15 hours ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

You must be kidding! What sense of privilege? I don’t think you meant Herb and I.....
I am 83, on oxygen 24/7. I use a mobility scooter to get around. My husband, 86, has a pacemaker and a rare heart disease, which cannot be reversed. 
We look so forward to the end of this self isolation, Which has lasted almost a year. We do not leave our home and can’t allow our children and grown grandchildren to visit.

Many of their friends have had covid and got through it quickly and easily. They are the group that will eventually have this herd immunity. 

Correctly, the. first group that will get the vaccine will be the health care workers. Second, it is estimated to be those in nursing homes etc. 

 It is my understanding that health workers are first, then nursing homes and then those over 65, with vulnerable immune systems. .  That’s us..

or, do think we are too old to qualify? 

 

Right, sorry, I took your original comment to mean that somehow cruising was more important, and that Regent cruisers would have the wherewithal to get vaccinated early so they could travel. Apologies.

 

We too are in high risk categories, not quite as high as you, but getting there.  In fact that's one of the factors that we're considering when deciding whether to go south to our Florida home next month--are all our medical issues under some kind of control so that we can gamble we won't need care while we're there.

Edited November 24, 2020 by Wendy The Wanderer

[Bellaggio Cruisers]

7 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Right, sorry, I took your original comment to mean that somehow cruising was more important, and that Regent cruisers would have the wherewithal to get vaccinated early so they could travel. Apologies.

 

We too are in high risk categories, not quite as high as you, but getting there.  In fact that's one of the factors that we're considering when deciding whether to go south to our Florida home next month--are all our medical issues under some kind of control so that we can gamble we won't need care while we're there.

Wendy... thank you for understanding our plight with Covid.
Hope you make it back to Florida for the winter. One of our daily events is sitting outside now. The weather is beautiful. 

sheila

[mrlevin]

21 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

We are locked down, but weighing an escape perhaps in a couple of weeks. Our Florida home is in worse shape than here, but not by much, and once we're settled, we belive we can be very safe (and warm.)

 

Do you consider it a privilege to be able to circumvent the closure of the Canadian USA border to fly to Florida for the winter?  After all, I didn't have the same privilege to visit Alberta and BC this past summer.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

7 minutes ago, Bellaggio Cruisers said:

Wendy... thank you for understanding our plight with Covid.
Hope you make it back to Florida for the winter. One of our daily events is sitting outside now. The weather is beautiful. 

sheila

Very much looking forward to being able to sitting outside when it's warm in Dunedin.  I'm planning trips for us to our favourite parks, and to the beach, or even just a downtown park, with the folding chairs in the trunk.  We do have lanais, but nothing like being outside.  We are in a condo, not a house, so outdoor options at home are limited to the communal front gallery, and the community pool deck.  All of these are options for us.