Crew Quarantine

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

Happened.

 

 And until a couple of weeks ago, maritime crew were exempt from UK hotel quarantine if they came from a red list country. I say this to illustrate that there is flexibility on the part of the uk government.

 

 

 

 

 

But the crew are not vaccinated.

[Nick&Simon]

2 minutes ago, downsmead said:

The Sun (🤷‍♀️) reports today that the Government did not realise the loophole in the law allowing seafarers to enter the U.K. without the statutory 2 weeks quarantine and hence 600 crew were allowed in and then travelled directly to the ship. If this is true, then it was not flexibility but ignorance that allowed it. The crew movement in was shut down on May 19th once they realised the situation.

I must admit, I had a good laugh as it was popular knowledge on CC re the crew situation and seafarers clause. The ships were testing crew before and after the flights and transporting directly to the ships to be quarantined on board, thereby minimising any chance of of contact infection to others outside of the process. 

 

Interesting, thanks.

 

[Nick&Simon]

23 minutes ago, wowzz said:

But the crew are not vaccinated.

 

I'm not sure what your point is, sorry. Crew are being vaccinated on cruise ships in UK waters when they call into port. This is being done by the NHS. So by the point I board Regal Princess next month, all the crew will be vaccinated (Princess confirmed this in their webcast on Thursday?).

 

But you are correct that they are probably not vaccinated when they arrive in the UK. 

 

Edited to add: Princess confirmed that crew are being vaccinated on board, not that they would all be vaccinated in time for my upcoming trip, that would be a level of personalisation beyond them!

Edited June 6, 2021 by Nick&Simon

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, Nick&Simon said:

 

I'm not sure what your point is, sorry. Crew are being vaccinated on cruise ships in UK waters when they call into port. This is being done by the NHS. So by the point I board Regal Princess next month, all the crew will be vaccinated (Princess confirmed this in their webcast on Thursday?).

 

But you are correct that they are probably not vaccinated when they arrive in the UK. 

 

Edited to add: Princess confirmed that crew are being vaccinated on board, not that they would all be vaccinated in time for my upcoming trip, that would be a level of personalisation being them!

But when will Sky and Regal actually arrive in the UK.? And will the full crew join the ships before or after arrival in the UK? 

As we know, full immunity requires two vaccinations,  with a gap of 8 to 12 weeks between jabs, so unless the crew have their first vaccination in the next week or so, there will be insufficient time for a second jab prior to the start of the Seacations  

[Nick&Simon]

32 minutes ago, wowzz said:

But when will Sky and Regal actually arrive in the UK.? And will the full crew join the ships before or after arrival in the UK? 

As we know, full immunity requires two vaccinations,  with a gap of 8 to 12 weeks between jabs, so unless the crew have their first vaccination in the next week or so, there will be insufficient time for a second jab prior to the start of the Seacations  

 

Your second paragraph is incorrect.  The UK government decided on a gap on 12 weeks between doses on Pfizer and AZ, but that isn't a requirement, if you remember that decision was controversial at the time. Indeed for people in the priority groups the gap is now 8 weeks. I believe the recommended gap is 2 weeks, but I could easily be wrong about that, someone with more knowledge on the subject than me, will hopefully correct me.

 

 There is also the option of a single dose vaccine, more that one has been approved in the UK.

 

 Having said all that, the vaccination process for the two UK bound Princess ships had already started (hence the picture of a Captain receiving his). 

 

Finally, all working crew will have to be onboard a minimum of 14 days before first sailing, which may not be a published sailing.

 

 

Edited June 6, 2021 by Nick&Simon

[wowzz]

20 minutes ago, Nick&Simon said:

There is also the option of a single dose vaccine, more that one has been approved in the UK.

The Janssen vaccine will not be available until later this year, too late for summer cruuses.

 

21 minutes ago, Nick&Simon said:

Finally, all working crew will have to be onboard a minimum of 14 days before first sailing, which may not be a published sailing.

So, if the first sailing is from Cyprus, will the crew be vaccinated there, and will they have to wait until they return to Cyprus for the second vaccination. 

 

[Nick&Simon]

15 minutes ago, wowzz said:

 

 

So, if the first sailing is from Cyprus, will the crew be vaccinated there, and will they have to wait until they return to Cyprus for the second vaccination. 

 

 

I can't answer that. I don't know when or where the first sailing is. I only know the published sailings. 

[SheriffJoe]

6 hours ago, caribill said:

Princess does not acquire vaccines in the US or anywhere else. It does nor have vaccines and thus cannot send vaccines anywhere.

 

Local authorities acquire the vaccines and Princess then arranges when possible for the local authorities to do the inoculations.

and you know this how? The US government has distributed vax to many entities and now with a surplus of vax why would they not?

[azbirdmom]

5 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

I believe the recommended gap is 2 weeks, but I could easily be wrong about that, someone with more knowledge on the subject than me, will hopefully correct me.

 

The gap tested and used in the USA is 3 weeks between Pfizer jabs and 4 weeks between Moderna shots and these are the guidelines being used here.

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

The gap tested and used in the USA is 3 weeks between Pfizer jabs and 4 weeks between Moderna shots and these are the guidelines being used here.

12 week gap in the UK, so as to give as many people the first vaccine as quickly as possible (over 70% of adults now with one vaccine, and 50% with both)  but the gap is being reduced to 8 weeks or so now.

 

[azbirdmom]

3 minutes ago, wowzz said:

12 week gap in the UK, so as to give as many people the first vaccine as quickly as possible (over 70% of adults now with one vaccine, and 50% with both)  but the gap is being reduced to 8 weeks or so now.

 

 

Yes, it's like that in many countries.  My DH and I participated in the AstraZeneca vaccine trial and we inadvertently got our shots almost 8 weeks apart (although mine turned out to be a placebo).  Subsequently we were told by the trial staff that the longer gap doesn't mean it will be any less effective and that the shorter gaps tested were for the sake of expediency in light of the public health emergency.  And I have read recently that the longer gap may actually improve efficacy.

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

And I have read recently that the longer gap may actually improve efficacy.

That is correct.

[beg3yrs]

19 hours ago, wowzz said:

...

But, as the US vaccination programme is falling well short of the required level for herd immunity, you won't be coming to  Europe anytime soon!

Whoa pardner, hold yer horses! There are plenty of articles in the news saying the EU (which is most of Europe) will be opening up to US folks who have been vaccinated.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

Whoa pardner, hold yer horses! There are plenty of articles in the news saying the EU (which is most of Europe) will be opening up to US folks who have been vaccinated.

Possibly, but not in the near future.

The big problem, as I see it, is how do Americans prove they have been vaccinated?  

I have a QR code on my phone, from the UK government,  showing my vaccination dates, vaccination type and batch number.  From reading various posts, many Americans don't have robust proof of vaccinations. 

[beg3yrs]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Possibly, but not in the near future.

The big problem, as I see it, is how do Americans prove they have been vaccinated?  

I have a QR code on my phone, from the UK government,  showing my vaccination dates, vaccination type and batch number.  From reading various posts, many Americans don't have robust proof of vaccinations. 

Well, Greece, Italy and Croatia have all opened the borders to vaccinated tourists. Seems they've figured out what constitutes reasonable evidence of vaccination. Seems that mid-June is pretty much in the near future too.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/europe-reopening-vaccinated-travelers

 

As far as all these posts from nervous-nellie types worrying about robust proof of vaccination, they need to get over it. Our CDC card is already being accepted. Countries around the world have been accepting the international WHO card for hepatitis and yellow fever for years now and it's no more "robust" than the CDC card.

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Well, Greece, Italy and Croatia have all opened the borders to vaccinated tourists. Seems they've figured out what constitutes reasonable evidence of vaccination. Seems that mid-June is pretty much in the near future too.

 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-news/europe-reopening-vaccinated-travelers

 

As far as all these posts from nervous-nellie types worrying about robust proof of vaccination, they need to get over it. Our CDC card is already being accepted. Countries around the world have been accepting the international WHO card for hepatitis and yellow fever for years now and it's no more "robust" than the CDC card.

You may well be able to enter these countries,  but will you be able to re-enter the US?

[beg3yrs]

11 minutes ago, wowzz said:

You may well be able to enter these countries,  but will you be able to re-enter the US?

Yep, no problem. And by the time we'll be sailing it's a sure bet the vaccinated won't have to have a recent negative COVID test either.

[wowzz]

15 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Yep, no problem. And by the time we'll be sailing it's a sure bet the vaccinated won't have to have a recent negative COVID test either.

I admire your optimism! 

We are on Sky in October,  going to the Med, and I reckon the odds are 50:50 that it will go ahead.

[Nick&Simon]

Another reference point, Celebrity have this morning stated that "all crew onboard will be vaccinated"  for their UK Summer sailings.

[downsmead]

1 hour ago, Nick&Simon said:

Another reference point, Celebrity have this morning stated that "all crew onboard will be vaccinated"  for their UK Summer sailings.

👍, thank you

[Roberto256]

I have a couple more tid-bits of info on crew joining.

 

They are supposed to keep a log of their temperature for 2 weeks before they join.

 

Depending on the country they are coming from, they may need a negative covid test

three days before joining.

 

[nocl]

On 6/6/2021 at 2:15 AM, Nick&Simon said:

 

Your second paragraph is incorrect.  The UK government decided on a gap on 12 weeks between doses on Pfizer and AZ, but that isn't a requirement, if you remember that decision was controversial at the time. Indeed for people in the priority groups the gap is now 8 weeks. I believe the recommended gap is 2 weeks, but I could easily be wrong about that, someone with more knowledge on the subject than me, will hopefully correct me.

 

 There is also the option of a single dose vaccine, more that one has been approved in the UK.

 

 Having said all that, the vaccination process for the two UK bound Princess ships had already started (hence the picture of a Captain receiving his). 

 

Finally, all working crew will have to be onboard a minimum of 14 days before first sailing, which may not be a published sailing.

 

 

3 weeks for Pfizer and 4 for Moderna were the clinical trial times and the recommended period between shots.

[JF - retired RRT]

If you haven't watched "Same Ship Different Day", check out today's episode: 

He goes through all the craziness required to move crew around to get them to/from the Phillipines.

The hoops they have to jump through are insane.