Covid Proof of Recovery

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, crewsweeper said:

CDC has yet to include recovered COVIDs as being immune or in their "herd" immunity count.  

As far as I can discover from other sources, you do have some immunity once you've contracted and recovered.  How much, can you get it again, is it still transferable to others?  I haven't a clue and the CDC apparently just quotes Clark Gable in their attitude.

Once reason might be because natural immunity isn't as good as what you get from the vaccines.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s0806-vaccination-protection.html

[jsglow]

6 hours ago, debnrick said:

We had Covid and no longer have any symptoms and are fully recovered. I’ve heard that we could test positive for months .. even though we are ‘technically’ negative. Would Carnival accept some sort of ‘proof of recovery’ from our doctor so we could sail????? Don’t want to have to cancel yet another cruise. And by the way.. yes, we were vaccinated! 

To answer your question rather than get involved in the bickering that has nothing to with what you asked, I'd suggest doing a 'pre-test' before actually getting your 'official' test 2 days before the cruise. I'm going to assume the results will be the same if only a handful of days apart.  What I would love to see is a discussion about the reasonable expectations for the timing of returning a negative result a certain number of weeks after a breakthrough infection (or someone who had Covid before vaccines were available.)  I'm also interested in the discussion of antigen v. PCR in this situation.  But I am NOT aware that there is any exception to the 'must present a NEG' requirement for any reason whatsoever.  Good luck! 

[furf_n_slo]

For the OP"s original question.  There is no sort of doctors note to excuse a positive test. 

 

My husband and I are booked on 9/25 on the Vista. We are both vaccinated and we both got positive covid tests on 8/21. 

 

At the end of our 10 day quarantine,  we both went to get tested again.  He was negative,  I was positive.  Five days later (yesterday) I tested again with a pcr test and an at home rapid test.  Both came back negative.  We are going to continue to test every few days until we leave just to make sure we are still testing negative and we have a good chance of passing the test that counts before we get on a plane.  

 

If our negative tests are an anomaly and we do end up positive,  we won't lose much money being able to cancel our flight and get fcc. 

 

To say these past couple weeks have been stressful is a huge understatement.  But there is hope! 

[Joebucks]

6 hours ago, Homosassa said:

Not only has that ship sailed, it has been sunk by data.

 

Get the vaccine.

 

There is no such data. In fact, there are multiple studies and sources that can't find much difference between a vaccinated individual and a previously infected one.

 

The "data" you speak of, that most people associate with, is the news headline of "most hospitalized are unvaccinated". A clear message that intends to speak of no science. 

[debnrick]

jsglow….. thank you for recognizing the unnecessary bickering that (like you said) has nothing to do with my original question. Seems like everything now a days always turns in to a battle for no apparent reason. Happy Sailing. 

[cruiseracer]

30 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

There is no such data. In fact, there are multiple studies and sources that can't find much difference between a vaccinated individual and a previously infected one.

 

The "data" you speak of, that most people associate with, is the news headline of "most hospitalized are unvaccinated". A clear message that intends to speak of no science. 

👍💪👍

[jsglow]

1 hour ago, furf_n_slo said:

For the OP"s original question.  There is no sort of doctors note to excuse a positive test. 

 

My husband and I are booked on 9/25 on the Vista. We are both vaccinated and we both got positive covid tests on 8/21. 

 

At the end of our 10 day quarantine,  we both went to get tested again.  He was negative,  I was positive.  Five days later (yesterday) I tested again with a pcr test and an at home rapid test.  Both came back negative.  We are going to continue to test every few days until we leave just to make sure we are still testing negative and we have a good chance of passing the test that counts before we get on a plane.  

 

If our negative tests are an anomaly and we do end up positive,  we won't lose much money being able to cancel our flight and get fcc. 

 

To say these past couple weeks have been stressful is a huge understatement.  But there is hope! 

Great strategy. Actually the cruise ship requirement is SUPER conservative.  My daughter is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and worked the Covid unit extensively in 2020.  She, like many of her colleagues, contracted the disease about a year ago before a vaccine existed .  After her 10 day quarantine she was immediately back on the unit floor not having been required to re-test at all.  In fact the CDC specifically states that re-testing is not recommended.  There's no documented evidence that a person remains infectious weeks after being afflicted but they may still shed 'dead virus' that lingers and can still test positive as a result, likely what was happening to you.  Bottom line in your case, you won't infect anyone and all you need is that 'clean' paperwork to sail with a 100% clear conscience.  Enjoy your cruise! 

  

[BlerkOne]

There is proof that people can contract covid more than once.

[furf_n_slo]

4 hours ago, jsglow said:

Great strategy. Actually the cruise ship requirement is SUPER conservative.  My daughter is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and worked the Covid unit extensively in 2020.  She, like many of her colleagues, contracted the disease about a year ago before a vaccine existed .  After her 10 day quarantine she was immediately back on the unit floor not having been required to re-test at all.  In fact the CDC specifically states that re-testing is not recommended.  There's no documented evidence that a person remains infectious weeks after being afflicted but they may still shed 'dead virus' that lingers and can still test positive as a result, likely what was happening to you.  Bottom line in your case, you won't infect anyone and all you need is that 'clean' paperwork to sail with a 100% clear conscience.  Enjoy your cruise! 

  

I know we're not contagious anymore.  My biggest stress now is getting negative tests to get on the ship and not a rogue leftover positive 🙃 

[Ellaleah]

4 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

There is proof that people can contract covid more than once.

My neighbor just got over it for the second time.  I think it was a year later.  She still is not getting vaccinated.  My daughter had it pretty bad.  She is in the medical field and if she could have got 1 medical professional to tell her that she did not need two shots to be vaccinated, she would have skipped it.  She could not.  They do not tell you that you don’t need a double vaccination if you already had COVID. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

20 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Nobody knows what antibody tests prove other than antibodies. Moderna vaccine recipients have more than Pfizer, but so what? They don't know.

 

There are studies showing vaccines are superior to natural immunity, but not enough studies have been done, and won't be for a while, because it isn't the priority.

 

Get the shot.

Agree.  I wish my son did. Our story. December 2020 During my grandsons birthday party my sons girl friend was coughing up a storm. We ALL got the covid19 virus. My son and her had it real bad. My wife and I had it with fever and coughing. My daughter lost here taste, fever and sick to her stomach. The kids did not get it at all. Grandson and friends all under 10. We were all tested two days after the party. It took till March before we could get the Pfizer vaccine. All in good health now. As I said. My son feels he is good to go because of the antibodies. I hope is is right.

[blondie444]

19 hours ago, Buckeyefrank100 said:

False.  Antibodies due to natural immunity may go away over time but T-cells have long-term memory and are activated when infected naturally.  Mrna vaccines are not thought to activate Tcells, which means when the antibodies go away, the effectiveness goes away.  I'm pretty sure that eventually it will come out that the J&J vaccine (based on more traditional vaccine base) will be much more effective over the long term.

 

Actually the mrna vaccines do activate t-cells. 

 

 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

15 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

There is proof that people can contract covid more than once.

Yes true. BUT! If you received the vaccine, your symptoms will not be that bad and you may not end up in the hospital. However you can spread it. 

[BlerkOne]

19 minutes ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Yes true. BUT! If you received the vaccine, your symptoms will not be that bad and you may not end up in the hospital. However you can spread it. 

My point was you can recover and be reinfected. It is possible to be asymptomatic. Without additional testing (and I'm not sure what that might be), even with a note of recovery from a prior infection, a positive test might actually mean you have covid (again). I don't see cruising happening until you consistently test negative.

Edited September 9, 2021 by BlerkOne

[TNcruising02]

1 hour ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

Yes true. BUT! If you received the vaccine, your symptoms will not be that bad and you may not end up in the hospital. However you can spread it. 

That is the biggest reason for those who have not had covid to get the vaccine, in my opinion.  Nobody I know who had covid last year has been infected this year.  However, my husband and I got covid after being fully vaccinated for nearly 6 months.  We never had a prior infection.  I believe that due to being vaccinated, our symptoms were very mild. 

Carnival requiring testing for everyone was the smartest move they could do now that more vaccinated people are getting covid.

Edited September 9, 2021 by TNcruising02

[Joebucks]

 

4 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

My point was you can recover and be reinfected. It is possible to be asymptomatic. Without additional testing (and I'm not sure what that might be), even with a note of recovery from a prior infection, a positive test might actually mean you have covid (again). I don't see cruising happening until you consistently test negative.

 

Not sure what your point is. A previously infected person can get infected again. Just like a vaccinated individual can get infected. Both can spread the virus too. There is also no data out there that concludes previously infected individuals are anymore of a threat than vaccinated. There are still things we don't know.

 

These arguments seem to hit on "vaccinated are less likely to be hospitalized". While that may be a true statement, is not the only true statement out there.

[BlerkOne]

Just now, Joebucks said:

 

 

Not sure what your point is. A previously infected person can get infected again. Just like a vaccinated individual can get infected. Both can spread the virus too. There is also no data out there that concludes previously infected individuals are anymore of a threat than vaccinated. There are still things we don't know.

 

These arguments seem to hit on "vaccinated are less likely to be hospitalized". While that may be a true statement, is not the only true statement out there.

Vaccinated or not, a positive test can't be explained away with a note.

[AtSeaWithChris]

Bottom line is you must have a negative test. No exceptions. 

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

5 hours ago, AtSeaWithChris said:

Bottom line is you must have a negative test. No exceptions. 

You are absolutely correct !

[jsglow]

15 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Vaccinated or not, a positive test can't be explained away with a note.

100% correct.

[pamesacruisin]

This has been a big concern for me.  We need to rebook our cruise before the end of this month to use our FCC.  I have no idea when to book.  It's such a gamble.  I got vaccinated and 3 months later got Covid anyway.  I was told I could continue to test positive for months.  This happened to my daughter.  6 weeks later she still tested positive, although no symptoms.  Husband has been vaccinated.  What if he gets Covid a month or 2 before a cruise and still tests positive?  Of course we wouldn't be allowed to go.  So you're all packed, airline reservations, pet sitters arranged, feeling well, and all excited ready to cruise.  Must have negative test and is still shows positive.  To say we'd be bummed is an understatement!

[sanger727]

8 minutes ago, pamesacruisin said:

This has been a big concern for me.  We need to rebook our cruise before the end of this month to use our FCC.  I have no idea when to book.  It's such a gamble.  I got vaccinated and 3 months later got Covid anyway.  I was told I could continue to test positive for months.  This happened to my daughter.  6 weeks later she still tested positive, although no symptoms.  Husband has been vaccinated.  What if he gets Covid a month or 2 before a cruise and still tests positive?  Of course we wouldn't be allowed to go.  So you're all packed, airline reservations, pet sitters arranged, feeling well, and all excited ready to cruise.  Must have negative test and is still shows positive.  To say we'd be bummed is an understatement!

From everything I’ve read, pcr tests have a higher chance of testing positive for months after infection. I think antigen tests are really only meant to test for an active infection whereas PCR tests are much more sensitive. If I had a recent past Covid infection I would get a bunch of the home antigen test and re-test every week or so to see if I continued to test positive leading up to the trip or not.

[Buckeye10640]

I have not read in detail all of Carnivals policy but I am closely following Princess as we have 2 cruises coming up. Husband and I, both vaccinated in March, tested positive about a month ago. Relatively mild symptoms for a week or so, now recovered. Plan to start retesting in early  Oct to see what it shows. Princess has some wording that if you tested positive within 90 days of cruising but more than 10 days before the cruise, they will consider a doctors note saying you are recovered.  We will be just outside of that 90 day window so I sure hope our 'pre-tests' start coming back negative.  Since Princess and Carnival both fall under CCL I an surprised there is not some similar policy....

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

30 minutes ago, pamesacruisin said:

This has been a big concern for me.  We need to rebook our cruise before the end of this month to use our FCC.  I have no idea when to book.  It's such a gamble.  I got vaccinated and 3 months later got Covid anyway.  I was told I could continue to test positive for months.  This happened to my daughter.  6 weeks later she still tested positive, although no symptoms.  Husband has been vaccinated.  What if he gets Covid a month or 2 before a cruise and still tests positive?  Of course we wouldn't be allowed to go.  So you're all packed, airline reservations, pet sitters arranged, feeling well, and all excited ready to cruise.  Must have negative test and is still shows positive.  To say we'd be bummed is an understatement!

Get a rapid test and see if it shows negative for your. I have heard on CC that the PCR test can show positive were as the rapid test might not.

[BlerkOne]

Per Carnival:

What happens if I have a positive COVID-19 test within 14 days of sailing?

Please do not go to the cruise terminal if you have any symptoms of, or have recently tested positive for, COVID-19. Call 1-800-314-9859 to cancel your cruise. You will receive a future cruise credit. For more information on symptoms of COVID-19, please visit the CDC's website .