Covid Booster Shots

[illinoisfive]

Now that the covid booster shots have been approved for all adults, will Carnival now change "fully vaccinated" to mean the shots and the booster as a requirement to sail?

[BlerkOne]

Eventually

[yogibear]

I got my Booster shot last month.

 

Karen

[staceyglow]

7 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Eventually

That may be your opinion or prediction, but this is the official answer directly from Carnival (taken from John Heald's Facebook post from a few weeks ago):

 

Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster to be considered fully vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are strongly recommended for specific at risk groups by the FDA and US CDC. However, at this time, booster doses are not required to embark. Guests who have received the full series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of authorized vaccines and have received the last dose at least 14 days prior to the day of embarkation are considered fully vaccinated.

Edited November 19, 2021 by staceyglow

[BlerkOne]

2 minutes ago, staceyglow said:

That may be your opinion or prediction, but this is the official answer directly from Carnival (taken from John Heald's Facebook post from a few weeks ago):

 

Do I need a COVID-19 vaccine booster to be considered fully vaccinated?

COVID-19 vaccine boosters are strongly recommended for specific at risk groups by the FDA and US CDC. However, at this time, booster doses are not required to embark. Guests who have received the full series of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or World Health Organization (WHO) authorized COVID-19 vaccine or a combination of authorized vaccines and have received the last dose at least 14 days prior to the day of embarkation are considered fully vaccinated.

It is a science based prediction that the definition of fully vaccinated will change. That is why I said eventually.

 

John is correct that it is not required today or in the near future.

 

 

[illinoisfive]

thank you for clarifying, but since that was from his facebook a few weeks ago, I am just curious if they might change the requirement now that the CDC and FDA have approved the booster and recommending it be taken.

[staceyglow]

It's only been a couple hours since the CDC approval has been announced.  Even if Carnival has made a decision pending the booster approval, they would not have had a chance to communicate it yet. 

 

Stay tuned!  News travels fast on Cruise Critic!

[stellarose]

all good. 20 year old getting booster this week and hubby and I (as educators got it weeks ago)

[ontheweb]

The CDC has recommended the boosters. When and if they REQUIRE the booster shot to be administered before defining someone as fully vaccinated, then the cruise lines will also require it to be in compliance with the CDC. 

[K_e_short]

Hello from Canada.

 

One thing that needs to be taken into consideration is that not all countries followed the same rules as it pertains to intervals between doses.

 

So right now booster shots are suggested 6 months after your second or last dose correct?

 

I received my 2nd dose in June so don't qualify until December. Many people received their second doses July onward.

 

Then you want to add the fact that 12-17 years received their vaccines later. My son got his 2nd dose in July meaning January for his booster shot.

 

Also not all countries are doing booster shots. Do cruise lines really want to make the check in process that complicated if they don't have to?

You'd have to check 2nd dose, then count 6 months to cruise date, etc.

[BlerkOne]

Too early to know. I think the fully vaccinated definition will change to 3 shots vs 2 with the word booster eliminated. Also likely an annual booster, which I assume will be called a booster. Unless and until some alternate approach is identified.

 

I wouldn't worry about the cruise lines requiring; I would worry about protecting myself (which also protects others).

[Colorado Beach Bum]

3 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

Too early to know. I think the fully vaccinated definition will change to 3 shots vs 2 with the word booster eliminated. Also likely an annual booster, which I assume will be called a booster. Unless and until some alternate approach is identified.

 

I wouldn't worry about the cruise lines requiring; I would worry about protecting myself (which also protects others).

Agree (almost).  Get the booster to protect yourself.  Both of us vaccinated and still ended up catching Covid a couple weeks ago.  Symptoms fairly mild but still no fun to be sick.  

[kona_wahine]

I got my booster just before a trip to Hawaii in October. My grandkids all have covid right now, and I watch one of them on a daily basis, and had 2 of them over last weekend for the night. Diagnosis was Monday. I seriously thought the first one just a cold, that’s exactly how it acted.  I feel fine, no symptoms what’s so ever. Doc said I would be sick by now if I was going to be. I’m sure it’s because of the covid vaccine, as I didn’t do anything to social distance. Moral of my story, get your vaccine & booster when it’s time. 

[crewsweeper]

For those of you who have had COVID and recovered (i.e., long long term sufferers) the CDC does recommend you get a booster after 4 months--improves the immunity response.

But everyone, especially unvaccinated, need to speak with their primary care doctor on suitability for shots and boosters relative to health status.  Use that advice versus the two-shots-fits-all CDC recommendations.

[jsglow]

19 hours ago, ontheweb said:

The CDC has recommended the boosters. When and if they REQUIRE the booster shot to be administered before defining someone as fully vaccinated, then the cruise lines will also require it to be in compliance with the CDC. 

 

THIS is the key and correct answer.

 

And to answer a question from another thread as to when the cruise lines might eliminate the vaccination requirement my answer is so long from now, frankly if ever, that's it's not worth thinking about.  The next more reasonable step is the elimination of 2 day pre-cruise testing and I'm not personally expecting that for at least all of 2022.

[txgal08]

20 hours ago, stellarose said:

all good. 20 year old getting booster this week and hubby and I (as educators got it weeks ago)

Any side effects?  I am waiting until after my Thanksgiving cruise to get it just in case.  I was sidelined an entire day after the 2nd Moderna shot

[Colorado Beach Bum]

1 hour ago, jsglow said:

 

THIS is the key and correct answer.

 

And to answer a question from another thread as to when the cruise lines might eliminate the vaccination requirement my answer is so long from now, frankly if ever, that's it's not worth thinking about.  The next more reasonable step is the elimination of 2 day pre-cruise testing and I'm not personally expecting that for at least all of 2022.

I think eliminating the pre-cruise test is more risky than eliminating proof of vaccination.  Vaccinated individuals can still get sick and spread Covid.  Non-sick individuals can not.  I actually feel safer with the testing in place.  And this comes from someone who is vaccinated yet came down with Covid a few weeks ago.  Covid spread throughout our family even though everyone but the youngest grandkids were vaccinated. 

[BlerkOne]

1 minute ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

I think eliminating the pre-cruise test is more risky than eliminating proof of vaccination.  Vaccinated individuals can still get sick and spread Covid.  Non-sick individuals can not.  I actually feel safer with the testing in place.  And this comes from someone who is vaccinated yet came down with Covid a few weeks ago.  Covid spread throughout our family even though everyone but the youngest grandkids were vaccinated. 

 

The vaccine is not 100% effective and in some individuals, whether genetics or medications or what, produces few or no antibodies. I don't think your results are typical, unless you had some new variant, which would be concerning.

[Colorado Beach Bum]

1 hour ago, BlerkOne said:

 

The vaccine is not 100% effective and in some individuals, whether genetics or medications or what, produces few or no antibodies. I don't think your results are typical, unless you had some new variant, which would be concerning.

Who knows.  There were four of us and not all blood related or on similar meds so I doubt it was genetics or meds. Between us we had all three of the vaccines too.  Most likely we were six plus months since vaccines and the effectiveness had began to wear off.  

[topaz123]

The endless "BOOSTER" shot,  followed closely by the endless VARIANT shot. Like some I had a terrible reaction to shot #2 Moderna....hoping we don't get put on the "BOOSTER needed" endless wheel of requirements.

[BlerkOne]

2 hours ago, Colorado Beach Bum said:

Who knows.  There were four of us and not all blood related or on similar meds so I doubt it was genetics or meds. Between us we had all three of the vaccines too.  Most likely we were six plus months since vaccines and the effectiveness had began to wear off.  

Who knows is right. But the three vaccines seem to wear off at different times, with the Moderna thought to be the most effective.

[CruiseBro16]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Carnival began requiring boosters at some point early next year. For that reason, I have an appointment at the local gettin' place to get my boost on Monday. 

[Pyxie]

It's possible, but if they do, they have to announce it with enough advance notice to actually get the booster. It won't be happening immediately.

[Guest BasicSailor]

4 hours ago, topaz123 said:

The endless "BOOSTER" shot,  followed closely by the endless VARIANT shot. Like some I had a terrible reaction to shot #2 Moderna....hoping we don't get put on the "BOOSTER needed" endless wheel of requirements.

I think you're on to something here . More or less like the yearly flu shot .

[crzndeb]

A question for those that already got the booster. Did anybody get an antibody (titer) test prior to the booster? I’m due for a physical, but after I was vaccinated, I had Covid. I haven’t gotten my booster yet (over 65), and I’m curious to see if I still show antibodies before I get it.

Edited November 21, 2021 by crzndeb