How picky is the wellness screening regarding a cough?

[Vagabond Knight]

Both my husband and I are affected by the onslaught of pollen in central Florida at this time of year.  We love the trees in our backyard, but they're really doing a number on our sinuses. This does lead to occasional coughing. We're not going to walk in with proof of vaccinations and boosters and negative Covid test results and be denied boarding due to pollen, are we?  I hope they're willing to take this into considering if we're coughing a bit.  I mean, geez... here's the pollen forecast for this week (really looking forward to being out at sea with fresh air!):

 

[JamieLogical]

If you report a cough, you will be directed to see a nurse/medical professional at a station they have set up at the pier and you will just have to answer some additional questions and explain the situation. Highly unlikely you will be denied boarding.

[Poconolady]

You probably won’t be denied boarding, but if you honestly answer that you have a cough you will be pulled aside and it can take over an hour or more to get cleared. I fell and injured my ankle on the way to our cruise out of Athens, so when it was time to submit the health form I answered honestly when it asked if I had muscle pain- dumb move on my part. Getting onboard was an ordeal. Keep in mind that the health form is a Covid form, I’d keep my pockets filled with cough drops, a bottle of water in hand and sail thru checkin without setting up any warning flags ahead of time! Just my opinion- but I went thru it once and don’t intend to do it again!

[sanger727]

I personally would not check the "cough" button if the cough was explainable with another medical issue (like pollen). I've seen that cough question on other questionnares and it's usually asked as cough plus something, or new cough, or unexplained cough. Just asking "cough" is not reasonable; people cough for all kinds of medical reasons, allergies, smoker, or as side effects of medications. 

 

I also have asthma and allergies and cough is my number one symptom. I know I can tell the difference between an asthma/allergy cough vs a sick cough. I'm sure you can too. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by sanger727

[Virginia100]

I wouldn’t check off anything on that questionnaire. 

[Marie51]

I wouldn’t check off anything on that form either. As far as everybody knows there’s nothing wrong with you.

[phoenix_dream]

Well I can tell you I just boarded a ahip and the woman on the balcony next door hasn't stopped coughing since she came outside.  Hopefully her issue is also allergies or similar!!

[go.without.you]

I've had a cough for over 8 years caused by several bouts of bronchitis. I don't report mine until it changes due to an illness.

[TXGREG]

I have a close family member who has scarring on her lungs from radiation and chemotherapy for breast cancer. She is cancer free but will have an ongoing cough for the rest of her life. Sometimes it's worse , but it is always present.

[zitsky]

Wouldn't the negative test result be enough?  I took myself to CVS this past Saturday for an antigen 1 hour test.  Negative.  I just have allergies.  (North Carolina).

[jwlane]

Cough?  What cough?

[Vagabond Knight]

Well, hopefully we're about to start getting a little more rain, which tends to help a lot with calming the pollen down, and we do get into Fort Lauderdale a day early.  I think the pollen count down there is a a bit better than here. We're in a more rural environment where there are a lot of pollen producing trees.  I do like the idea of considering whether or not it's an unexpected/unusual cough (it's not) when we fill out the questionnaire.  Of course, I'm hoping it's gone completely anyhow in a few weeks when we get ready to board.   

[TeeRick]

22 hours ago, Vagabond Knight said:

Both my husband and I are affected by the onslaught of pollen in central Florida at this time of year.  We love the trees in our backyard, but they're really doing a number on our sinuses. This does lead to occasional coughing. We're not going to walk in with proof of vaccinations and boosters and negative Covid test results and be denied boarding due to pollen, are we?  I hope they're willing to take this into considering if we're coughing a bit.  I mean, geez... here's the pollen forecast for this week (really looking forward to being out at sea with fresh air!):

 

You would certainly know the difference between your constant seasonal allergy symptoms and COVID.  So if you are really sure it is a seasonal allergy thing, why worry about it?  Use your judgment.

[SHIP TRAVELER]

This is written from sad place but I just lost a friend who struggled with a constant cough as a result of compromised lungs.  She decide life was passing her by and booked a cruise because she was triple jabbed.  She was dead of Covid four or five weeks after the cruise, three plus of those weeks were in the hospital.  She was told she would never be able to breath on her own again because her lungs were so destroyed by Covid.

She was in my Water Workout class and often had coughing episodes when working out.   Of course after the fact, all of her friends wondered why anyone with compromised lungs would go on a cruise at the present time.  I felt guilty because I remember telling her what a great time we had on a November cruise.  This topic of "I have something wrong with my lungs that makes me cough" brought all of this back to me.

Please don't flame me, this is just concern about risk and another point of view.  I am sure the husband and children she left behind would give the same warning.

[TeeRick]

1 minute ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

This is written from sad place but I just lost a friend who struggled with a constant cough as a result of compromised lungs.  She decide life was passing her by and booked a cruise because she was triple jabbed.  She was dead of Covid four or five weeks after the cruise, three plus of those weeks were in the hospital.  She was told she would never be able to breath on her own again because her lungs were so destroyed by Covid.

She was in my Water Workout class and often had coughing episodes when working out.   Of course after the fact, all of her friends wondered why anyone with compromised lungs would go on a cruise at the present time.  I felt guilty because I remember telling her what a great time we had on a November cruise.  This topic of "I have something wrong with my lungs that makes me cough" brought all of this back to me.

Please don't flame me, this is just concern about risk and another point of view.  I am sure the husband and children she left behind would give the same warning.

There are a lot of stories like this for the past 2+ years and I feel for your loss.  So sorry.  No flaming from me and not minimizing the risk of some people who have true underlying medical conditions for serious COVID.   I just want to point out that the OP is sure it is seasonal allergies and nothing more.  

[phoenix_dream]

3 hours ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

This is written from sad place but I just lost a friend who struggled with a constant cough as a result of compromised lungs.  She decide life was passing her by and booked a cruise because she was triple jabbed.  She was dead of Covid four or five weeks after the cruise, three plus of those weeks were in the hospital.  She was told she would never be able to breath on her own again because her lungs were so destroyed by Covid.

She was in my Water Workout class and often had coughing episodes when working out.   Of course after the fact, all of her friends wondered why anyone with compromised lungs would go on a cruise at the present time.  I felt guilty because I remember telling her what a great time we had on a November cruise.  This topic of "I have something wrong with my lungs that makes me cough" brought all of this back to me.

Please don't flame me, this is just concern about risk and another point of view.  I am sure the husband and children she left behind would give the same warning.

So sorry about your friend.  I get the same sad feelings when I see so many cruisers laying out in the sun and turning bright red, or darkened. It brings back memories of my friend's husband and his 3 year awful struggle with skin cancer before he died and left a wife and 2 children.  Your friend was an adult and felt the risk was worth taking. Whether you talked up your cruise or not it was ultimately her decision.  Not to digress into politics but just saying we need to remember that while most of us are much safer now, there are others for whom the risk is unfortunately still great.

[zitsky]

4 hours ago, SHIP TRAVELER said:

This is written from sad place but I just lost a friend who struggled with a constant cough as a result of compromised lungs.  She decide life was passing her by and booked a cruise because she was triple jabbed.  She was dead of Covid four or five weeks after the cruise, three plus of those weeks were in the hospital.  She was told she would never be able to breath on her own again because her lungs were so destroyed by Covid.

She was in my Water Workout class and often had coughing episodes when working out.   Of course after the fact, all of her friends wondered why anyone with compromised lungs would go on a cruise at the present time.  I felt guilty because I remember telling her what a great time we had on a November cruise.  This topic of "I have something wrong with my lungs that makes me cough" brought all of this back to me.

Please don't flame me, this is just concern about risk and another point of view.  I am sure the husband and children she left behind would give the same warning.

 

I'm sorry about your friend.  I sometimes wonder what I would do if I knew I had a terminal illness?  Would I travel?  I think I would even if that would shorten my life.  Maybe your friend got a lot of satisfaction from that cruise?

 

[Covepointcruiser]

Don’t know why someone would want to lie about a cough on the health form.   If it’s an allergy or something that is not contagious, fill out the form truthfully and have a quick free meeting with the medical staff.    They will confirm your cough is not contagious and you will be on your way.

[zitsky]

54 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Don’t know why someone would want to lie about a cough on the health form.   If it’s an allergy or something that is not contagious, fill out the form truthfully and have a quick free meeting with the medical staff.    They will confirm your cough is not contagious and you will be on your way.

Have you read this thread?  I admire honesty but according to posters, it’s not exactly a “quick” visit.

 

I’m sympathetic because I’m dying from allergies right now.

Edited March 8, 2022 by zitsky

[RichYak]

1 hour ago, Covepointcruiser said:

fill out the form truthfully and have a quick free meeting with the medical staff.    They will confirm your cough is not contagious and you will be on your way.

I admire your confidence in the process.

[TeeRick]

17 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Don’t know why someone would want to lie about a cough on the health form.   If it’s an allergy or something that is not contagious, fill out the form truthfully and have a quick free meeting with the medical staff.    They will confirm your cough is not contagious and you will be on your way.

Here is my opinion and it is OK if you disagree.  Not an easy answer.  Common seasonal allergies are very frequent in the population.  Many of us have them and take OTC meds for them.  We know our symptoms after years of having them at certain times of the year.  If having  these well known symptoms and at the same time testing negative for the 2-day COVID pre-cruise test, how is that being dishonest in any way?  A COVID cough and symptoms are very different.  If everybody with seasonal allergies and a negative COVID test went for the medical staff consult, it would probably create a chaotic situation at the terminal.  But everybody should do whatever is best for them of course.