CDC set to drop testing negative to reenter USA today

[Cruiseenthusiast101]

My son tested positive during his current cruise on Wonder this week. By traveling you take the risk of covid, but it’s nice to know at least for the time being that the testing has gone away. Hope everyone has a safe and happy summer 🙂

[A&L_Ont]

2 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

Correct, for the fully vaccinated. 

Just to clarify, only fully vaccinated can enter without a negative result.  Unvaccinated still need a negative result and a quarantine plan as of today. You might already be implying this, but I just want to clarify for any unvaccinated reading here. 
 

A screenshot for the requirements as of today for a flight from the US to Canada. 
 

 

Within hours after I posted the above, it appears as though testing for fully vaccinated will be stopped, as well as random testing for fully vaccinated.  There is supposedly still testing for unvaccinated, to be offsite. No word on what happens to vaccinated cruisers coming into Canada as this moment. 

From the news story…

“The federal government is expected to announce today it will soon end the mandatory randomized arrival testing for incoming travellers at Canada's airports, CBC News has learned.

 

As a result, starting as soon as Saturday, June 11, only unvaccinated travellers will be required to take a test upon entry into Canada, said a source with knowledge of the policy who was not authorized to speak publicly.”

 

Link to the story

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/feds-travel-random-arrival-testing-1.6484759

Edited June 10, 2022 by A&L_Ont

[Husky1987]

3 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

Oh good! I'm going to Italy and France at the end of summer and now I don't have to figure out how to get tested out there before I come home. 
 

I'm double vaxxed and boosted, haven't gotten covid this entire time, but am always worried when I go outside the country that I'll get stuck. 
 

My last trip to Aruba was so stressful with all the testing requirements. 
 

Yay to an easy Europe trip 🎉🍾

 

Wonderful!  We happen to be doing the same thing, leaving next Friday for Italy and France for my daughter's graduation present from dental school.  We are double vaxxed and boosted as well (and I caught a very mild case in February).  Having to test to get back home and the possibility of one of us having to stay back was putting a damper on my enthusiasm. 

 

I had to chuckle when an Outlook reminder popped up this morning about a half hour after the news hit to buy upgraded travel delay insurance to cover up to $500/day in case of quarantine.

[Joseph2017China]

4 hours ago, Tree_skier said:

See #58 😉 

I was just in Canada, no you don't need a covid test

[Mum2Mercury]

5 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Whats your solution? Testing for Covid forever? 

 

How 'bout testing until we as a society reach herd immunity?  

[cured]

2 hours ago, karena1 said:

About time, now stop the requirement to get testing before a cruise and life will be good.

 

Not sure how they can do that when some of their ports still require a negative test to enter. RCI is not just dealing with the US, they are dealing with numerous countries, all with their own rules and regulations.

[Mum2Mercury]

4 hours ago, crzndeb said:

Covid is nothing more, for most vaxxed people, than a cold, just like it’s sister Coronavirus, the common cold. 

I'm vaxxed and boosted, and -- yes -- when schools went mask-optional and I caught Covid, it was like a cold.  Didn't last all that long and wasn't a horrible-horrible cold.  I credit the vaxx for getting through it quickly and easily.   

 

BUT I did have lingering symptoms that went on for weeks, and that was worse than a typical cold.  

[Mum2Mercury]

4 hours ago, UNCFanatik said:

 

Testing 2 days before boarding is theater. If there is to be testing, it should be a part of the boarding process. Otherwise, its just a 2 day snapshot of time. Not to mention those that provide fraudulent Covid testing documentation because the employees at the terminals are just doing a precursory glance at the test to make sure they just see negative.

 

Vaccines and boosters do not stop the spread of Covid. And isnt the phrase "improving immunity" an oxymoron? Either one has immunity or not. There is no improving or decreasing immunity. 

 

Covid is NEVER going away on cruise ships or life in general. Indefinite testing by the cruise lines is not good for their bottom line

Isn't testing at the terminal just a different moment in time?  Viruses don't show up immediately -- nothing we can do about that. 

 

Yeah, vaxx and boosters make it more difficult to catch Covid.  Not impossible, but more difficult.  I'll take what I can get. 

 

No, you can have a very strong immune system or a rather weak one.  You might be able to fight off one virus but succumb to another.  Immune systems are not an either-or thing.  

Edited June 10, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[doppelganger2621]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Well said. When I worked Restaurants, Colds, Sinus Infection, Bronchitis, we all had to show up to work. Miss a day we were let go. At Will Workers. Not really that long ago know these same places could only miss a day work if got a Dr Note which most these Min Wage workers could not get

Thanks for proving my point—people who work in restaurants should NOT have to show up to work with communicable diseases. But unfortunately we’ve created a system and culture where people are expected to show up sick thereby infecting coworkers and patrons just to protect their livelihoods.

 

my hope post-COVID was normalizing that we should be giving sick workers sick days to stay home. And you have sick days and you are sick, please stay home.

Edited June 10, 2022 by doppelganger2621

[crzndeb]

19 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

I'm vaxxed and boosted, and -- yes -- when schools went mask-optional and I caught Covid, it was like a cold.  Didn't last all that long and wasn't a horrible-horrible cold.  I credit the vaxx for getting through it quickly and easily.   

 

BUT I did have lingering symptoms that went on for weeks, and that was worse than a typical cold.  

I know what you mean. I got it about a year ago after being vaxxed, and lost my taste for 6 weeks. To bad it wasn’t my appetite. 

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Well said. When I worked Restaurants, Colds, Sinus Infection, Bronchitis, we all had to show up to work. Miss a day we were let go. At Will Workers. Not really that long ago know these same places could only miss a day work if got a Dr Note which most these Min Wage workers could not get

Here's what teachers say about coming to school sick.  I personally have given final exams with pneumonia.  I went to school after staying in the Emergency Room with my husband all night.  It genuinely is easier just to go to school.  

[BND]

1 minute ago, crzndeb said:

I know what you mean. I got it about a year ago after being vaxxed, and lost my taste for 6 weeks. To bad it wasn’t my appetite. 

I always thought that too about my appetite, until 4 years ago when I got sick.  I had been having gall bladder attacks without intense pain for several years, so no idea.  But, then, it decided that wasn't enough and it gave me lack of appetite, nausea, tachycardia, and exhaustion, inability to really digest food, etc.  Worst feeling ever is to sit down to a meal and not want to eat it because not only don't you feel hungry but after a couple of bites, you can't because you just can't.  Although I lost 24 or so lbs in 4 months, I have gained it all back, but never want that feeling again.   Gall bladder came out and appetite came right back.

 

My sister caught Covid a few weeks ago and although her case was mild, she lost her sense of taste.  She still doesn't have it back so she gets hungry but can't taste her food.  My DS and DDIL and my BIL also all had it about the same time and none of the three of them lost their taste.

[not-enough-cruising]

51 minutes ago, Mum2Mercury said:

How 'bout testing until we as a society reach herd immunity?  

And who decides when that is? Not happening. 

[J0Y0US]

8 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Is this like the "you'll always have to wear a mask" prediction?

 

Who said that?

 

I have said since April 2020 that the only fool proof method for slowing down transmission is testing. I don't really see that going away until COVID is squarely a seasonal disease and not seen as really an issue to any ones health.

 

I think most people were just saying expect to have makes for a long time. It was the safest bet for the anti-maskers instead of continually moving cruises. As an example Princess I think it is just brought masks back again for certain cruises.

[J0Y0US]

Would make it a tad easier if they eliminated testing requirements on cruise returns from Alaska trips. Right now just the kids have to test on the last cruise day before getting to Seattle.

Edited June 10, 2022 by J0Y0US

[Biker19]

34 minutes ago, J0Y0US said:

Who said that?

 

@ace2542 did. 

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I know what you mean. I got it about a year ago after being vaxxed, and lost my taste for 6 weeks. To bad it wasn’t my appetite. 

Weird how the virus affects people differently. 

 

I never lost taste or smell, but -- even after I tested negative -- I seemed to alternate between days of coughing and headaches.  I had 2-3 weeks of bad-enough-to-impact-my-life symptoms, then another 5-6 weeks of every-now-and-then light symptoms.  It wasn't fun; I don't accept that this is just life now, and we're all going to get it occasionally.  

 

In contrast, my SIL -- who is rabidly anti-vaxx -- has passed 18 months of "wrong taste"; that is, she hasn't lost taste, but things she used to enjoy taste bad to her.  

[Mum2Mercury]

3 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

And who decides when that is? Not happening. 

It's happened with other diseases:  Measles and smallpox, for example.  That is, diseases that people used to fear -- but today you and I don't think about twice.  

Edited June 11, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[not-enough-cruising]

1 hour ago, Mum2Mercury said:

It's happened with other diseases:  Measles and smallpox, for example.  That is, diseases that people used to fear -- but today you and I don't think about twice.  

For multiple reasons, both political and biological, this will never happen with this disease. 

[rudeney]

4 hours ago, J0Y0US said:

I have said since April 2020 that the only fool proof method for slowing down transmission is testing.

 

Let's see how well that is working on cruise ships.  Every...single...person...who boards a cruise ship tests negative, yet we still have reports of "rampant COVID" onboard.  

[hal2008]

13 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

Even with everyone testing negative pre-boarding now, lots of people are still catching Covid onboard.  Just imagine being on a cruise with no testing, with Covid zombies walking through the ship infecting everyone. Sounds like a fun vacation.

 

Why are you trying to make common sense point on THIS thread to THIS crowd?

[hal2008]

1 hour ago, rudeney said:

 

Let's see how well that is working on cruise ships.  Every...single...person...who boards a cruise ship tests negative, yet we still have reports of "rampant COVID" onboard.  

 

There is no denying that number of people catching covid NOW on cruise ships is significantly higher than it was during the last Fall even when ships had similar occupancy. (most were not full but some did sail with current levels in Europe)

 

On the other social media group Roll Calls are sharing datapoints with symptoms showing up towards the end of the week long cruise or after going home. Overall symptoms as well as long lasting effects are different than "common cold".

 

One of course can make their own risk/reward decisions  but taking trouble here to post that "covid is like common cold" is like saying that Wonder of Sea is just like small boat.

 

 

Edited June 11, 2022 by hal2008

[smokeybandit]

15 hours ago, TheHawk1 said:

Even with everyone testing negative pre-boarding now, lots of people are still catching Covid onboard.  Just imagine being on a cruise with no testing, with Covid zombies walking through the ship infecting everyone. Sounds like a fun vacation.

It'd be no different than any cruise pre covid

[Billy Baltic]

It’s going to become increasingly difficult to get certified tests here. They were commonly offered by pharmacies but it was largely due to needing them for travel into the US. 

[not-enough-cruising]

9 hours ago, rudeney said:

 

Let's see how well that is working on cruise ships.  Every...single...person...who boards a cruise ship tests negative, yet we still have reports of "rampant COVID" onboard.  

"rampant" may be a stretch