Could a CDC change to pre-cruise testing requirements be coming soon?

[Crazy planning mom]

I think P & O is smart how they are doing it for a trial.  They will see how it affects those sailings and then can make a more informed decision.

[Ronin23]

5 hours ago, Peteymil said:

I think your answers are very appropriate. I am a supporter of testing that Celebrity does, but if everyone had your mindset I would be comfortable sailing without a testing requirement.
 The people I worry about are the ones that know they have Covid, don't feel great, and say, what the heck, I paid for this cruise so I'm going anyways and I'm sure I'll feel better once I get on the ship.

But even pre COVID, people would still answer the health questionnaire fraudulently when it asked if you felt unwell due to having the flu, gastro etc. This is nothing new.

 

People have lost sight of the fact that for a large percentage of the population, COVID is nothing worse than a bad head cold or the flu at worst.

[upwarduk]

7 hours ago, cangelmd said:

What ports are you visiting? Could the ports affect the decision?

I have read that these 7 day cruises on Iona are visiting Norway.

[Ken the cruiser]

Just finished watching this YouTube video by La Lido Loca where among other cruise stories, which were quite informative, he first discussed in a little more detail the issue regarding CDC reevaluating the pre-cruise testing requirement.

 

 

[Denny01]

Excellent info @Ken the cruiser. Appreciate that. And I know I’ve been one of the ‘COVID an’t a cold’ posters, but the idea of maybe reducing pre-testing to those not fully vaccinated (no booster) would work since it appears we are facing a milder COVID form now. 

 

As I posted earlier, I’m at home isolated and its more of a cold. But the thing sure is all over the place! I have more people I know with it. 

 

Good that an actual medical group is handling this. We all have ‘ideas’ of what should/shouldn’t be done. The YouTube was right, cruising is more ‘residential’ and much higher contact than even an airplane. 

 

we’ll see. By the way, I’m just thanking Ken, Not getting into a back and forth on what I just posted. 

 

Den

[WhiteSoxFan]

15 hours ago, Ronin23 said:

But even pre COVID, people would still answer the health questionnaire fraudulently when it asked if you felt unwell due to having the flu, gastro etc. This is nothing new.

 

People have lost sight of the fact that for a large percentage of the population, COVID is nothing worse than a bad head cold or the flu at worst.

This is true, however, the flu has an R0 of 1-2 while BA.2 has a R0>10.  The chances of being infected by someone boarding with the flu are considerably less than Covid.

[cangelmd]

I haven’t stated this, because the science isn’t quite mature yet, but I would hope that WHEN routine testing is dropped, they can replace it with requiring people to be Up to Date on vaccination or be tested. I don’t think the CDC is quite settled on what Up to Date will be, and I also think they are a little guy shy about making statements that they know might well change in the future as the virus changes.

 

In other worded require boosters within a certain amount of time - when boosters have “expired “ is what’s unknown.

Edited June 22, 2022 by cangelmd

[Sam.Seattle]

As others previously noted...

Following the CDC guidance is voluntary. 

 

[TeeRick]

18 minutes ago, cangelmd said:

I haven’t stated this, because the science isn’t quite mature yet, but I would hope that WHEN routine testing is dropped, they can replace it with requiring people to be Up to Date on vaccination or be tested. I don’t think the CDC is quite settled on what Up to Date will be, and I also think they are a little guy shy about making statements that they know might well change in the future as the virus changes.

 

In other worded require boosters within a certain amount of time - when boosters have “expired “ is what’s unknown.

Very good clinical data just released by Moderna on their new booster vaccine - which is a combination of the original virus and the Omicron version.  Hopefully released in a few months.  Maybe being Up To Date with this booster will be enough eventually to eliminate pre-cruise testing.  We shall see.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/b9109f23-896a-48eb-8de5-1694ac7b57ba

[Pushkin]

1 hour ago, WhiteSoxFan said:

This is true, however, the flu has an R0 of 1-2 while BA.2 has a R0>10.  The chances of being infected by someone boarding with the flu are considerably less than Covid.

So, are you saying that every person who gets Covid infects 10. or more people?

[canderson]

19 minutes ago, Pushkin said:

So, are you saying that every person who gets Covid infects 10. or more people?

That's what the hieroglyphics mean, yes.  It spreads much more readily.

[Ken the cruiser]

26 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

Very good clinical data just released by Moderna on their new booster vaccine - which is a combination of the original virus and the Omicron version.  Hopefully released in a few months.  Maybe being Up To Date with this booster will be enough eventually to eliminate pre-cruise testing.  We shall see.

 

https://www.ft.com/content/b9109f23-896a-48eb-8de5-1694ac7b57ba

Thanks Rick! Hopefully, being over 65, we’ll be able to take it in the Fall as our next booster before our 38 day NCL cruise, even though up to now we’ve only taken Pfizer shots. 
 

Unfortunately, FT wants me to subscribe to read the article. Here’s a similar one from NPR. 
 

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/08/1103659340/moderna-vaccine-booster-omicron

[TeeRick]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks Rick! Hopefully, being over 65, we’ll be able to take it in the Fall as our next booster before our 38 day NCL cruise, even though up to now we’ve only taken Pfizer shots. 
 

Unfortunately, FT wants me to subscribe to read the article. Here’s a similar one from NPR. 
 

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/08/1103659340/moderna-vaccine-booster-omicron

This might be the start of an annual booster vaccine strategy - matching what is circulating (or expected) for the COVID virus.  Like they do with influenza vaccines.  

[Ipeeinthepools]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Thanks Rick! Hopefully, being over 65, we’ll be able to take it in the Fall as our next booster before our 38 day NCL cruise, even though up to now we’ve only taken Pfizer shots. 
 

Unfortunately, FT wants me to subscribe to read the article. Here’s a similar one from NPR. 
 

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/08/1103659340/moderna-vaccine-booster-omicron

 

So what am I going to use as verification that my vaccinations are up to date since vaccine card is completely booked with my current vaccinations and boosters?  Do you think we will get new cards?

[Arizona Wildcat]

8 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

So what am I going to use as verification that my vaccinations are up to date since vaccine card is completely booked with my current vaccinations and boosters?  Do you think we will get new cards?

They simply stapled a second card behind the original.

Pushkin - the published studies both in the UK and Australia show "on average" those infected with flu infect 1-2 others.  Covid over 10.

I am guessing the higher transmission of Covid is due to being contagious well before being symptomatic (if you have symptoms at all).  Also flu has been around for many years and we have at least some immunity.

[Mark_T]

12 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

So what am I going to use as verification that my vaccinations are up to date since vaccine card is completely booked with my current vaccinations and boosters?  Do you think we will get new cards?

The UK is already onto a 2nd card and our PDF versions run to multiple pages so the cruise lines are used to not having everything on one card/page.

 

Whatever they give you next is not likely to be a problem as it is not like there is a consistent international standard now, so an extra card, or a replacement card with everything on shouldn't be a concern.

[TeeRick]

4 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

So what am I going to use as verification that my vaccinations are up to date since vaccine card is completely booked with my current vaccinations and boosters?  Do you think we will get new cards?

When we got our second booster dose, we had the same issue and they just gave us a second card.

[Ken the cruiser]

FWIW CDC just added an alternative today, June 22, to quarantining an up-to-date vaccinated passenger, most likely for those that were traced, but tested negative. Notice the difference between those that have been "fully vaccinated" versus those that are "up-to-date" on their vaccines. 

 

Onboard COVID-19 Testing for Symptomatic Travelers (Crew and Passengers) and Testing and Quarantine of Close Contacts

 

	Travelers Who Are Not Up to Date on their COVID-19 Vaccinations	Travelers Who Are Up to Date on their COVID-19 Vaccinations
Testing of Travelers with Signs and Symptoms of COVID-19	NAAT	Viral (NAAT or antigen) Negative antigen test must be confirmed with NAAT
Testing and Quarantine of Asymptomatic Close Contacts without Documentation of Recovery in Past 90 Days	Testing: Viral (NAAT or antigen, NAAT preferred) immediately and on day 10 before ending quarantine   Quarantine: until at least 10 days after their last exposure (the day of last close contact is counted as day 0). *Alternatively, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may opt to quarantine these travelers until 5 days after their last exposure followed by 5 days of daily viral testing. **See guidance above for masking and dining requirements	Testing: Viral (NAAT or antigen, NAAT preferred) immediately and on day 5 before ending quarantine   Quarantine: until at least 5 days after their last exposure (the day of last close contact is counted as day 0) *Alternatively, cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may opt to test these travelers with a viral test daily until 5 days after their last exposure in lieu of a 5-day quarantine. **See guidance above for masking and dining requirements
Testing and Quarantine of Asymptomatic Close Contacts with Documentation of Recovery in Past 90 Days	Testing: Not Applicable Quarantine: Not Applicable

Technical Instructions for Mitigation of COVID-19 Among Cruise Ship Crew | Quarantine | CDC

 

Edited June 22, 2022 by Ken the cruiser

[Mark_T]

55 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

FWIW CDC just added an alternative today, June 22, to quarantining an up-to-date vaccinated passenger, most likely for those that were traced, but tested negative. Notice the difference between those that have been "fully vaccinated" versus those that are "up-to-date" on their vaccines.

A sensible move from the looks of things.

[Ronin23]

10 hours ago, WhiteSoxFan said:

This is true, however, the flu has an R0 of 1-2 while BA.2 has a R0>10.  The chances of being infected by someone boarding with the flu are considerably less than Covid.

The fact it spreads more easily doesn’t make it more dangerous. The majority of people will be fully vaccinated anyway, that was the point in order to further reduce serious illness.

[p18750]

8 hours ago, canderson said:

That's what the hieroglyphics mean, yes.  It spreads much more readily.

Well rho naut means the number of infections you can expect from a single person in a population where no one has previously been infected or vaccinated. While it is a good measure of the difference in variants to spread it is of little value today when large numbers have either had Covid or been vaccinated or both. 

[p18750]

6 minutes ago, p18750 said:

Well rho naut means the number of infections you can expect from a single person in a population where no one has previously been infected or vaccinated. While it is a good measure of the difference in variants to spread it is of little value today when large numbers have either had Covid or been vaccinated or both. 

For example the mumps has a p0 of 10 and measles 16 and while at one time there were massive outbreaks of measles and mumps that rarely if ever occurs today because nearly everyone has had the MMR vaccine. 

[canderson]

57 minutes ago, p18750 said:

For example the mumps has a p0 of 10 and measles 16 and while at one time there were massive outbreaks of measles and mumps that rarely if ever occurs today because nearly everyone has had the MMR vaccine. 

The difference, relevant to both of your last two posts, is that COVID, particularly omicron, can be 'caught' and spread by people who have already been vaccinated and/or previously contracted it, all while being asymptomatic.   That's what makes this bug particularly annoying.

[zitsky]

I just had a strange conversation with friends who were convinced that Celebrity dropped the pre cruise testing.  Obviously they were wrong.

[Arizona Wildcat]

1 hour ago, zitsky said:

I just had a strange conversation with friends who were convinced that Celebrity dropped the pre cruise testing.  Obviously they were wrong.

Easy to understand as the banner at the top of the website says no testing to fly to the US.  Many people will never read beyond the testing not required part.