Covid antiviral availability on HAL

[Sailnsurf]

We have an upcoming Med cruise in September on the Oosterdam. Can anyone tell me whether HAL Medical Centres have Covid antivirals available and if so what is involved in obtaining them and at what cost?

[CruiserBruce]

A little search of this board would be beneficial. You will find several rather heated discussions on the topic.

[Shmoo here]

37 minutes ago, Sailnsurf said:

We have an upcoming Med cruise in September on the Oosterdam. Can anyone tell me whether HAL Medical Centres have Covid antivirals available and if so what is involved in obtaining them and at what cost?

I would be surprised if there were any onboard for dispensing.  

[FOPMan]

I would come prepared if I expected I might have a need.

[HAL4NOW]

My DW got Paxlovid from the ship’s medical staff last October. The cost was $750 and it was covered by our insurance.

[Sailnsurf]

Thanks HAL4NOW. I hope others with more recent experience will also respond to give me the confidence I need.I tried to find the previous discussions to which Cruiser Bruce referred without success. But what you have said is very helpful. Australian doctors will only prescribe antivirals if you actually have Covid. 

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, FOPMan said:

I would come prepared if I expected I might have a need.

Many doctors (in the US) will not give you paxlovid unless you have tested positive for covid. It’s not authorized otherwise. 

[coldinerie]

I do agree with Paxlovid only being dispensed when needed, but our doc understood we would be in Europe and not knowing what would be available to us, gave us a script.  I still have it and take with us any time we leave the US. Ask your doc and explain the situation. Its a piece of mind that you can care for yourself should you get covid outside of the US.

[jakkojakko]

27 minutes ago, coldinerie said:

I do agree with Paxlovid only being dispensed when needed, but our doc understood we would be in Europe and not knowing what would be available to us, gave us a script.  I still have it and take with us any time we leave the US. Ask your doc and explain the situation. Its a piece of mind that you can care for yourself should you get covid outside of the US.

 

Paxlovid is approved and available in Europe. 

[Native Floridian 26]

DH was covid positive on our Transatlantic 2 weeks ago. We asked about Paxlovid and they highly discouraged it. Their supplies are not high, the cost is $750 and they said they needed to do a blood work up also. They did not suggest it since his symptoms were not bad and he has no other issues. His flu like symptoms only lasted 4 days, so it wasn't a big deal.

Edited May 1, 2023 by Native Floridian 26

[HAL4NOW]

8 hours ago, Sailnsurf said:

Thanks HAL4NOW. I hope others with more recent experience will also respond to give me the confidence I need.I tried to find the previous discussions to which Cruiser Bruce referred without success. But what you have said is very helpful. Australian doctors will only prescribe antivirals if you actually have Covid. 

We both had tested positive.

[YourWorldWithBill]

When my brother, who is 87, got Covid recently, his doctor (who's wife is a doctor with the infectious disease dept.) did not want him to take Paxlovid. Fortunately, things went well using other medications.

[Turtles06]

9 hours ago, coldinerie said:

I do agree with Paxlovid only being dispensed when needed, but our doc understood we would be in Europe and not knowing what would be available to us, gave us a script.  I still have it and take with us any time we leave the US. Ask your doc and explain the situation. Its a piece of mind that you can care for yourself should you get covid outside of the US.

 

And many of us have done just that and been turned down by our drs.  The reason, apart from the fact that the script requires a positive covid test, is also that Paxlovid interacts with many other meds and is contraindicated in certain situations.  

[OHCruiser]

Last summer we took a back to back--14 days total-- up the east coast.  I convinced our MD to fill Pax scripts for us as a precaution.  We understood that if we needed to take it, we had to not take certain other meds and we were comfortable with that. 

 

I'm eternally grateful we had it with us. 6 days before the cruise ended DH came up positive.  I converted the next day.  We both did very well with the med.  I was negative on day 4.  DH took much longer to go negative, but felt fine at disembarkation.

 

We now travel with it, hoping not to need it again.  When the emergency authorization ends on May 11, it will be interesting to see how Rx options for it change.  Hopefully the option to purchase it for travel will be available to everyone.

[Big Dawg CC]

On our South America/Antarctica cruise on the Oosterdam in January, the ship had Paxlovid for the initial cases, but, according to a shipmate who contracted COVID later in the cruise, the ship ran out.

[Iamthesea]

My husbands doctor gave him a prescription, but asked that I ask my own doctor of one.  I decided against it.  Not sure I would use it.  Let's hope that I made the correct decision!   We will leave a week from today for Amsterdam, Germany, Norway, and Belgium.  Should one or both of us get sick, we have 4 test kits, one RX for Paxlovid for DH, antibiotics for others needs, and plenty of over the counter meds.

[liketraveling]

I was on the Zuiderdam last November.  My 93 year old father and I got Covid.  The gave it to my father.  They would not give it to me because of a medication I take that I can not do without.  The cost then was $950.00.

 

I took Tylenol and musinex that I brought with me.  The doctor told me that they would watch for pneumonia.  
 

Both of us had a mild cases and tested negative after five days.

[coldinerie]

BTW, if you get it in the US its free!!  950.00 on a ship is criminal.

 

[CruiserBruce]

48 minutes ago, coldinerie said:

BTW, if you get it in the US its free!!  950.00 on a ship is criminal.

 

Not after May 11.

[Iamthesea]

What happens after May 11th?  Does the price go up in the US, or the price go down on the ship? 😁

[CruiserBruce]

53 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

What happens after May 11th?  Does the price go up in the US, or the price go down on the ship? 😁

The Covid emergency ends, Paxlovid will not be free in the US. It will cost you, or your insurance will pay for it. Currently, in the US, Paxlovid is subsidized by the US government. Not sure why people think the US government should be subsidizing it on cruise ships.

[Se4deb]

Just remember that on the 11th of May the Covid epidemic is over according to President Biden.  My point being that things are going to be changing after that date including no more free meds or tests or quarantines.  So if you are really worried, I would contact your medical professional and see if you can obtain a small amount of the drug you want as a prophylactic or just in case.  

[Iamthesea]

Biden may think that the epidemic is over, but some people are still getting very sick with it.  Just this past week, we had a local lawyer catch Covid and he had to be hospitalized.  Ended up losing a foot  and a few toes off his other side.

[Guest ldtr]

On 5/1/2023 at 1:35 PM, Native Floridian 26 said:

DH was covid positive on our Transatlantic 2 weeks ago. We asked about Paxlovid and they highly discouraged it. Their supplies are not high, the cost is $750 and they said they needed to do a blood work up also. They did not suggest it since his symptoms were not bad and he has no other issues. His flu like symptoms only lasted 4 days, so it wasn't a big deal.

the blood work that is needed to verify that  they do not have a condition for which Paxlovid is contraindicated can run as much or more than the drug itself.

 

Might not be necessary if you have a copy of recent medical records.

Edited May 2, 2023 by ldtr

[Guest ldtr]

4 hours ago, Se4deb said:

Just remember that on the 11th of May the Covid epidemic is over according to President Biden.  My point being that things are going to be changing after that date including no more free meds or tests or quarantines.  So if you are really worried, I would contact your medical professional and see if you can obtain a small amount of the drug you want as a prophylactic or just in case.  

The state of emergency is considered to be over and with it the authorization for actions taken under that state of emergency. it now falls back to the normal health care system. Prices unlikely to go down, probably up since the government was purchasing under a negotiated contract. Will now depend upon insurance formulates and if they will approve use. Considering it is not approved as a preventive. Highly likely that many insurance policies will not cover a just in case script.