Covid test needed?

[Denversail]

3 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

So you know if you have picked up covid and can stay in your cabin to both look after yourself and to avoid passing it on to others.

Covid isn’t much different now than other viruses you would pick up. Are you saying that if you felt ill and tested negative for Covid you would venture about? I wouldn’t want you sharing those other viruses with me either. That is my point. 

[Jean C]

12 minutes ago, Denversail said:

Covid isn’t much different now than other viruses you would pick up. Are you saying that if you felt ill and tested negative for Covid you would venture about? I wouldn’t want you sharing those other viruses with me either. That is my point. 

Hopefully people are a bit more socially responsible than that and ALL of us do the decent thing and isolate if we feel unwell or, at the very least, wear a mask to protect others who happen to be in near proximity to us 😇

[LittleFish1976]

11 minutes ago, Denversail said:

Covid isn’t much different now than other viruses you would pick up. Are you saying that if you felt ill and tested negative for Covid you would venture about? I wouldn’t want you sharing those other viruses with me either. That is my point. 

That is not what I was saying at all and does not logically follow from what I said. I often feel ill. I test myself when I feel ill, or have any symptoms or when I have been in a situation that exposes me to lots of people some of whom may be unwell. When I travel on a ship, I test myself regularly so I am aware as soon as I become ill.

 

Anyway, it is the case that I have far fewer germs than most people as I wear an N95 mask all times unless I am eating or drinking and then I choose where I do that to be away from busy areas.

 

Covid is a serious illness for many people. Please consider others' health.

[Denversail]

2 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

That is not what I was saying at all and does not logically follow from what I said. I often feel ill. I test myself when I feel ill, or have any symptoms or when I have been in a situation that exposes me to lots of people some of whom may be unwell. When I travel on a ship, I test myself regularly so I am aware as soon as I become ill.

 

Anyway, it is the case that I have far fewer germs than most people as I wear an N95 mask all times unless I am eating or drinking and then I choose where I do that to be away from busy areas.

 

Covid is a serious illness for many people. Please consider others' health.

Many illnesses are serious for some people and not others. My question was related to the purpose of testing while on a ship. I didn’t say I would prance around unwell. 

[MicCanberra]

Only Santa's sleigh should have a Prancer.

[arxcards]

The presumption is that if you don't feel unwell enough to test, you can't have covid. The presumption is that what you have can't be too bad, then it must be OK for anyone else to have it too.

 

The rules have changed. Even if I test positive for covid, I am supposed to come to work with it unless I am unwell enough to stay home in bed with it. That is what our guidelines on land say, and they are no different at sea. Stay home (in cabin) if you are unwell. If there is a moral dilemma between not isolating if you have tested positive but feel OK, that is all about discretion. There is no requirement to test, even if unwell. For every person who tests & isolates out of honour, there will be another xx number that will be in circulation around the ship. 

 

It was easier with mandates - it was clear cut. Now it is look after yourself, and hope that enough of your fellow passengers don't believe that sharing is caring. Not my opinion of how it should be, but the way it currently is - if you can't afford to catch covid, you can't afford to be cruising.

Edited December 5, 2023 by arxcards

[patch nine]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

The presumption is that if you don't feel unwell enough to test, you can't have covid. The presumption is that what you have can't be too bad, then it must be OK for anyone else to have it too.

 

The rules have changed. Even if I test positive for covid, I am supposed to come to work with it unless I am unwell enough to stay home in bed with it. That is what our guidelines on land say, and they are no different at sea. Stay home (in cabin) if you are unwell. If there is a moral dilemma between not isolating if you have tested positive but feel OK, that is all about discretion. There is no requirement to test, even if unwell. For every person who tests & isolates out of honour, there will be another xx number that will be in circulation around the ship. 

 

It was easier with mandates - it was clear cut. Now it is look after yourself, and hope that enough of your fellow passengers don't believe that sharing is caring. Not my opinion of how it should be, but the way it currently is - if you can't afford to catch covid, you can't afford to be cruising.

Yes I felt quite well on the ship and didn't consider testing until the very last night when I started to feel a bit sniffly (but by then our cases had gone with our test kits in them).  When I got home I tested more out of curiosity and was quite surprised to get a positive result.  Since then I have isolated but the symptoms have increased so wouldn't have wanted to go out anyway.  But I was likely positive during my last couple of days on the ship and didn't know it - just like @Jean C and no doubt countless others.    My husband has had it too and it has been just like a bad cold (a bit worse than we expected due to being fully vaccinated), but luckily we are both starting to feel better today.    

[Kristelle]

17 hours ago, Denversail said:

Many illnesses are serious for some people and not others. My question was related to the purpose of testing while on a ship. I didn’t say I would prance around unwell. 

 

 

of course - but as far as I know there isnt a way of testing oneself for whooping cough, influenza, RSV or other serious possible causes of cold/flu symptoms - I'm sure people would do a multi valent self test if one were available

 

Also people who fit the criteria for anti virals could have some ready to take in case of Covid - no point taking them without knowing whether one has the illness such are treating

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

of course - but as far as I know there isnt a way of testing oneself for whooping cough, influenza, RSV or other serious possible causes of cold/flu symptoms - I'm sure people would do a multi valent self test if one were available

 

Also people who fit the criteria for anti virals could have some ready to take in case of Covid - no point taking them without knowing whether one has the illness such are treating

As far as I am aware, you cannot get an "in case" script for covid anti-virals in Australia. You need to test positive to be eligible for PBS supply. There was mention a month or so back that these are around $750 per course on Princess (no PBS), but may be covered by your travel insurance.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility

[Denversail]

3 minutes ago, arxcards said:

As far as I am aware, you cannot get an "in case" script for covid anti-virals in Australia. You need to test positive to be eligible for PBS supply. There was mention a month or so back that these are around $750 per course on Princess (no PBS), but may be covered by your travel insurance.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility

I’m assuming and please correct me if I’m wrong that the medical center would also require you to take their test before prescribing.

[arxcards]

4 minutes ago, Denversail said:

I’m assuming and please correct me if I’m wrong that the medical center would also require you to take their test before prescribing.

A fair assumption. I would expect that you need to be consulting with a doctor who would determine your medical background before prescribing. The eligibility from the ship may differ from Australian eligibility at the link, but either would require medical advice. 

[Kristelle]

Ok. I'm not sure either whether it is possible to have Covid anti viral prescribed in advance for just in case  required on overseas travel. Obviously only if you meet criteria for such.

I do not so I haven't really looked into that.

It was possible to do that for Tamiflu ( influenza anti viral) but Covid may be different. 

 

I don't see why you should have to do the ships testing to qualify to get them prescribed on board though - as on land a positive RATS will do, Drs certainly prescribe on those results, you don't have to get it confirmed with lab PCR.

[Ondine]

3 hours ago, arxcards said:

As far as I am aware, you cannot get an "in case" script for covid anti-virals in Australia. You need to test positive to be eligible for PBS supply. There was mention a month or so back that these are around $750 per course on Princess (no PBS), but may be covered by your travel insurance.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility

 

Went to my doctor for a regular check up last week and mentioned I was going on a cruise next week and she gave me a box of anti-virals to take with me.  Think she was breaking the law but obviously doctors get supplies to have in their surgeries.  She knows I hate taking medications of any kind and having vaccines (yes I have had 5 covid needles and caught covid 3 times on cruises since they restarted in Aus) but wanted me to be prepared.  I know she has knocked back other travellers who have asked for prescriptions and tablets but told me I am special!!!!!  We get along well.

[arxcards]

2 hours ago, Kristelle said:

I don't see why you should have to do the ships testing to qualify to get them prescribed on board though - as on land a positive RATS will do, Drs certainly prescribe on those results, you don't have to get it confirmed with lab PCR.

That would be up to the ship and could be different from one to the other. I think they are likely to accept your rat but may want to do their own rat if you are going to be a stat on their file. The other reason would be that some ships are still crediting your days in ISO as FCC's, and they may want to validate their generosity.

 

Whichever way, by the time you have clocked up $1000 for your consult & anti virals, an extra $40 for them doing a test is going to be negligible.

[NSWP]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:33 PM, Denversail said:

Covid isn’t much different now than other viruses you would pick up. Are you saying that if you felt ill and tested negative for Covid you would venture about? I wouldn’t want you sharing those other viruses with me either. That is my point. 

Older people are still dying from covid. Many contract it on the ships, gets many mentions on here.

[Bubbeh]

On 12/5/2023 at 8:54 AM, MicCanberra said:

If you have covid or the flu or even have a cold, you should be isolating so you don't pass your sickness on to others, it shouldn't  matter if you feel bad enough or not

Absolutely!  If the recent few years have taught us anything, it's how easily viruses will spread.  I sort of want to say some other stuff but I don't want to be hurtful or offensive so I'll just shut my gob now.  

[Bubbeh]

57 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Older people are still dying from covid. Many contract it on the ships, gets many mentions on here.

Not by the people who have died though.  Or is CC a media that crosses the great divide?

[LittleFish1976]

54 minutes ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

of course - but as far as I know there isnt a way of testing oneself for whooping cough, influenza, RSV or other serious possible causes of cold/flu symptoms - I'm sure people would do a multi valent self test if one were available

 

Also people who fit the criteria for anti virals could have some ready to take in case of Covid - no point taking them without knowing whether one has the illness such are treating

 

8 hours ago, Kristelle said:

Ok. I'm not sure either whether it is possible to have Covid anti viral prescribed in advance for just in case  required on overseas travel. Obviously only if you meet criteria for such.

I do not so I haven't really looked into that.

It was possible to do that for Tamiflu ( influenza anti viral) but Covid may be different. 

 

I don't see why you should have to do the ships testing to qualify to get them prescribed on board though - as on land a positive RATS will do, Drs certainly prescribe on those results, you don't have to get it confirmed with lab PCR.

They have been allowed to prescribe it on a private script for over a year. It just means you have to be prepared to fork out the full non-PBS cost for it.

 

[LittleFish1976]

10 hours ago, arxcards said:

As far as I am aware, you cannot get an "in case" script for covid anti-virals in Australia. You need to test positive to be eligible for PBS supply. There was mention a month or so back that these are around $750 per course on Princess (no PBS), but may be covered by your travel insurance.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility

You can get them on a private script and pay the full amount without a positive test.

Edited December 6, 2023 by LittleFish1976

[LittleFish1976]

13 hours ago, Kristelle said:

 

 

of course - but as far as I know there isnt a way of testing oneself for whooping cough, influenza, RSV or other serious possible causes of cold/flu symptoms - I'm sure people would do a multi valent self test if one were available

 

Also people who fit the criteria for anti virals could have some ready to take in case of Covid - no point taking them without knowing whether one has the illness such are treating

I've just bought some covid and influenza A & B tests - all in one - to take on a very remote trip in a few weeks.

[beatleman]

11 hours ago, arxcards said:

As far as I am aware, you cannot get an "in case" script for covid anti-virals in Australia. You need to test positive to be eligible for PBS supply. There was mention a month or so back that these are around $750 per course on Princess (no PBS), but may be covered by your travel insurance.

https://www.health.gov.au/health-alerts/covid-19/treatments/eligibility

Tried to obtain Anti-Viral prescription from my doctor, told me only available when I test positive.

[Kristelle]

2 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

I've just bought some covid and influenza A & B tests - all in one - to take on a very remote trip in a few weeks.

 

That's good. They would be better to take than Covid only tests, if price is reasonable. 

[bazzaw]

I would suggest that anybody who still suffers from the Covid Paranoia virus should not even consider going on a cruise - or to their local shopping centre. Stay at home! 

[2022cruisey]

That’s harsh.  Covid is endemic now and it is very reasonable to take precautions.  

[lyndarra]

10 hours ago, beatleman said:

Tried to obtain Anti-Viral prescription from my doctor, told me only available when I test positive.

My GP also.