Covid positive- now what?

[WRLeGrand]

I would assume everyone would be more than ok three weeks out! That is really a lot of time by today's "Covid standards"...

Glad to hear everyone is mild and recovering.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Just go. Why are we still talking about this?

 

[meremac]

I'm confused. They aren't still doing COVID testing for cruises...if it's been three weeks and you're symptom free so you decide to sail, why does it matter that you might still test positive for COVID?

 

[DCLMP]

Just go. Why are we still talking about this?

I didn't even know people still took tests for this.

 

[Mango7100]

I didn't even know people still took tests for this.

 

[Mango7100]

I didn't even know people still took tests for this.

I do if I’m sick. Sounds like others on this board do as well

 

[meremac]

I just want to clarify: I'm not saying OP should go if they're still feeling sick., and I'm not questioning why they took a test in the first place. But if it's been three weeks and they're symptom free, I genuinely don't understand what the problem is. When negative COVID tests were required, I could see the potential for an issue as it's possible to test positive for a long time after recovery (which is why they allowed 90-day recovery exemptions). But since COVID testing is gone, I guess I just don't understand the issue here.

 

[WRLeGrand]

Before this totally devolves:

You do not need a negative test to go on the cruise. If you are fever and symptom free, which you almost certainly will be, why would you not go?

Thankfully, this happened three weeks before so you can go and enjoy your trip....

 

[GoingSince1990]

I'm confused. They aren't still doing COVID testing for cruises...if it's been three weeks and you're symptom free so you decide to sail, why does it matter that you might still test positive for COVID?

Agreed. If you’re feeling fine and no test is required, why bother to take a test?

 

[bigAWL]

I just want to clarify: I'm not saying OP should go if they're still feeling sick., and I'm not questioning why they took a test in the first place. But if it's been three weeks and they're symptom free, I genuinely don't understand what the problem is. When negative COVID tests were required, I could see the potential for an issue as it's possible to test positive for a long time after recovery (which is why they allowed 90-day recovery exemptions). But since COVID testing is gone, I guess I just don't understand the issue here.

The OP stated concern is over what the health screening questions are. If they have to say they are "covid-symptom-free," but they still have loss of smell or taste (OP's example), are they somehow going to be denied boarding?

I don't think any of this is going to be an issue, but that line of thinking seems to be the reason for the thread.

Does anyone know what exactly is being asked for health screen these days? That might help put the OP's mind at ease.

 

[otten]

The OP stated concern is over what the health screening questions are. If they have to say they are "covid-symptom-free," but they still have loss of smell or taste (OP's example), are they somehow going to be denied boarding?

I don't think any of this is going to be an issue, but that line of thinking seems to be the reason for the thread.

Does anyone know what exactly is being asked for health screen these days? That might help put the OP's mind at ease.

It was posted further up thread. Seems like they’re pretty much back to the pre Covid questionnaire. Nothing about loss of taste. Just basically confirm no one is sick.

If it helps OP there are also no screening questions for entering Canada anymore

 

[bigAWL]

It was posted further up thread. Seems like they’re pretty much back to the pre Covid questionnaire. Nothing about loss of taste. Just basically confirm no one is sick.

If it helps OP there are also no screening questions for entering Canada anymore

Ah, thanks. I missed the post with a link to specific examples of health questions. But if you read the link, clearly they may ask about taste and smell...

What kinds of questions will I be asked?
The questions you’ll be asked may vary slightly depending on your embarkation point and what’s happening in the world at the time of your sailing. In spring 2023, there were only three questions for guests sailing out of Port Canaveral:

• Will anyone in your travel party be pregnant 24 weeks or more at any point during your sailing?
• Within the last 3 days, have you or any occupant of your stateroom developed symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea?
• Have you or anyone in your immediate travel party (occupying one stateroom) tested positive for COVID within the past 10 days or are you currently having symptoms to include: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, headache or loss of taste or smell?

 

[RedHead0186]

Ah, thanks. I missed the post with a link to specific examples of health questions. But if you read the link, clearly they may ask about taste and smell...

What kinds of questions will I be asked?
The questions you’ll be asked may vary slightly depending on your embarkation point and what’s happening in the world at the time of your sailing. In spring 2023, there were only three questions for guests sailing out of Port Canaveral:

• Will anyone in your travel party be pregnant 24 weeks or more at any point during your sailing?
• Within the last 3 days, have you or any occupant of your stateroom developed symptoms of vomiting or diarrhea?
• Have you or anyone in your immediate travel party (occupying one stateroom) tested positive for COVID within the past 10 days or are you currently having symptoms to include: Fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, muscle aches, headache or loss of taste or smell?

While it's not explicitly stated as such, this list is meant to denote new onset of symptoms (within the past ten days). Someone who's had a lingering cough for two weeks (totally possible with COVID) or ongoing loss of taste/smell would be fine. Again, I know it's not written that way so it's confusing, but when these questions are asked it's meant to be recent, new symptoms.

 

[bigAWL]

While it's not explicitly stated as such, this list is meant to denote new onset of symptoms (within the past ten days). Someone who's had a lingering cough for two weeks (totally possible with COVID) or ongoing loss of taste/smell would be fine. Again, I know it's not written that way so it's confusing, but when these questions are asked it's meant to be recent, new symptoms.

I get what you mean. And like I said, I don't think they will have a problem. But in response to those who didn't understand why this is even being discussed, I wanted to point out that given the current health questionnaire, I think these are reasonable questions for the OP to ask.

 

[meremac]

The OP stated concern is over what the health screening questions are. If they have to say they are "covid-symptom-free," but they still have loss of smell or taste (OP's example), are they somehow going to be denied boarding?

I don't think any of this is going to be an issue, but that line of thinking seems to be the reason for the thread.

Does anyone know what exactly is being asked for health screen these days? That might help put the OP's mind at ease.

Ah...gotcha. Thanks.

 

[meremac]

While it's not explicitly stated as such, this list is meant to denote new onset of symptoms (within the past ten days). Someone who's had a lingering cough for two weeks (totally possible with COVID) or ongoing loss of taste/smell would be fine. Again, I know it's not written that way so it's confusing, but when these questions are asked it's meant to be recent, new symptoms.

100%. The spirit of the questions is to determine if someone is currently showing NEW symptoms of COVID or if someone came down with a new case in the last 10 days. This isn't for someone who had it weeks before, knows they had it, is recovered and fever-free, but still happens to have lingering KNOWN long-term symptoms (like loss of taste/smell, which can go on for months or in some cases even be permanent). I know that travel can be stressful and I understand wanting to plan for every possibility, but they really do mean NEW symptoms. OP could just answer "no".

 

[Habitatnal]

You could interpret the health questionnaire as asking about current symptoms. It would be hard to know how to answer with a lingering cough but you tested positive weeks ago. I could see them denying you boarding because you were coughing. I just hope they change the question to the way it was before the pandemic. Do you have a fever AND cough, sore throat etc?

 

[Bibbidi_Boo]

Just go. Why are we still talking about this?

This is what I am wondering about, I have pretty much forgot about covid till seeing this post, haven't heard of people talking about it or testing or anything.

 

[Seamama]

Not to stray too much into covid on here boards…That’s actually not true. You can be positive on PCR for weeks to sometimes even months after having a covid infection because PCR is specifically looking for viral genetic material which will be detectable for well after your contagious period is over. It does not correlate with contagiousness after recovering from covid, That is why it is specifically not recommended to retest with PCR and to use antigen tests to determine when you are allowed to end isolation and go mask free. That is part of the reason why if you tested positive for covid within 90 days before sailing when testing was going on you were exempt from resubmitting a PCR test—it may still be positive. It is true that PCR is more sensitive than at home antigen tests when initially diagnosing the infection.

OP—at 3 weeks out you should be fine to go unless someone takes Paxlovid and gets a rebound infection once they finish their course of meds.

Thank you for this explanation. My worry is that a cough or sniffle from one of us might concern staff and we'd be referred to the ship's dr who would ask us to test and we'd show up positive due to the current infection. I imagine for the greater safety of others, they'd make us isolate for the rest of the trip...?

 

[Seamama]

View attachment 778867View attachment 778868
This gives you a reference to which you can point. Since many thought they were overly cautious, I would respond that this is the same source.

Thanks. We are following these recommendations and even being somewhat more strict than is required. Mild cases and improving daily!