Flu vaccine and cruising

[FigmentSpark]

Some years ago, I had a cruising friend that told me they make sure to get the flu shot and bring the verification note with them when they cruise. She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

Has anyone heard of that before? This is flu vaccine season, so now's the time to be thinking about it.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Some years ago, I had a cruising friend that told me they make sure to get the flu shot and bring the verification note with them when they cruise. She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

Has anyone heard of that before? This is flu vaccine season, so now's the time to be thinking about it.

That makes no sense. If there is an outbreak on the ship, you will get quarantined if you have certain symptoms. They won't care whether or not you had a flu shot. The flu vaccine only protects against the few strains which are predicted to be the most wide spread each year. There are many more strains which are not included in the shot. Even if you get the flu vaccine, it's not a 100% guarantee that you won't contract one of the strains included in the shot.

Plus, the outbreaks on ships that get the most attention are not influenza (a respiratory illness), but instead caused by the norovirus, which is not the flu but a gastrointestinal virus. There is currently no vaccine against the norovirus. And again, if you have symptoms of noro, you will get quarantined and no record of a flu shot will make any difference.

It's still a good idea to get a flu shot. Just don't bother bringing a record of your flu shot on your cruise.

 

[o&smom]

The flu vaccine has different efficacy every year. It does not protect 100% of the time. People are only quarantined if they show symptoms and the Dr. believes they have something contagious. Even if you had a letter, you could still get quarantined.

 

[RoseSanti]

Flu shot or not, the medical staff is going to do what they have to in order to keep whatever sickness from spreading all over the ship. The flu shot doesn't protect against all strains of the flu or other viruses that can have flu like symptoms.

 

[Laundress]

You would get quarantined for your symptoms (sickness) to keep from spreading throught the ship.

 

[MUN]

Some years ago, I had a cruising friend that told me they make sure to get the flu shot and bring the verification note with them when they cruise. She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

Has anyone heard of that before? This is flu vaccine season, so now's the time to be thinking about it.

No, I haven't heard of that. Carry your flu shot proof with you if you like; however, I think it's not necessary.

 

[Dug720]

Some years ago, I had a cruising friend that told me they make sure to get the flu shot and bring the verification note with them when they cruise. She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

Has anyone heard of that before? This is flu vaccine season, so now's the time to be thinking about it.

The proof would do nothing.

Those who are symptomatic for ANY contagious illness - regardless of flu shot status - will be quarantined.

The flu shot is NOT a guarantee that you won't get the flu. They seem to miss the strain more often than they hit. And even when they hit you can still get the flu.

Again, if you are symptomatic for ANY contagious illness, you will be quarantined to you cabin.

Period.

They don't quarantine the healthy.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Now that I read all your comments, it makes sense. I was under the impression that it was the healthy that might be quarantined, if something was going through the ship, but of course, Noro and the flu are not the same thing.

Thanks all for your comments. We did get the flu shot (better prudent than sick, if you can eliminate a pathogen), but I won't worry about being able to prove it to someone.

 

[DisneyKeepsUsYoung]

Again, if you are symptomatic for ANY contagious illness, you will be quarantined to you cabin.

Really? I have never been anywhere that has multiple small children and not seen a kid with snot coming out their nose or coughing. EVERY time I take my kids anywhere there are sick kids there. You are saying all those kids are quarantined on DCL? I don't think most parents would be self quarantining them or paying to take them to the ship Dr for colds. They don't stop taking them to free public places when sick, let alone a cruise they just paid thousands to enjoy.

 

[bumbershoot]

Again, if you are symptomatic for ANY contagious illness, you will be quarantined to you cabin.

Well that's not true. They care about flu and noro and a bit about Ebola and that's it. Those are the only symptoms asked about, and they (Royal does at least) ask about where you've been to cover Ebola, on the health questionnaire as you board.

Normal colds are just fine. Tons of people have those. And they aren't quarantined. But if you're throwing up or if you're going flu-y then they'll care more.

She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

That makes zero sense.

Getting the shots doesn't mean you're protected against anything. Heck, they just quietly dumped flumist because of its atrocious efficacy rates that the companies lied about for years. Let's wait for the other brands to go the same route. (I'm so glad to se others understanding that getting a shot doesn't mean you're covered in this thread! Gives me hope for humanity. )

And even if by some chance it will work with you, it's only good for a couple strains. By NO means does getting the shot mean you're protected.

It's that sort of thinking that causes problems. Like people thinking the pertussis shot keeps babies from getting it. What is actually does is prevents the toxin that makes the cough from being produced, so the person with it *doesn't whoop*. So the ill person isn't giving the "I'm really sick" signal, and they go out in public and you let them snuggle your baby. But you can EASILY get pertussis without the cough (since, if your immune system happened to work with the shot and it worked on you, you're not producing the toxin that closes your airway enough to cause the whoop) and it appears as a *mild cold*. Many people don't even mention mild colds to people.

Thinking you're covered is how problems start! Best to know how things work!

 

[RedSox68]

I never get the flu shot -- and they have never asked for any verification that I did. Personally, it's none of their business.

 

[Dug720]

Really? I have never been anywhere that has multiple small children and not seen a kid with snot coming out their nose or coughing. EVERY time I take my kids anywhere there are sick kids there. You are saying all those kids are quarantined on DCL? I don't think most parents would be self quarantining them or paying to take them to the ship Dr for colds. They don't stop taking them to free public places when sick, let alone a cruise they just paid thousands to enjoy.

Well that's not true. They care about flu and noro and a bit about Ebola and that's it. Those are the only symptoms asked about, and they (Royal does at least) ask about where you've been to cover Ebola, on the health questionnaire as you board.

Normal colds are just fine. Tons of people have those. And they aren't quarantined. But if you're throwing up or if you're going flu-y then they'll care more.!

Thanks. I should have said "flu or Noro or the like".

But regardless it is not the well people who are quarantined.

 

[Shanti]

Some years ago, I had a cruising friend that told me they make sure to get the flu shot and bring the verification note with them when they cruise. She said that if there was a flu outbreak, that was her proof that she'd been vaccinated and she wouldn't be quarantined.

Has anyone heard of that before? This is flu vaccine season, so now's the time to be thinking about it.

What percent of people do you honestly think actually take flu shot vaccination paperwork on their cruises? Some small fraction of one percent, surely. That leaves 99%+ without the documentation.

So if a flu outbreak occurred onboard, it would be unthinkable for the crew to quarantine the 99%+ of guests who lacked that paperwork. Not gonna happen.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

Well that's not true. They care about flu and noro and a bit about Ebola and that's it. Those are the only symptoms asked about, and they (Royal does at least) ask about where you've been to cover Ebola, on the health questionnaire as you board.

Normal colds are just fine. Tons of people have those. And they aren't quarantined. But if you're throwing up or if you're going flu-y then they'll care more.



That makes zero sense.

Getting the shots doesn't mean you're protected against anything. Heck, they just quietly dumped flumist because of its atrocious efficacy rates that the companies lied about for years. Let's wait for the other brands to go the same route. (I'm so glad to se others understanding that getting a shot doesn't mean you're covered in this thread! Gives me hope for humanity. )

And even if by some chance it will work with you, it's only good for a couple strains. By NO means does getting the shot mean you're protected.

It's that sort of thinking that causes problems. Like people thinking the pertussis shot keeps babies from getting it. What is actually does is prevents the toxin that makes the cough from being produced, so the person with it *doesn't whoop*. So the ill person isn't giving the "I'm really sick" signal, and they go out in public and you let them snuggle your baby. But you can EASILY get pertussis without the cough (since, if your immune system happened to work with the shot and it worked on you, you're not producing the toxin that closes your airway enough to cause the whoop) and it appears as a *mild cold*. Many people don't even mention mild colds to people.

Thinking you're covered is how problems start! Best to know how things work!

So, thinking that your info on the pertussis vaccine didn't make sense, I reached out to a medical friend to ask. Here is the response:

"Pertussis vaccine has antigens for the toxin and two different parts of the bacteria that causes pertussis. So, if a vaccinated person gets exposed to pertussis they are protected from the toxin and their body is also ready to fight off the bacteria, so they don't come down with pertussis and don't give it to the cute little babies. "

 

[lanejudy]

Interesting that pertussis came up in this discussion. Just this past week a notice came from our local school district about pertussis. There have been recent reported cases of whooping cough in the area. We've been told that while having received the pertussis vaccination helps protect individuals from contracting the illness, that protection lessens over time and pertussis can infect fully immunized individuals of all ages. (Hence why the Tdap booster is recommended every 10 years.) Older children and adults may not exhibit the telltale "whoop" with the cough. Most people who are vaccinated will not contract the illness even if exposed, but some may.

My understanding of vaccinations in general is that NO vaccine available to-date can 100% guarantee an individual will never contract the illness. Most give varying degrees of protection, but never 100% guarantee. What has helped nearly eradicate some illnesses over time, particularly for diseases like polio, is the "herd immunity" of having the vast majority of individuals protected by vaccination. That said, most individuals with full up-to-date vaccination records will not contract those illnesses; but it is possible.

Back to immunizations and cruising... many countries do recommend (or require certain vaccinations) when traveling to that country. To my knowledge, DCL does not have any current itineraries that require additional vaccinations; anyone concerned should check travel recommendations for their destination and speak with your own medical provider. DCL does not require proof of any vaccination to board the ship. If the ship's medical staff feels any individual has signs or symptoms of highly contagious illness, particularly of concern in the ship's confined environment, DCL can and will quarantine any individual. No proof of vaccination would negate a quarantine order by the ship's doctor. Most commonly guests are quarantined for norovirus, but it could be anything the ship's doctor considers may impact the health and safety of other guests and staff onboard.

Wash hands frequently with soap and water, both prior to your cruise and while on the cruise. Practice good hygiene and when possible, avoid those with symptoms of illness. Enjoy your cruise!