Interesting - rapid saliva test for Coronavirus

[anricat]

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/...8pSNWbmXG3RYl2XZjUCKfEWlGNgkVGjqPgql9LmMfgnjw
I was reading this article yesterday and while it doesn't specifically mention cruises, the rapid 15 minute saliva test seems like something that could potentially put us all back on cruise ships sooner than later. If private companies - like DCL and other cruise lines, could purchase these types of tests and administer them at port arrival check in, it could potentially mean being onboard a ship without worry of an outbreak. (Assume that the tests are accurate, which is a whole other portion to the article.)

Now, of course, you have crew that would need to be tested regularly and there is the possibility of catching the virus in a port of call (so potentially for longer cruises, guest could potentially be retested halfway through a voyage) but I would have to imagine that the heads of companies that are completely shut down (like the cruise industry) have to be thinking of something like this.

Personally, I think that the only real way out of this (vaccine aside, which is probably still a long way away, people may be leery of for one reason or another, may or may not be effective and for how long and is also a totally different discussion that we've, ahem, had around here a lot of late).

 

[nicstress]

It will definitely help but you can also be infected and test negative for over a week. So there will be those that were recently infected or even exposed on the flight to the cruise that are infected but it will never show up on the test. They will probably start having symptoms by the time the cruise is over or as soon as they get home depending on the length of the cruise. Then they were infecting people the whole time. It will definitely help and I am for it but it is not a slam dunk to keeping COVID off of ships. But asking people to test before they leave home (like within 72 hours) is also pointless and the countries that require this are really not doing anything to prevent COVID. Making people quarantine then test is the best defense right now.

 

[FightingIrishman]

The problem for a family with testing prior to boarding the ship is what happens when one family member tests positive. After potentially flying into the port for your cruise, you basically have your entire vacation cancelled. What if it is a false positive? And what do you get in return, future cruise credit? Just future cruise credit for the one individual that tests positive?

I really feel bad for the whole tourism industry, as the longer this drags on the more serious and irriversible the consequences will be for small businesses and their families.

 

[Snowwhyt]

The problem for a family with testing prior to boarding the ship is what happens when one family member tests positive. After potentially flying into the port for your cruise, you basically have your entire vacation cancelled. What if it is a false positive? And what do you get in return, future cruise credit? Just future cruise credit for the one individual that tests positive?

I really feel bad for the whole tourism industry, as the longer this drags on the more serious and irriversible the consequences will be for small businesses and their families.

Pretty sure that would be a “do you have insurance” issues

 

[o&smom]

Pretty sure that would be a “do you have insurance” issues

Travel insurance has exclusions for pandemics.

 

[Southern Pirate]

If you have a cruise line conducting medical tests, does that make them responsible for your health care? What if the test they use gives a false reading? As someone in the health care industry, a test is only part of a diagnosis, it should only be used to confirm the condition.

 

[T & R]

It will definitely help but you can also be infected and test negative for over a week. So there will be those that were recently infected or even exposed on the flight to the cruise that are infected but it will never show up on the test. They will probably start having symptoms by the time the cruise is over or as soon as they get home depending on the length of the cruise. Then they were infecting people the whole time. It will definitely help and I am for it but it is not a slam dunk to keeping COVID off of ships. But asking people to test before they leave home (like within 72 hours) is also pointless and the countries that require this are really not doing anything to prevent COVID. Making people quarantine then test is the best defense right now.

If the viral load is so low that you test negative, are you even contagious? Also, the article mentions the test is only a few bucks a pop. So when paying thousands for a cruise, why not write in an extra $10 or $20 bucks on the cruise price and repeatedly test throughout the cruise, including when boarding from one of the port stops? Anyone who tests positive can be isolated in one of the many unused cabins that they will have. Easy peasy. Safer than being on land where we're approaching 100,000 positive cases per day.

Keep in mind the Diamond Princess had people board with symptomatic Covid who had came from Guandong Province China (actually had a cough when boarding) and they cruised around for 2 full weeks with active spreading Covid guests and no pandemic protocols in place. The passengers were not aware of any Covid outbreak and not notified until day 14 of the cruise. Even with 2 full weeks onboard of active spreading symptomatic Covid positive passengers, more than 4 out of 5 of the staff and passengers never caught Covid. Less than 20% caught Covid and this was one of the most heavily tested control groups in the history of this pandemic.

With this rapid test, safety protocols, masks, med screens prior to boarding and pandemic protocols to isolate suspected positive passengers/crew, it would be just as safe (or even safer) on a cruise ship than it is at your local Walmart. The myth of 3,000 Covid positive passengers pulling up to port is just a myth and scare tactic. The Diamond Princess has shown us that this simply doesn't happen, even with no protocols in place. If this rapid saliva test is shown to be credible, then it could potentially be a game changer and make it time to release the cruise ships and help the CDC focus on the true Covid spreading business, the land based ones. Enough with the false distraction of the scary cruise ships.

 

[Southern Pirate]

The cost of most of the test is only around the $20 mark but it gets marked up because doctor’s are require to interpret the results (whether they do it or pass it on to someone else, they still get paid). Also the technician obtaining the sample has to be paid and so forth.

 

[DisneYE]

Travel insurance has exclusions for pandemics.

yep.
Was considering a trip to Mexico & enquired about insurance.
ANY country with a pandemic travel advisory is not covered.

 

[happiestgrl]

The problem for a family with testing prior to boarding the ship is what happens when one family member tests positive. After potentially flying into the port for your cruise, you basically have your entire vacation cancelled. What if it is a false positive? And what do you get in return, future cruise credit? Just future cruise credit for the one individual that tests positive?

I really feel bad for the whole tourism industry, as the longer this drags on the more serious and irriversible the consequences will be for small businesses and their families.

When this started and DCL was taking temps at PC, anything above 100.4 was FCC for all in the cabin.
I feel bad for the tourism industry as well. I work at an airline and 38% of my group was laid off a month ago. There isn’t much more cost cutting to be done. In 22 years, this is the worst Ive experienced so I can only imagine how crew members are struggling.

 

[JM23457]

Travel insurance has exclusions for pandemics.

Many insurers cover Covid as an illness, if you have it. A positive Covid test would lead to a doctor's order not to travel, which would cover that.

What most insurers do not cover 100% is not wanting to travel due to a pandemic.

Travel for any reason coverage will allow you to cancel for any reason at all & be reimbursed (typically 75%). That is the best insurance coverage to get now.

 

[mmouse37]

I do believe more rapid test results is crucial all around, not just for cruising. I recently had a horrible case of poison ivy all over my torso. After a week of OTC creams I finally couldn't take it anymore and went to a quick med clinic. They examined me and said they thought it was indeed poison ivy but they wanted to give me a Covid test as sometimes Covid presents as a rash. I was put on prednisone for the poison ivy but It took a full two weeks to get the Covid results (negative)...how does that help anyone? 14 days for results is just stupid. Luckily I had family members to go shopping for me during the 2 weeks. I was never told to self isolate until I got results back but I did on my own. A few weeks later I had to have abdominal surgery so I had to go in for another Covid test 3 days before the surgery and those results came back in 48 hours. Crazy the disparity in result time.

I would take a rapid test every day onboard if it was introduced for cruising to get back underway.

MJ

 

[Lilac36]

If you have a cruise line conducting medical tests, does that make them responsible for your health care? What if the test they use gives a false reading? As someone in the health care industry, a test is only part of a diagnosis, it should only be used to confirm the condition.

There is no sort of treatment protocol for COVID right now, except if you display severe symptoms, like shortness of breath or severe fever so DCL or any institution wouldn't be responsible for your care. you just have to self-quarantine until you either test negative 3x or 2 weeks after the symptoms resolve.

In the event of a false positive, DCL could just roll your payment over to a future cruise which is frustrating and annoying for those who get false positive. But at the same time, its better for the company because some cruises must be better than none and for guests because we might actually get vacations sometime soon. There's also the option of re-testing with another test like the rapid result nasal swab.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Travel insurance has exclusions for pandemics.

Several insurance companies have limited coverage offered to aid in that area. Google Covid Travel Insurance to find companies list their options. I’m guessing it will cost more but there’s a huge market of people whom will need to work and pay for coverage. Sure previously it was not covered in a pandemic but this will be reclassified eventually.
Your car company won’t cover your collision damage if you enter the family car in a demolition derby for prize money for you either. But you will still find insurance to cover your medical needs. Not everyone sells flood insurance, but if you look it’s out there. Insurance is such a weird duck.

 

[anricat]

The cost of most of the test is only around the $20 mark but it gets marked up because doctor’s are require to interpret the results (whether they do it or pass it on to someone else, they still get paid). Also the technician obtaining the sample has to be paid and so forth.

Not for the new test they talk about in the article that I posted. This test is apparently as easy as a home pregnancy test (but with less peeing). Blue line = positive. Done. Nobody needs to interpret anything.

 

[JM23457]

Travel insurance has exclusions for pandemics.

Cancel for any reason coverage will sidestep the pandemic issue, with most carriers.