K.T.B.

I'm saying "no", but only for the date.  If you had, instead, used September instead of July, I would've said yes.  The US needs to get the vast majority of the population vaccinated and that won't happen by July.  By September, most likely, as long as people realize that it's safe.  And it IS safe.

I got my first dose of Pfizer today!  About 90 minutes ago actually.  I'm halfway ready to cruise!

9 minutes ago, nocl said:

Read the section of the order that provides the justification.  That should give you an idea. This is defined is depth on pages 7 through 16.

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/CDC-Conditional-Sail-Order_10_30_2020-p.pdf

Here's the thing, that PDF is as of October 30, 2020.  A LOT has changed since then.  People are getting vaccinated and cruise lines are requiring passengers and crew members to be vaccinated if they're going to be on board.  That justification is wholly out of date now.

I'll be curious to see how these cruises go for Celebrity in the next few months.

3 hours ago, Lazz said:

I have to ask that if you have had the shots, why would it matter?  After all, you are protected, correct?  Please understand that this question is asked not to start an argument, but to understand the logic.  If the shots protect you from the virus, it should not matter whether someone else wears a mask.  Those who are not taking the shots do not seem to be worried about catching the virus.  Why should those who have taken the shots be worried?  Am I wrong somewhere? 

 

'Cause.... this:

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

But what about those who have not yet been injected? If you have CV19 but are asymptomatic,  and don't wear a mask, you will potentially be infecting all those around you that are not yet protected.

And this:

38 minutes ago, nocl said:

Because even with the vaccine you still do not want either the vaccinated or unvaccinated exposed to someone that is infected.  

 

According to the Israeli data (the best we have on actual performance in a vaccinated population) mortality is greatly reduced (by 98%) but not eliminated.  Even then that is against the original and the UK  strains.  Performance is expected to be worse for the partially vaccine resistant South African strain, B.1.351

 

Also because every infection is an opportunity for mutation. An infection in a vaccinated individual is an opportunity for mutation with vaccine resistant characteristics. And if that individual is not wearing a mask it becomes more likely to spread than if a mask is worn.

 

At this level of disease incidence vaccine is the last line of defense, once the incidence rate is much lower that the other methods can be reduced and vaccine can move up to the first line of defense.

 

Get the incidence rate down such that there is little to no risk of encountering an infected individual, then masks can go away.

 

If on board ship everyone is vaccinated (both passengers and crew), if they are all tested prior to boarding. then in that environment they might consider not wearing masks because the risk is low, but that changes if there is a port stop depending upon the incidence of disease at that stop.

Anyway, back to the question at hand:  Hell yes I'd wear a mask.  It's about being responsible. 

19 minutes ago, CruisingGoddess said:

Anyway... who is booking one of the St. Maarten Celebrity cruises tomorrow?? I'm planning too! Can't wait to get back to cruising!! 🙌

Not me.  Way too chancy in having unvaccinated people on board, IMO.  I can wait.

25 minutes ago, voljeep said:

why should I ??? if i should happen to catch the 'rona - it will be a very mild case

 

YOU wear a mask if you haven't been vaccinated - or choose not to - that's on you , not me

So you're ok with potentially infecting others who haven't been vaccinated yet.

Got it.

I seriously cannot believe this is still an issue a YEAR into a worldwide pandemic.

Wear a damn mask.  Yes, even after you've been vaccinated.  It's been proven to be highly successful in preventing the spread of a the virus.  I hate wearing them, too, but I like NOT getting sick from this insidious virus.  

7 hours ago, Crazy planning mom said:

Yes, will the US donate or sell to other countries?

They plan on giving it not selling it.  LINK

That link was posted above, but this stood out in the article (emphasis mine):

Psaki said that officials are working to finalize plans to give Mexico 2.5 million doses and give Canada 1.5 million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has not yet been approved in the United States. She said that the U.S. has 7 million “releasable” doses of AstraZeneca vaccine in total and suggested the administration could share extras with other countries in the future.

22 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Only if you will be my marketing manager!

You couldn't afford me.

1 hour ago, dog said:

Miami Beach is in the news tonight. Mask less party goers, crowds in South Florida on Spring Break. Curfews set, causeways being closed. So it continues as if there is no pandemic, for some. 

This is why some animals eat their young....

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

As someone else pointed out how was I wrong?

 

I would not go to Dr. Fauci if I had macular degeneration. Actually, I would also not go to Senator Rand if I had macular degeneration.🤣

1 hour ago, LGW59 said:

AGREE, no vax, no cruise, no matter your age!

This needs to be an advertising campaign!

No vax, no cruise, no matter your age!

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

Sure, a cruise ship is the same size as a classroom....

Saying it's ok in classrooms, so it'll be fine on a ship is not exactly accurate.

42 minutes ago, Sam.Seattle said:

Just a few random comments after skimming 7+ pages....

 

* Good job Celebrity for finding a way to operate your business, restore jobs and provide cruises.

* What's the big deal about Kids sailing? Un-vaccinated teachers are allowed to teach in closed rooms       with kids right now.  And, now CDC says 3-feet separation is all that needs to be followed.

* Bummer for the Floridian's  that watching their jobs move to St. Maarten.

* So glad to see we are beginning to have choices.... Sail or stay home.  It is you choice.

 

Cheers!

🍹

Teachers in classrooms with 20-30 kids and able to maintain the distancing vs being on a ship with 2 to 3 thousand people pushing forward in an effort to first off the ship at a port.  

Yep, noooooo problem there!

1 hour ago, paulh84 said:

 

They do know, you just focused on one line of an article and ignored the context. No offense, but this mentality is what is going to be incredibly hard for CDC and cruise lines to manage as the COVID situation changes, both good and bad. People need such a black and white, yes or no, never-changing set of policies that are impossible right now.

 

If you know your group is 100% vaccinated, fine, do these things:

- gather indoors with no masks

- gather with unvaccinated people as they are from one household as long as they are not high risk individuals

 

What you still need to take precautions if:

-you are in public (you have no idea who is vaccinated and who is not)

-gathering with unvaccinated people from multiple households 

-visiting a high risk person

-avoid medium/large gatherings (again...back to you having no idea who is vaccinated)

-avoid high risk activities 

 

It's the classic 'give them an inch, they will take a mile'. Use common sense, don't do high risk activities and don't expose high risk people while more data about transmission evolves. 

 

Someone gets it.  😷

2 hours ago, ontheweb said:

Dr. Fauci's field of expertise is communicable diseases. Senator Rand Paul is an ophthalmologist; his field is eye diseases.

1 hour ago, CI66774 said:

Wrong.

Not wrong.

Also you may not get hit by a car when driving, are you will to stop wearing a seat belt?

3 hours ago, deliver42 said:

I might get flamed for this, but I don't want anyone excluded from vaccines on a ship. If someone is too young, so be it. If they can't get it because of their state's vaccine rules, so be it again.

IMO, it's not worth taking the chance though.  I'm of the opinion that 100% of the people on board need to be vaccinated in order for cruising to be as safe as it can possibly be.

8 minutes ago, D C said:

Re-read your own quote. 

 

I'll help you out with a quote from your link:

Fully vaccinated people can gather indoors without physical distancing or wearing masks with:

• Other people who are fully vaccinated

In you're on a cruise ship with anyone under 18, they won't be fully vaccinated.  Period.

5 hours ago, CaroleSS said:

It was my understanding that once vaccinated, you could go maskless when around other vaccinated people.

 

According to the new guidance, people who are at least 2 weeks out from their last dose can:

• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing.
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe COVID-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing
• Avoid quarantine and testing following exposure to someone if they remain asymptomatic.

If you know for a fact that they're definitely vaccinated, sure.  But we'll never be 100% sure, especially on a ship with hundreds of strangers and despite Celebrity saying everyone should be vaccinated.

But from the CDC's website they add this caveat:  "Until more is known, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart from other people in other settings, like when they are in public or visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households."

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/faq.html

9 hours ago, D C said:

No. They're not. The CDC is stuck in the past in regards to the conditional sail order while everyone else is moving on with reality.

 

The CDC agrees that vaccinated people can be in close contact without masks or distancing.  Cruise companies are saying that vaccinations will be required.   Combine those two and it's as big of a no-brainer as you can get.    Yet the CDC is not part of any public discussion.

 

They're also months late to the discussions around vaccination passports or whatever you would like to call them.  Where they should have been ahead of the game (along with other governmental agencies) with an established method for proof & verification back in December, we're quickly headed to the point where all adults are able to be vaccinated yet the only proof anyone has is a reminder card.  

 

 

Wrong.

LINK 

Under the "Do I need to wear a mask..." section:  Until more is known, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart from other people in other settings, like when they are in public or visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households.

In all the cruises I've taken, as well as many times as I've done all-inclusive resorts, I've never once gotten sick.  Hand sanitizer is my friend.

3 hours ago, CaroleSS said:

I didn't see anything about masks. If the crew and all passengers are vaccinated, will masks be required onboard?

CDC still recommends wearing masks while in public spaces even after being vaccinated.

3 hours ago, D C said:

 

Hundreds of VACCINATED people?  Pretty much the opposite of high risk, but if you choose to wear a mask to further protect yourself when inoculated with a vaccine that's 90+% effective, you go right ahead.  

YES!  90%.  That's not 100%. Think about it.... 

But this is what the CDC says:  LINK

Until more is known, fully vaccinated people should continue to wear masks and stay 6 feet apart from other people in other settings, like when they are in public or visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households.

8 minutes ago, D C said:

Because of an outdated model with admitted flaws that lacks any support in real data, we should continue to wear masks when vaccinated? 

2 minutes ago, voljeep said:

we will

What voljeep said.

And, Daniel, in regards to the following:  "mask-wearing in high-risk settings".  Hundreds of people crowded around waiting to disembark would be one such setting.

14 hours ago, D C said:

 

Nothing different than cruising was pre-2020.

 

If vaccines actually are required to cruise, and the CDC says vaccinated people need not wear masks in the company of each other, then pray tell why masks would possibly be required anywhere on a ship. 

Because of this:  https://news.sky.com/story/vaccinations-alone-are-unlikely-to-contain-coronavirus-infections-in-the-uk-study-warns-12250239