Rapid COVID saliva test - important for cruising?

[TeeRick]

I am hoping that improved rapid testing will overall help everybody.  Cruising or no cruising.  My hope is that rapid accurate tests at port or on ships, although not by any means perfect, as many have pointed out here, will be a good tool for the cruise and travel industries.  Cruise lines will need iron-clad agreements with CDC or other country and port authorities to have any chance to resume operations.  These agreements will assume positive cases and even outbreaks on ships.  And detailed instructions for passengers and crew.  Everybody will very clearly try to avoid a floating COVID incubator without any hope of bringing the ship to port like last March.  Does it sound like fun? No.  Doable? Possibly.

[npcl]

34 minutes ago, TeeRick said:

I am hoping that improved rapid testing will overall help everybody.  Cruising or no cruising.  My hope is that rapid accurate tests at port or on ships, although not by any means perfect, as many have pointed out here, will be a good tool for the cruise and travel industries.  Cruise lines will need iron-clad agreements with CDC or other country and port authorities to have any chance to resume operations.  These agreements will assume positive cases and even outbreaks on ships.  And detailed instructions for passengers and crew.  Everybody will very clearly try to avoid a floating COVID incubator without any hope of bringing the ship to port like last March.  Does it sound like fun? No.  Doable? Possibly.

Do not see CDC agreeing to anything where an outbreak on board ship does not mean quarantine of some kind (self or monitored, at home or at quarantine facility)  Not unlike what Norway is doing. Also cannot see them letting passengers from a ship with an outbreak being able to use commercial transportation. 

 

In other words the risk for an outbreak will be the responsibility of the cruise line.  Now the gray area is with short cruises, how it is handled if a passenger develops COVID after returning home.  In that case what will the CDC require concerning the ship, especially if it is in the middle of another cruise.

 

I also wonder if the cruise line will repeatedly test the entire crew on some schedule.  I would think for safety reasons that they should.  The past behavior of the cruise lines with practice of not  going out of their way to identify problems (follow the letter of the law, not necessarily the intent) does not make me optimistic that they will, unless forced to.  Maybe I will be pleasantly surprised and they will do so.

Edited August 19, 2020 by npcl

[phoenix_dream]

On 8/17/2020 at 10:30 AM, hcat said:

I have the same thought about testing at the port  and during a cruise.

If  a pre cruise test at embarkation  is positive, you  then could be standing there with luggage, no transportation or place to stay during quarantine..

The cruise line will claim it is not  obligated, the Port Authority  and hotels/ hospitals won't want you and airlines will ban you.

 

At least at home you  have options..

This is certainly a concern.  I think about that when considering flying anywhere (which I have yet to brave).  It would help if these tests were readily available so you could take them before your journey in addition to before you board.  It also might encourage me to fly in just one day before rather than a few days like I usually do to avoid any potential exposure that could put a kink in my plans.  But that also does not solve the problem you mention.  I think if they start using these as a boarding requirement (which makes sense) they need to provide some time of quarantine area for people who test positive.  As you said, hotels won't want you, airlines will ban you, and the list goes on.  What do you do?  Where do you go?  For anyone living more than a few hours away this is a serious consideration.

[TeeRick]

Abbott Labs just got FDA approval for a very quick (15 min turnaround)  COVID test ($5) that can be used in large group settings (like cruises?).

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/26/abbott-wins-us-authorization-for-5-rapid-covid-19-antigen.html

[Life Buoy]

1 hour ago, TeeRick said:

Abbott Labs just got FDA approval for a very quick (15 min turnaround)  COVID test ($5) that can be used in large group settings (like cruises?).

 

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/08/26/abbott-wins-us-authorization-for-5-rapid-covid-19-antigen.html

I would feel safe to board if everyone tested negative and they would conduct the test on every passenger when you boarded after tours. The stock of all cruise-lines appear to receiving the news as a positive. 

[Ex-Airbalancer]

3 hours ago, Life Buoy said:

I would feel safe to board if everyone tested negative and they would conduct the test on every passenger when you boarded after tours. The stock of all cruise-lines appear to receiving the news as a positive. 

I doubt if there is any test that can tell you pick up Covid , until you have had it for a couple of days 

[Baron Barracuda]

US gov't just purchased 150 million of the new 15 minute Abbott tests for $750 million.  Encouraged that it doesn't need to go to a lab and is being described as simple enough for a school nurse to administer.

[Arizona Wildcat]

3 hours ago, Airbalancer said:

I doubt if there is any test that can tell you pick up Covid , until you have had it for a couple of days 

And that is the problem.

[TeeRick]

More like "that is a problem".  But it would still be a very big step forward recognizing some limitations.