Mandatory vaccination

[graphicguy]

It's like any other shot we've had in our life.  Does it sting?  Yeah, maybe a little.....no worse than a bee sting and usually not nearly as bad.  Will your arm hurt?  Mine did for a day or two, but really not a big (or little) deal.

 

Did some get some flu like symptoms for a little while after the shot(s)?  Yeah, some did....some didn't (I didn't). Again, not a really big deal, though.

 

At this stage, millions upon millions have received the COVID vaccine. I've not seen or heard of any sort of huge and far reaching ill-effects.  I have heard of some crazy conspiracy theories (which befuddles me in their origins) regarding the vaccine, but all....ALL....have been false and came from, at best, dubious sources.

 

My GP, my Cardio, every Dr I see, has whole heartedly recommended I get the COVID vaccine.  They're smarter than me (and probably everyone here, too).  So, I pay them to take care of my health.  I follow their recommendations.  They've yet to steer me wrong in the decades I've been their patient.

 

If you're not getting the COVID vaccine, regardless of the reason, you're going to be limited and restricted on what you can do, or where you can go on your vacation, at least for the foreseeable future.  If that's your choice, I have no issue with it.  But, there's no reason to be here if you choose not to cruise due to COVID vaccine requirements.

[BermudaBound2014]

4 hours ago, graphicguy said:

But, there's no reason to be here if you choose not to cruise due to COVID vaccine requirements.

 

Not all cruise lines are requiring a vaccination to cruise. I think there is a lot of speculation about a vaccination being required, but nothing has been formally put in place. MSC is one (of several) lines currently sailing that do not require a jab.

 

Do I think a vaccination will be required to sail from the USA? Yes, I've been saying that for a long time, but that doesn't make it finalized, To tell people there is no reason to be here if they choose not to cruise due to a vaccine requirement is premature (and some may consider it rude). The debate is far from over.

Edited March 31, 2021 by BermudaBound2014

[need2cruisesoon]

7 hours ago, graphicguy said:

At this stage, millions upon millions have received the COVID vaccine. I've not seen or heard of any sort of huge and far reaching ill-effects.  I have heard of some crazy conspiracy theories (which befuddles me in their origins) regarding the vaccine, but all....ALL....have been false and came from, at best, dubious sources.

 

 

Hmmm no side effects as the vaccine now as the vaccine population is still young.

 

But what happens years from now as people start to develop unexplained chronic illnesses,

I'm sure scientists and researchers will look back upon this time and wonder why people were so anxious to inject themselves with a vaccine that literally only took 6 months to get to market. Me i'm waiting on the sidelines until we know more.

 

The Spanish Flu petered out only after 2 years and w/o any vaccines.

Edited March 31, 2021 by need2cruisesoon

[hallux]

With the Florida Governor's pronouncement that he will not permit private companies to enforce a vaccine requirement I wonder how that would impact the cruise ports and a requirement to have a vaccine to board a ship in Florida.

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-governor-ron-desantis-will-ban-vaccine-passports-2021-3

[HowardK]

1 hour ago, need2cruisesoon said:

 

Hmmm no side effects as the vaccine now as the vaccine population is still young.

 

But what happens years from now as people start to develop unexplained chronic illnesses,

I'm sure scientists and researchers will look back upon this time and wonder why people were so anxious to inject themselves with a vaccine that literally only took 6 months to get to market. Me i'm waiting on the sidelines until we know more.

 

The Spanish Flu petered out only after 2 years and w/o any vaccines.

You do have a point but its one of those things where its a risk either way. 

[skywonder]

2 hours ago, need2cruisesoon said:

 

Hmmm no side effects as the vaccine now as the vaccine population is still young.

 

But what happens years from now as people start to develop unexplained chronic illnesses,

I'm sure scientists and researchers will look back upon this time and wonder why people were so anxious to inject themselves with a vaccine that literally only took 6 months to get to market. Me i'm waiting on the sidelines until we know more.

 

The Spanish Flu petered out only after 2 years and w/o any vaccines.

BRAVO well said! I think a lot of people are not seeing this as a possibility. I figure if you are at risk or feel you might be and you want the vaccine, hey have at it. The people who do not trust the vaccine have the right to NOT have it without being shamed and treated like the enemy of the people, after all those who choose NOT to have the vaccine might just be right. Only the future will tell.

[skywonder]

9 hours ago, graphicguy said:

If you're not getting the COVID vaccine, regardless of the reason, you're going to be limited and restricted on what you can do, or where you can go on your vacation, at least for the foreseeable future.  If that's your choice, I have no issue with it.  But, there's no reason to be here if you choose not to cruise due to COVID vaccine requirements.

Sorry but nobody put you in charge of this forum. people are going to share their opinion, that is what this forum is for.

Edited April 1, 2021 by skywonder

[tallnthensome]

37 minutes ago, skywonder said:

Only the future will tell.

Then by all means wait at home until the future when you are certain you want it. Until then, stick to land based vacations where you and your health don't ruin everyone else's vacation around you. 

[complawyer]

2 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Then by all means wait at home until the future when you are certain you want it. Until then, stick to land based vacations where you and your health don't ruin everyone else's vacation around you. 

i agree with tallnthensome. if you dont want  the vaccine, by all means dont get it, me my wife daughter and grandson gotthe shots as soon as they became available. 

 

personally, i think getting the vaccine is a no brainer, however "to each his own" and i hope you dont show up on a cruise i have booked

[DoctorFeelgood]

Doctor here.

I second complaywer.

I spent the past year helping to save people from COVID, and some of my colleagues died doing so.
Masks and vaccines are not an overreaction to a global pandemic that stretched ICUs in some places to the bursting point and killed 550k Americans.

If some cruise lines want to cater to COVID-deniers, anti-maskers, and anti-vaxxers? Let 'em.

I'll be sailing with a cruise line that caters to people who get vaccinated, wear masks and wash their hands after they use the restroom.

 

[StackSkipton]

4 hours ago, hallux said:

With the Florida Governor's pronouncement that he will not permit private companies to enforce a vaccine requirement I wonder how that would impact the cruise ports and a requirement to have a vaccine to board a ship in Florida.

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-governor-ron-desantis-will-ban-vaccine-passports-2021-3

 

Cruise Ships and ports are governed by not just state law but Federal law as well. In any case, you could board the ship and then they could quarantine you in your cabin for rest of the trip once they left Florida waters and Governor DeSantis would have zero say over it. In same way, an aircraft that took off from Florida heading to Europe would not be excluded from any vaccine passport restrictions at destination because it started in Florida.

 

My guess is this executive order will specifically exclude interstate travel. If Cruise Lines get little cranky about it, they could always convince the CDC to require vaccine to cruise, once it's a federal regulation, state/local governments have zero say.

[milolii]

55 minutes ago, DoctorFeelgood said:

Doctor here.

I second complaywer.

I spent the past year helping to save people from COVID, and some of my colleagues died doing so.
Masks and vaccines are not an overreaction to a global pandemic that stretched ICUs in some places to the bursting point and killed 550k Americans.

If some cruise lines want to cater to COVID-deniers, anti-maskers, and anti-vaxxers? Let 'em.

I'll be sailing with a cruise line that caters to people who get vaccinated, wear masks and wash their hands after they use the restroom.

 

Thank you for your sacrifices. Sorry to hear about your colleagues. 
 

We all owe it to dedicated professional people like yourself to wash our hands,  wear a mask, and get the vaccine.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[knight2096]

4 hours ago, tallnthensome said:

Then by all means wait at home until the future when you are certain you want it. Until then, stick to land based vacations where you and your health don't ruin everyone else's vacation around you. 

You do not exactly sound like a ball of sunshine to cruise with that's for sure. Every time I see one of your post they are filled with snarky rude comments. You could follow your own advice and do us all a favor and keep yourself home when cruising starts. I mean you would not want your attitude to ruin everyone else's vacation. Take care, oh and make sure to wear a mask we would not want you to get a cold.

Edited April 1, 2021 by knight2096

[AstoriaPreppy]

14 hours ago, need2cruisesoon said:

The Spanish Flu petered out only after 2 years and w/o any vaccines.

Once again, these are two different viruses that have major differences.

COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, while the 1918 Influenza pandemic (known in America as the Spanish Flu), is caused by a new H1N1 virus strain.

Compared to the Spanish Flu virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID is 1) more easily transmissible, 2) more asymptomatic early on (you don't know you have/are transmitting to others), 3) longer lasting once you had it, 4) and causes dramatically varying systemic symptoms.

 

It's also important to note that the US successfully managed the Spanish Flu pandemic in a way the US has not managed the COVID response. 

Around 50 million people died globally from that H1N1 variant in '18-19, with about 675,000 deaths in the US. Looking at Coronavirus statistics, worldwide around 3 million people have died from COVID, with the use being around 550,000 of those deaths. 
 

15 hours ago, need2cruisesoon said:

But what happens years from now as people start to develop unexplained chronic illnesses,

I'm sure scientists and researchers will look back upon this time and wonder why people were so anxious to inject themselves with a vaccine that literally only took 6 months to get to market. Me i'm waiting on the sidelines until we know more.

So far, there's no indication that *any* vaccine causes any unexplained chronic illnesses, but I'm sure you can find a YouTube video with someone who has "done the research" saying differently. Vaccines have been proven safe and life-changing for humanity over time.

It's important to talk to your doctor about concerns you may have about the vaccines. I got vaccinated because I like traveling, and want to make sure I don't infect my friends and family, along with other people in my community. Getting vaccinated allows me to do all of these things more safely, and know I won't be unwittingly infecting everyone else around me. It will also allow me to sail on a cruise sooner than later.

[graphicguy]

14 hours ago, hallux said:

With the Florida Governor's pronouncement that he will not permit private companies to enforce a vaccine requirement I wonder how that would impact the cruise ports and a requirement to have a vaccine to board a ship in Florida.

https://www.businessinsider.com/florida-governor-ron-desantis-will-ban-vaccine-passports-2021-3

I saw that.  That’s not going to help the cruise lines who originate some of their cruises out of FL.

 

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by graphicguy

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, AstoriaPreppy said:

Once again, these are two different viruses that have major differences.

COVID-19 is caused by a new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, while the 1918 Influenza pandemic (known in America as the Spanish Flu), is caused by a new H1N1 virus strain.

Compared to the Spanish Flu virus, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID is 1) more easily transmissible, 2) more asymptomatic early on (you don't know you have/are transmitting to others), 3) longer lasting once you had it, 4) and causes dramatically varying systemic symptoms.

 

It's also important to note that the US successfully managed the Spanish Flu pandemic in a way the US has not managed the COVID response. 

Around 50 million people died globally from that H1N1 variant in '18-19, with about 675,000 deaths in the US. Looking at Coronavirus statistics, worldwide around 3 million people have died from COVID, with the use being around 550,000 of those deaths. 
 

So far, there's no indication that *any* vaccine causes any unexplained chronic illnesses, but I'm sure you can find a YouTube video with someone who has "done the research" saying differently. Vaccines have been proven safe and life-changing for humanity over time.

It's important to talk to your doctor about concerns you may have about the vaccines. I got vaccinated because I like traveling, and want to make sure I don't infect my friends and family, along with other people in my community. Getting vaccinated allows me to do all of these things more safely, and know I won't be unwittingly infecting everyone else around me. It will also allow me to sail on a cruise sooner than later.

As you point out, there has been ZERO Evidence of any untoward physical malady (outside of sore arms and temporary cold/flu like symptoms).  That’s over millions upon millions of doses administered world wide.....on top of study upon study and research of just about every relevant pharmaceutical company in the world.

 

Long term effects?  Like what?  What do you want to throw out there to see where and how it sticks? 

 

Again, I think if the cruise lines want to begin sailing out of U.S. ports again, the vaccine will be required for crew and passengers as one of the gating factors to do so.  No one is being forced to get the vaccine.  If you don’t, you’re just going to be limited as to what your vacation options are going to be.

 

Many (all?) hotels do not allow smoking in their rooms.  If you want to smoke in your hotel room, you’re going to be very limited on which hotels you can stay.  Similarly, if you want to cruise, regardless of how you feel about getting the vaccine, you’re going to be limited on the ships and cruise lines you can book.

[graphicguy]

9 hours ago, DoctorFeelgood said:

Doctor here.

I second complaywer.

I spent the past year helping to save people from COVID, and some of my colleagues died doing so.
Masks and vaccines are not an overreaction to a global pandemic that stretched ICUs in some places to the bursting point and killed 550k Americans.

If some cruise lines want to cater to COVID-deniers, anti-maskers, and anti-vaxxers? Let 'em.

I'll be sailing with a cruise line that caters to people who get vaccinated, wear masks and wash their hands after they use the restroom.

 

Thanks for your good work.

 

It amazes me how some will listen to every “quack” theory from some who have little to no experience with this virus, yet will discount a front line medical professional.

[AstoriaPreppy]

13 minutes ago, DoctorFeelgood said:

Florida doesn’t run the world, and risks becoming a pariah. Already, flag carriers like Qantas are pressing for vaccination to be required to fly. Asian, Canadian, and European tourists are going to want to come to a viral death-trap? Ha!

Florida risk becoming a pariah? I thought that already happened years ago 🤪! (sorry, I kid!)

You make  a great point. Most Americans don't realize how vital foreign tourists have become to Florida recently. Miami is a major travel destination for Argentinian and Colombian tourists. Orlando makes bank off British tourists taking their three week holidays in Central Florida. And anyone who has been to Walt Disney World in the last 10 years has definitely heard the rhythmic clapping and chanting of 200+ person tour groups from Brazil.

It's great to say "open everything up, no masks" now, but that doesn't solve the long-term issues, especially if covid infections, hospitalizations and death rates continue to rise.

[Laszlo]

11 hours ago, DoctorFeelgood said:

Doctor here.

I second complaywer.

I spent the past year helping to save people from COVID, and some of my colleagues died doing so.
Masks and vaccines are not an overreaction to a global pandemic that stretched ICUs in some places to the bursting point and killed 550k Americans.

If some cruise lines want to cater to COVID-deniers, anti-maskers, and anti-vaxxers? Let 'em.

I'll be sailing with a cruise line that caters to people who get vaccinated, wear masks and wash their hands after they use the restroom.

 

Thank you!

[HowardK]

I notice a lot of fighting and bickering among these boards (some of it me as well no argument there).

None of us expected to be sitting here a year later waiting for when to sail again.

Besides those who can't cruise this is also affecting those who are not able to work on the cruise lines- many kind people I have met over the years that go beyond the call of duty.

 

I see peoples frustration with a agency preventing peoples livelihoods.

 

I hope those who have the vaccines are able to cruise if they want to and not be deprived.

 

I hope we can go back to complaining about DSC's and rude people on elevators soon.

 

I myself wont be back until 2023-2024 but hope others can return as soon as it is SAFE

 

[RocketMan275]

4 hours ago, DoctorFeelgood said:

Re Florida and their Governor: The swamp-dwelling demagogue can posture  and pander all he wants to his base. Florida doesn’t run the world, and risks becoming a pariah. Already, flag carriers like Qantas are pressing for vaccination to be required to fly. Asian, Canadian, and European tourists are going to want to come to a viral death-trap? Ha! Foreign governments: “Travelers arriving from or returning from Florida are required to quarantine for 14 days.” Boom!

Are there any significant differences between illnesses, hospitalizations, deaths between Florida and New York or California?

[teacherman]

WHEN THIS ALL BEGAN, we were told by the experts (people who know more than me) that this would probably take 12 to 18 months to get back to some type of "normal" IF we all did everything correctly to mitigate the spread.   And it would appear that we did not ALL do what we were advised to do.  So, 18 months is sometime around October and maybe it will happen then.   My cruise is scheduled for January and I expect it will happen.

[DCGuy64]

The best that I can recall (my memory isn't 100%), there was not a single vaccine available 1 year ago. It wasn't unusual for some people to say they doubted we'd have a vaccine within a year or more. But I've just heard today that in my state of Virginia and in neighboring Maryland, they expect to be able to vaccinate everyone 16 and up by the middle of this month. I think that's nigh miraculous. It just goes to show what looks dismal one year can be much brighter the next. And that's not in any way to downplay the tragic loss of life caused by Covid. We can mourn the dead and also be thankful vaccines are here and becoming more available all the time.

[JamieLogical]

56 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

The best that I can recall (my memory isn't 100%), there was not a single vaccine available 1 year ago. It wasn't unusual for some people to say they doubted we'd have a vaccine within a year or more. But I've just heard today that in my state of Virginia and in neighboring Maryland, they expect to be able to vaccinate everyone 16 and up by the middle of this month. I think that's nigh miraculous. It just goes to show what looks dismal one year can be much brighter the next. And that's not in any way to downplay the tragic loss of life caused by Covid. We can mourn the dead and also be thankful vaccines are here and becoming more available all the time.

 

The first dose of the Moderna vaccine was administered to a human in Seattle on March 17, 2020. So we definitely had high hopes for a vaccine even way back then. But I do agree that, at the time, speculation was that it would take close to 18 months to get approval and become available. So you are right that we should all be incredibly grateful that vaccines were developed and given EUAs so quickly and that we are getting them rolled out in the massive numbers that we are. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

[eileeshb]

32 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

The first dose of the Moderna vaccine was administered to a human in Seattle on March 17, 2020. So we definitely had high hopes for a vaccine even way back then. But I do agree that, at the time, speculation was that it would take close to 18 months to get approval and become available. So you are right that we should all be incredibly grateful that vaccines were developed and given EUAs so quickly and that we are getting them rolled out in the massive numbers that we are. There is light at the end of the tunnel!

I’m not sure that was the Moderna covid-19 specific vaccine, I know there were a few mRNA vaccine bases that went to testing early last year before the Covid-19 specific components were added in the summer. I also remember an Ebola-vaccine candidate being tested for effectiveness against covid, and SARS vaccine candidates as well. The work done developing Ebola and SARS vaccines formed a large part of the basis for the covid-19 vaccines. It was a large part of how the covid-19 vaccines were developed and tested so quickly.